"It was a kick in the teeth": John Pemberton gives his verdict on Scott Boden's penalty miss in Chesterfield's defeat to Notts County

Boden’s tame spot-kick five minutes before the break after David Buchanan was dragged down in the box was comfortably saved by ex-Spireites loanee Ross Fitzsimons.

And Town paid the price in the second-half when Enzio Boldewijn fired in from distance and then Kyle Wootton bagged a double to leave Chesterfield three points from safety.

On Boden’s penalty miss, Pemberton said: “It was a big moment for us.

“It was a kick in the teeth.

“But I was more disappointed with the first goal because we are gambling on closing someone down and winning something in midfield when you don’t have to do that. That has left us outnumbered and we don’t recover from it.

“The second goal we don’t get close enough for the cross and we get picked off in the six-yard box.

“And then the third goal, we let him inside on his foot and he has had a shot and Shwan makes a mistake but he has been great for three weeks so I am not interested in that. We have got to follow in and help.

He added: “Do I think it was a three-niller? No. But the frailities showed themselves in parts of that game.

“I think the difference today is they were better in possession than we were.

“It will be a tough week but we will accept it and we will be better Saturday.”