Oldham Athletic boss John Sheridan makes honest admission after Chesterfield defeat

The Spireites were 2-0 up after seven minutes thanks to goals from Joe Quigley and Jeff King and the visitors never looked in danger from that point onwards.

Quigley’s goal came after just 34 seconds and Sheridan, who has managed Town in two previous spells, said his Latics side faced an uphill task after the opener.

"They are a good team, Chesterfield, but I expected us to do a lot better and give them more problems,” he said.

"The start of the game did not help us at all, we could not get a foothold in the game at all and I felt we were just chasing all the time.

"It is a tough, tough league. Chesterfield know that, they have been in it for I don’t know how many years.

“It was a disappointing performance.

“Obviously the start we got off to was a massive downer so early in the game. I don’t think we recovered from it, we were chasing the game, we had little glimpses.

"There is no blame on Magnus (Norman), there is still 89 minutes to go, those things happen, but it didn’t help us because it was a big game, playing against a good team who keep the ball.

"The second goal, we have got so many bodies in the areas but we are not not touch-tight to people, we had possession of the ball.

"I think they (Chesterfield) could have scored more goals."

Sheridan now wants his more experienced players to ‘step up’ help the younger members of his squad.

"I’m the manager, I pick the team, I have brought some players in, but we are not playing or performing the way we should,” he added.

"I pick the team, I pick the players, then they go out on the pitch. The game is fast, they have got to make better decisions all over the pitch, it is down to the players then.

"No excuses, we need to do a lot better.

"I have got some experienced players who need to step up.

"I expected more points and to be higher in the league.”