Chesterfield 5 Doncaster Rovers 2: Nothing for Crystal Palace to fear in FA Cup as Rovers are hammered

But that would do the Spireites and the hold they have over Rovers this season, a disservice.

Having won 3-0 at the EcoPower Stadium in September, Chesterfield matched that margin on a freezing Thursday night at ice station SMH Group Stadium, dishing out a 5-2 thumping on Grant McCann’s side who had begun the evening aiming to cut the gap on leaders Walsall to four points.

The Saddlers needn’t worry just yet, nor should Palace on this evidence, no matter the sizeable gulf between the Premier League side and the lowest ranked club remaining in the FA Cup.

That is for Monday night. For now, reflections on what went wrong for a Rovers side who had won all four League Two games since their their glamour tie was drawn out of the FA Cup hat.

They were behind early at Chesterfield, and but for some good play and a stunning save from Max Thompson just before Luke Molyneux eventually did find the net in first-half stoppage time, Doncaster were largely second best.

Dylan Duffy opened the scoring for Chesterfield on 11 minutes, racing onto a ball down the inside left channel that Rovers goalkeeper Ted Sharman-Lowe initially rushed out of his goal to cut out, before checking, retreating and then being powerless to stop Duffy drilling the ball under him.

Rob Street and Molyneux had chances to level before Bim Pepple doubled the Spireites lead, prodding in from close range after Tom Naylor had bravely won a header at the far post to redirect Ryheem Sheckleford’s cross across goal.

Molyneux was Rovers’ best weapon cutting in from the left and thought he had a goal on 44 minutes but was twice denied by Thompson, the second time the keeper acrobatically clawing the rebound off the line before Jack Sparkes cleared the danger.

A minute later, Rovers got the perfect half-time cleanser when Molyneux finally beat Thompson with a lashed shot from the edge of the area after Rovers’ captain Owen Bailey’s initial foray had been brilliantly thwarted by a sliding tackle by Jamie Grimes.

Any hope that the timing of the goal would spark a second-half comeback from Rovers was ended by the hour mark with Chesterfield 4-1 to the good and their compact home bouncing.

A swift counter from Armando Dobra saw him spread the ball wide to Michael Olakigbe who beat Chelsea loan stopper Sharman-Lowe at his near post.

Then five minutes later it was over, Pepple again the beneficiary from close range, sliding in to get a boot on a left-wing cross.

Joseph Oluwu headed against the post late on before goals were traded at the end, Joe Ironside heading home from a corner deep into stoppage time for a Rovers consolation, before Chesterfield went up the other end and laid one on a platter for Ollie Banks. Long before then Rovers boss McCann had made his feelings known, substituting five players at once.

No major damage done to Rovers’ automatic promotion hopes but with Chesterfield lurking just outside the play-offs, they’ll want to ensure they go up automatically to avoid the potential of having to play the Spireites again this season. Paul Cook’s side clearly have Rovers’ number.