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Rene Howe snatched a late equaliser for Morecambe who had taken an early lead which Chesterfield had overhauled by the interval.

The visitors had a chance in the first few seconds when keeper Trevor Carson's punt upfield bounced over Jim Bentley on the slippery surface and fell for the prolific Jack Lester who looked as if he was caught by surprise as he screwed his first-time shot wide.

But it was the home side that took the lead after just five minutes when a good passing move saw Stewart Drummond push the ball out wide to Ryan McCann whose pass back into the box was cleared back out to Drummond who curled a precise shot from the edge of the box into the right-hand corner of the net.

Morecambe looked to be adapting better to the conditions which were getting progressively worse as wind and rain swept across Christie Park.

But they were caught napping after 15 minutes when Darren Currie's deep cross found Gregor Roberston completely unmarked at the back post and the Chesterfield left back had the easy task of slotting the ball home for an equaliser.

Then in the 20th minute Lester twisted and turned in the box and Bentley stuck a foot out to upend the striker and give away a penalty which Jamie Ward converted to make it 2-1 to the visitors.

Rene Howe began to get more involved and it was his neat chip that set Garry Hunter on a run into the box but the ball just skidded away from the midfielder before he could get a shot in.

Ward was causing problems on the break and Barry Roche had to be alert to collect the ball when a long pass forward looked like reaching the Chesterfield winger.

Roche then saved comfortably from a 25-yard shot by Alan Goodall.

Though they were behind there was no lack of confidence in the Morecambe display and they were putting together some neat attacking moves, Hunter usually in the thick of things and Howe using his power to worry the Spireites' defenders.

After 38 minutes Craig Stanley took a free kick in virtually the same position from which he scored at Lincoln last Saturday. This time his floated effort just evaded the head of Dave Artell in the six yard box.

Morecambe had the first chance of the second half when Diarmuid O'Carroll chested down Drummond's pass into the path of Hunter who volleyed over when he should at least have hit the target.

Another well placed free kick from Stanley was flicked on by Bentley and Drummond, drifting in at the far post, just nodded wide.

Morecambe enjoyed a lot of second half possession as they strove to score more than one goal for the first time in the league this season.

When Neil Wainwright came on for Hunter, Twiss switched to the right flank from where he cut in to fire a left-foot shot just wide.

Artell was lucky to escape a booking when he brought down Ward as he raced goalward. Ward struck the free-kick himself and it swerved in front of Roche who, in the end, had to save with his legs.

Young Aaron Taylor made his first appearance for Morecambe in the league when he replaced Twiss on 79 minutes.

And the Morecambe-born striker was in the thick of the action straight away, Shrimps fans screaming for a penalty when he appeared to be bundled over by two Chesterfield defenders as the ball was played high into the box.

And with his next touch Taylor set up Morecambe's equaliser. Curtis's long throw was turned onto the post by Taylor and Rene Howe was on hand to poke the rebound into the net to make it 2-2.

Andy Parrish returned in the only change for the Shrimps' line-up.

Danny Adams was ruled out once again with the after effects of his virus. The other notable change came on the bench where Aaron Taylor made his bow.

Barry Roche lined up against his former club.

Morecambe: Roche, McCann, Bentley, Artell, Parrish; Twiss (Taylor 79), Hunter (Wainwright 59), Stanley, Drummond, Howe, O'Carroll (Curtis 59). Subs: Davies, Curtis, Taylor, McStay, Wainwright.

Chesterfield: Carson, Picken, Downes, Austin, Goodall, Currie (Harsley 66), Niven, Winter, Robertson, Lester, Luke Boden (Winter 83), Ward. Subs: Harsley, Hall, Winter, Scott Boden, Teixera.

Ref: D Foster

Att: 1,734 (256 from Chesterfield)