As the seconds ticked down to the final whistle with the scores level it was Watford who would have been feeling most grateful for the prospect of a replay. Chesterfield are the best team outside the Football League and looked more than ready for the promotion that seems likely to end their season, and perhaps a couple beyond that, but in the fifth of six added minutes the home side stole it, Tom Dele-Bashiru jinking into the box before poking a low shot past Ryan Boot.
It might have been so different. The home side dominated the final half-hour but Chesterfield were never content only to defend, committing in numbers whenever they sensed an opportunity to attack and causing occasional outbreaks of panic in the Watford defence. In the 84th minute they nearly got their reward, earning a corner that was sent looping deep beyond the far post, headed back across goal by Ash Palmer, and from a wonderful position on the edge of the six-yard box sent over the bar by the substitute Ryan Colclough.
