'I picked the wrong team' - James Rowe gives honest assessment of Chesterfield's lacklustre defeat to Maidenhead United

Goals from Nathan Blissett on 20 minutes and Dan Sparkes just after half-time gave the hosts all three points.

The defeat is just the Spireites’ third in 17 since Rowe was appointed manager.

“Credit to Maidenhead, they fully deserved the win,” Rowe told the DT.

“I warned the players about what to expect here all week and we have not delivered anywhere near what I expect.

“But it comes down to me, I picked the wrong team, I trusted the wrong players and we have come unstuck today.

“I know what I have learnt today, I have learnt a lot about individuals and collective units.

“We were nowhere near our standards today.

"They did everything better than us, asked more questions, more deliveries in the box, won tackles, I could go on.

"We have got a talented group but talent doesn't beat hard work if talent doesn’t work hard.”

The Town boss made two changes with Martin Smith replacing the suspended Curtis Weston and Will Evans coming in for Fraser Kerr.

Rowe said Kerr is not yet at the stage where he can play three times a week hence why he was on the bench.

When asked in what way he picked the wrong team, Rowe pointed to the two goals they conceded.

“Their goalie punted it down the field 70 yards, we don’t get any contact and he delivers it one touch and scores from one touch, something seriously wrong,” he explained. “You can’t plan for that, that comes down to individual first and second contacts.

“For the second goal their player should not get the delivery in, we should at least foul and stop the delivery and that has not happened.”

And when asked if they missed Weston, Rowe added: “You could say that but we have got to be ready for that, we have got a big enough squad.”

Overall, Rowe said it was his ‘most disappointing’ defeat he has experienced in the last 18 months but that they ‘have not got time to sulk.’

“The last defeat at Stockport we reacted really well with two victories so let’s see if we can do the same.”