'We can't feel sorry for ourselves', says James Rowe after Chesterfield's defeat to FC Halifax Town

The Spireites lost 2-1 at home to play-off rivals FC Halifax Town on Tuesday night at the Technique Stadium but they remain in seventh in the National League.

They face another tough test on Saturday when they travel to sixth-placed Wrexham who have one more point than them.

“We have to pick ourselves up quickly and not feel sorry for ourselves, I certainly won’t,” Rowe said.

“I said there would be ups and downs so we need to make sure our performance levels are back to where they were for 90 minutes and not 45.

“It is great that we are in big games, it has been a while since the club has been in big games that are not for relegation or looking downwards so that is positive and we must not forget that.

“We are now in nine cup finals and we need to make sure we get as many points as we can and if that was not a jolt for us all then nothing will.”

Goals from Jeff King and Jake Hyde put the visitors ahead in the opening 30 minutes.

Kairo Mitchell halved the deficit with 20 minutes to go but overall the hosts gave themselves too much to do.

“I was not happy with the reaction of the team for 20 minutes in the first-half so I was really disappointed with the players on that but ultimately I take it on my shoulders because I pick the team and I pick the shape,” Rowe explained.

“We lacked the final quality again in the final bit.

“If you are getting 58 final third entries and they are getting 20 and you are getting 18 penalty entries and they are getting four and you lose 2-1, it does not take a genius to work out what is missing.

“We have had words in there and we won’t be losing at home like that again I can assure you.”

Revealing why he gave James Montgomery his debut in goal in place of Grant Smith, he added: “I want to look at him, I thought it would be a good game to see him in. It was a tactical decision.”