Chesterfield, without an away win in 2003, nearly pulled it off at Meadow Lane only to be frustrated by a late Notts County equaliser.
After three consecutive home wins Notts were pegged back by their local rivals and deserved no more than to share the points.
County's problem was - not for the first time this season - down to a slow and unconvincing start.
The Spirites were by far the brighter team in the early stages and were rewarded, albeit with a somewhat soft goal, on 11 minutes.
Caleb Folan, the former Leeds United striker, got between two Notts defenders after seizing on to a long throughball and for once Notts goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall guessed wrongly, went the wrong way and presented a simple scoring opportunity.
Chesterfield showed no sign of conceding an equaliser thanks to the outstanding defending of central pair Steve Blatherwick and Steve Payne who limited County's front pair to half chances at best.
In fact the best scoring opportunity for the home side fell to central defender Craig Ireland on 34 minutes but he pulled his shot wide after good link-up play between Mark Stallard and Richard Liburd.
Then, in the closing moments of the first half, Notts skipper Ian Richardson tested Ben Williams with a cunning lob that he turned over.
Notts were brighter in the second half without creating anything like enough scoring chances and they were close to conceding a second goal to Chesterfield on 71 minutes.
This time Folan, well placed in the area, lifted his shot wide of the goal - and it was the last clear cut chance for the visitors.
Only seven minutes later Stallard, who is in red-hot scoring form, netted for the seventh time in as many matches as he fired across the face of goal from a difficult angle.
In a rousing finish Notts goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall had to be alert and made two good saves as Chesterfield pressed for a winner.
But a draw was just about the right result.