Chesterfield 'lacked leadership' in 'unacceptable' performance in goalless draw against Wealdstone

The Spireites hit the woodwork through Adi Yussuf’s overhead kick, had a goal ruled out for handball in the opening 45 and Marcus Dinanga and Tom Whelan went close in the second-half.

However, the hosts could have lost it if it had not been for some fine saves from goalkeeper James Montgomery.

On the performance, Rowe said: “It was sloppy, slow and we got away with a draw in the end.

“You certainly don’t lose it at the end and we nearly lost it and I think that probably symbolises the lack of leadership on the pitch when you are missing Curtis (Weston), Haydn (Hollis), Gavin (Gunning), I’m not on the sideline and it can have a real impact on the leadership and I thought that we lacked leadership today.

“It (lack of leadership) is a concern, of course, because that performance was below what we have been putting in in general since I have been here.

“The biggest worry is that we nearly lost it and you don’t lose it in that situation.

“I concentrate on one performance at a time and this performance was unacceptable."

Rowe said that Gavin Gunning (hamstring) and Curtis Weston (Achilles) could not be risked for this one.

The result leaves Chesterfield’s place in the top seven hanging in the balance with two weeks to go.

“Seven points out of the last nine I guess is okay so there are some positives but we should be putting teams like that (Wealdstone) to the sword but we didn’t,” Rowe explained.

“I hope they are disappointed with their performances because they need to reflect on that and we need better at this football club and we will have better at this football club.

“However, we have got eight on the injury table plus Alex Whittle as well who is really struggling. He was on the bench because he maybe could have played 20 minutes maximum so if you take nine players out of any team in the world obviously you are going to struggle for rhythm and relationships.”