'Play-off rivals won't want to face us' - Scott Loach still confident of Chesterfield's promotion chances despite defeat to Altrincham after 'freak' goal

Defeat at Moss Lane on Tuesday night left the Spireites trailing leaders Stockport County, who have a game in hand, by 10 points.

Town now face a big fight to secure a place in the top three and in the play-offs altogether.

“There were always going to be setbacks - and we are still in there,” Loach told BBC Radio Sheffield.

"Hopefully we can stay in there and a get few players back from the play-offs because I guarantee if we can get Kabs back, get Crolly back and a few others for the play-offs, it does not matter if we finish fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, teams won’t want to play us with our line-up because we have got danger in the team.

"We have got to stay in the pack and finish as best as we can.”

Matty Kosylo’s 48th minute strike took a wicked bounce up off the turf and flew over the diving Loach in what was a truly bizarre goal.

"I think if you let a guy shoot from there, nine times out of 10 you would back me to save that,” he said.

"That is a shot that won’t happen ever again if you tried that over and over again.

"I have got no blame with anybody, it is just a freak.”

Overall, Loach felt Chesterfield ‘dominated’ the game but admitted they failed to test home stopper Tony Thompson enough.

He added: "We had a lot of possession but we were lacking that killer edge tonight.

"Maybe some of the lads are tired, I am not sure. They have worked tirelessly at the weekend and the last few games.

"There was a lot of balls flashing across the box and we just didn't quite have that final edge to get one over the line.

"I think if we had scored, I think they (Altrincham) were there to get beat tonight.

"At the end of the day we have lost to an absolute freak goal and we have got to dust ourselves down and go again.”