Chesterfield 1, City 1

Gareth Evans knows the score about his goal tally for the season.

Evans bagged City’s ten men an improbable point from their last-ever visit to Saltergate with a moment of ingenuity.

That takes him to nine goals – but it’s an under-par total for a regular frontman.

It was only his second since Peter Taylor came in, adding to that piledriver at Rochdale in the new manager’s first win.

Every team in League Two needs an Evans, who will run and run and run some more. He’d close down the ball boys given half a chance.

But he is well aware of the chink in his armour when it comes to putting chances away – and that’s the skill that every forward is judged on.

Evans admitted: “Obviously every striker wants to work towards the 15-20 bracket. I just need to keep working and I believe the goals will come eventually.

“Since the gaffer’s come in, he has installed a belief in every player. He’s got me believing that I’m capable of scoring goals.

“It may not look like that because I’ve only got two since he’s been here. But I’ve got that belief that if you get your head down and put your foot through the ball, there’s always a good chance.

“Hopefully I can take that into next season and look to score a lot more.”

Evans followed the instructions to a tee with the 75th-minute equaliser in the aftermath of Omar Daley’s brainless dismissal.

Michael Flynn deserves an assist for his quick thinking. Maybe, too, a nod should go towards the framework of the rickety main stand at Chesterfield’s soon-to-be obsolete home.

When the ball ran out of play, it bounced back off the stand and flew straight into Flynn’s hands. The midfielder reacted straight away with a quick throw-in down the line and Evans was away.

Left back Phil Picken was caught cold as Evans cut past and then inside before firing past Keighley-born goalkeeper Tommy Lee.

It was not the sweetest connection but that was down to the Valley Paradesque unpredictable bobble in the pitch.

It did, however, prove to the watching Taylor that Evans has so much more to offer.

The City chief said: “Gareth doesn’t score enough goals. He runs all over the place for the team and needs a bit more end product.

“But once he starts becoming a regular goal-scorer, he’s going to be some player. Sometimes that’s just down to a bit of confidence and hopefully with that goal he can kick on.

“He’s a good lad who wants to learn and you can see that on the training ground. He’s got so many other strengths in his play if he can just end up to be a confident finisher.”

City were good value for their point in a game that only really burst into life when Daley got his marching orders for flooring Dan Gray off the ball.

It was a red-mist moment that will cost the Jamaican dear in more ways than one. Taylor hinted at a heavy fine, while the winger will not only have to sit out the rest of this season now but the opening day next term.

It rounds off a horrible season for Daley, given his long absence recovering from a serious knee injury, but he had nobody else to blame.

He claimed provocation from the Chesterfield right back and maybe there were darker connotations to the flashpoint than his manager revealed.

But it was still a stupid lapse in concentration that he will have the whole summer to stew over.

Taylor, if he is still at the helm in August, will need winning over once again.

The manager’s future will be settled this week ahead of the Northampton home game. It is thought the decision now is solely down to him.

Taylor was pretty chipper after seeing City stretch their unbeaten run to a fourth match against a side that looked anything like play-off contenders.

On this evidence, you can’t see Chesterfield forcing their way back into the top seven in the last fortnight.

The draw means they have won only once in ten games – a terribly-timed slump that brings back memories of City’s own collapse 12 months ago.

Chesterfield displayed that similar lack of conviction and self-belief, hoping for something to break their way rather than making it happen.

Their tactics for the most part centred on two areas: long quick punts downfield from Lee and sending the ball in winger Ishmel Demontagnac’s direction at every opportunity.

The Spireites had obviously noted the problems Robbie Threlfall had dealing with Cleveland Taylor at Burton a fortnight ago because every pass was sent towards the right flank.

With his first name on the back of his shirt, Demontagnac has a touch of the Ronaldo arrogance and swagger with his step-overs. Dream on, son. But he showed substance to match the style for once with Chesterfield’s 51st-minute goal.

It came from a City free-kick at the other end. Threlfall, who had another sloppy afternoon, side-footed possession straight to Picken and suddenly the home team were away.

With City’s left back now stranded in the wrong half and on the wrong side, Adam Rundle found Demontagnac in the empty slot and he eluded Steve Williams before nonchalantly circumventing Jon McLaughlin with the cockiest of finishes.

That should have soothed home nerves but City improved. Evans and Gavin Grant started to stretch their legs as the game thankfully opened up.

There were even chances of an away win after Evans struck as Chesterfield became more and more agitated. Adam Bolder drove wide and Lee had to be on his toes to smother Evans after a cute through ball from Flynn.

McLaughlin made his customary big save to tip away Mark Allott’s header but a Spireites win would have been harsh.

It’s safe to say that City will be coming back again next season to Chesterfield’s new abode – and maybe there will be a new-look, more ruthless Evans as the spearhead. Attendance: 4,109