Posh pegged back in pulsating contest at the Pro Act Stadium.
If it was goals and chances in front of goal you were after, the Pro Act Stadium was the place to be - if defending was your bag then this was not the contest for you - both sides were lively going forward but suspect at the back throughout the 90 minutes.Yet Posh hit the woodwork four times in the game, Craig Mackail-Smith among those to hit the frame of the goal as he took his Posh tally to 102 after a brace in the first half against a Chesterfield side who threw caution to the wind throughout.
The deadlock was broken on five minutes with the experienced Sylvain EBANKS-BLAKE firing across McGee and into the bottom corner with his left-foot from a tight angle.
It didn't take Posh long to level, a wonderful cross from Nichols was converted from close-range by MACKAIL-SMITH - it might have taken him a little while to get to 100 for the club, but 101 was not a problem.
Mackail-Smith saw a shot deflect wide for a corner kick and moments later a stunning effort from Forrester from fully 30-yards cracked the crossbar.
On 17 minutes, Posh got themselves in front for the first time in the game, Taylor again the supplier, his pass picked out NICHOLS who took a touch and then buried a left-foot finish into the bottom corner from eight yards.
Forrester should have done a bit better on 21 minutes after a low cross somehow found it's way to the back post, the skipper took a touch and tried to round the keeper and then prodded his effort straight at Stuckmann.
On 28 minutes, the home side drew themselves level as a free-kick needlessly given away was sent deep into the box, nodded back across and DENNIS fired high into the net from 10-yards.
On 30 minutes, Posh got themselves back in front and it was that man MACKAIL-SMITH again, a left-foot finish from a tight angle after a neat pass from Nichols.
Forrester was denied by Stuckmann on 32 minutes, the giant keeper tipping the shot from 25-yards over the crossbar.
Taylor fired inches past the post on 36 minutes after the home side gave the ball away at the back. Two minutes of added time was signalled by the fourth official before referee Mr Stockbridge brought to and end a pulsating first half.
Mackail-Smith showed great awareness to turn his man on 48 minutes, but his 30-yard drive cleared the crossbar.
On 53 minutes, the home side got themselves level again as more poor defending allowed DONOHUE to fire low into the corner with his left-foot.
Forrester curled an effort inches past the post on 68 minutes from distance before Junior Morias was introduced as a replacement for the excellent Nichols.
Baldwin clipped the top of the crossbar with a looping header from a Taylor free-kick on 77 minutes. McGee beat away a fierce drive from substitute Gardner on 80 minutes.
Mackail-Smith had the ball in the back of the net on 81 minutes after Baldwin fired an Inman cross across the six-yard box, but the offside flag curtailed the celebrations.
Mackail-Smith then cracked the underside of the crossbar after a lightening Posh break led by Taylor and helped on by Morias on 84 minutes.
Smith was denied by Stuckmann moments later and from the rebound, Morias hit the outside of the post via the boot of a defender.
Chesterfield: Stuckmann, Kakay, Donohue, Jones (sub Mitchell 85min), Anderson, Hird, Nolan, Dimaio, Simons (sub Faupaula 69min), Dennis (sub Gardner 78min), Ebanks-Blake. Unused subs: Fulton, Grimshaw, Martinez, Rowley.
Posh: McGee, Smith, Hughes, Tafazolli, Baldwin, Bostwick, Forrester, Inman, Taylor, Nichols (sub Morias 69min), Mackail-Smith. Unused subs: Tyler, Penfold, Samuelsen, Binnom-Williams, Grant, H. Anderson.
Half-time: Chesterfield 2-3 Peterborough United
Full-time: Chesterfield 3-3 Peterborough United
Attendance: 5,048 (246 Posh fans)