Grant McCann's side had no answer for a rampant Spireites side who put them to the sword and completed the double over them. The hosts stormed into an 11th-minute lead when Dylan Duffy fired home after Rovers were caught napping down their right. Goalkeeper Ted Sharman-Lowe decided not to come out of his area before an awkward shot squirmed underneath him to give Chesterfield the lead.
Rob Street botched an effort over the bar as Rovers looked to respond before Luke Molyneux flashed a shot wide. That proved costly when the hosts doubled their lead thanks to poor marking from a set-piece. A free-kick was only half-cleared allowing Michael Olakigbe to float a ball to the back-post. Tom Naylor then connected with it and knocked it into the path of Bim Pepple who had an easy tap-in.
Molyneux was then close to reducing the arrears but for a superb triple save from home stopper Max Thompson. But it didn't take him long to right that wrong. Right on the cusp of half-time, after Owen Bailey had been denied thanks to a brilliant tackle from Jamie Grimes, Molyneux was on hand to fire home first-time.
Rovers rallied after the interval but got hit with a sucker punch just before the hour when Michael Olakigbe raced through and fired home after a super-quick counter. Rovers were stunned and just five minutes later Pepple had his second and the hosts' fourth when he connected just yards out from a simple centre. Joe Ironside scored a consolation in the dyeing embers but even then there was time for sub Ollie Banks to snatch a late fifth and rub more salt in the wounds.
Here's how we rated the Rovers players tonight:
9. Luke Molyneux 6
Jinked here and there and was a livewire throughout. Nice finish at a crucial time to reduce arrears after somehow being denied by a ridiculous triple save from Thompson. Best player by some distance, although on a night like this it didn't take much. Booked. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD
10. Joe Ironside 4
A frustrating night as he toiled and battled. Scored the scantest of consolations in the dyeing embers but even then there was enough time for another Chesterfield goal. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD
11. Rob Street 4
Restored to the starting XI. Fluffed a good chance early doors to level scores. Put himself about but no joy in getting past a defiant rearguard. Four attempts, but none on target. Photo: Andrew Roe/AHPIX LTD
12. George Broadbent N/A
One of five subs made on 70 minutes but no chance to make any impression with the game gone by then. Photo: Howard Roe/AHPIX LTD