'Don't throw it away', urges Chesterfield boss James Rowe after Spireites drop out of National League play-offs

The Spireites have had a dramatic rise up the National League table since Rowe took over in November but just one win in the last seven matches has resulted in them dropping out of the play-offs with five games remaining.

Town are two points behind seventh-placed Bromley and they face fourth bottom Woking away on Saturday.

“We know if we get in the play-offs it is a miracle from where we were in December but the chance is here and we can’t throw it away,” Rowe told the DT.

“We have got to maintain the performance levels, stay focused and glory won’t be far away.

“We have played a lot of the top teams recently and other than the Hartlepool first-half we have more than matched them and dominated games.

“So it is there for us, we have got the ability to do it, we have just got to be more ruthless in both boxes because other than the Hartlepool first-half, it is minimal in our 18-yard box, we have got to do better on knock-downs and set-plays.

“We have got to be more ruthless when the opportunities come.”

Town’s stuttering form has coincided with stop scorer Akwasi Asante being ruled out for nine months with a ruptured ACL which came after season-ending injuries to Tom Denton and Haydn Hollis.

They have faced promotion contenders Hartlepool, Torquay and Bromley twice in the last month but now come up against strugglers Woking, King’s Lynn Town and Wealdstone in their next three fixtures.

And it could even come down to a final day showdown at top seven rivals Halifax on May 29.

Rowe added: “Our form since Akwasi has got injured has not been good enough but what can you do apart from roll your sleeves up and have a right go in these last five matches?

“The togetherness is there, we have just gone toe-to-toe with the league leaders.

“We have to keep going and we will.

“We will be in training this week and we will make sure we are ready for Woking away.”