A LATE goal from Spireites' Jamie Burt condemned the Seasiders to a 2-1 defeat on the final day of the season at Saltergate.

The loss means Pool finish with 56 points, a total that puts them in a final position of 16th.

Consolidation is what Steve McMahon had wanted for this season and after a brief relegation scare that's exactly what he got.

The only shame is that his players couldn't finish the season on high against Chesterfield.

After a fantastic win over Bristol City last weekend, another win at Saltergate would have given Pool a huge confidence boost for next season.

But unfortunately it seems the Seasiders had one eye on their summer holidays with a host of familiar faces missing from the trip to Derbyshire.

Even McMahon was absent from the match, he was reported to be scouting elsewhere. In addition, left from the starting 11 were the likes of Danny Coid, Richard Wellens and Martin Bullock - 3 of the top performers this season.

Pool's less from full strength team showed as the home side produced the better first half display. Chesterfield striker Rob Edwards should have given his side the lead on 7 minutes when he headed over unchallenged from a cross from Alan O'Hare.

But the miss didn't matter too much when Chesterfield were on target less then 5 minutes later.

Glynn Hurst was the scorer, beating the offside trap to poke the ball under the advancing Barnes to give the home side the lead after 13 minutes.

At the other end, John Murphy had a good effort go just wide, and substitute Richard Wellens had a drilled shot saved by Spireites keeper Nathan Abbey as Blackpool pressed for the equalising goal either side of half time.

Blackpool eventually began to get into the game midway through the second period and equalised through John Murphy with quarter of an hour to go.

The goal came from some great work down the right by Wellens resulting in a superb cross where Murphy was on hand to slam the ball, via a deflection, high into the net to give Abbey no chance.

It was Murphy's 20th goal of the season which means he matches Brett Ormerod as top goalscorer for the season.

Blackpool could have won it in the minutes that remained and were unlucky not to take the lead with Murphy and Walker both going close.

But unfortunately it was the Spireites who stole the points in the dying minutes. The goal followed an awful back pass from John O'Kane which gave Jamie Burt the opportunity to slot pass the Barnes.

The referee signalled an end to the game and the season soon after. Looking back at a mixed season for Tangerines, Steve McMahon can claim he has achieved his pre-season goals.

Couple that with the new stadium and LDV Vans success and it hasn't been a bad season at all.