David Reeves showed there is no substitute for experience by claiming a hat-trick in a dramatic and controversial relegation battle against Grimsby which ended 4-4 and both teams had a player sent off.
Reeves coolly converted two penalties as Chesterfield first regained the lead and then salvaged a point deep in injury time after Grimsby had staged a remarkable fight back.
The game was over-shadowed by the performance of Nottingham referee Frazer Stretton who overruled one of his assistants for the throw-in that led to Grimsby's second goal.
There was no sign of the drama that was to unfold when Glynn Hurst flicked in his 12th goal of the season in the 19th minute from a free-kick by Allan O'Hare.
Grimsby's reply was a solo effort from Iain Anderson who jinked past two tackles before driving a 25-yard right-foot shot past Carl Muggleton in the 36th minute.
Grimsby's next goal enraged Chesterfield who thought the throw-in had been awarded to them but Grimsby took it quickly and Jamie Lawrence drilled a cross from Mickael Antoine-Curier in from 12 yards.
Chesterfield responded by pressing Grimsby back and Reeves guided a header into the bottom right-hand corner from ten yards from another free-kick in the 66th minute.
He scored his first penalty six minutes later when Chris Brandon was barged in the back by sending Alan Fettis the wrong way as he placed the ball to the keeper's left.
But Darren Barnard curled in a free-kick in the 86th minute after Mark Innes was shown his second yellow card for dissent which gave Grimsby a better position from the set piece.
A minute later, Grimsby were in front when substitute Darren Mansaram pulled the ball back from the Chesterfield right and Isaiah Rankin slid into score on the line.
But there was still one last twist to come as Jason Crowe tripped Brandon and Reeves drove the penalty into the top left-hand corner of Grimsby's goal.
The game ended with Mansaram shown a straight red card for speaking out of turn to the referee as the visitors hotly disputed the second penalty.