We were awesome, says Chesterfield boss after third win in a row

The manager called Curtis Weston’s second half goal a ‘Whitbread moment’ in tribute to his assistant who was hospitalised this week with a bleed on the brain.

Speaking after a third consecutive win in the National League, Allen said: “I thought it was awesome.

“A very important member of staff who is very close to all our players, being rushed into hospital just before that Aldershot game, it’s had a massive cloud over the dressing room.

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“Until we got the good news it has deflated a nice, big, bright balloon.

“It’s taken us all back big time.

“It’s been hard for me and the players.”

It was a scrappy first half, in which Chesterfield dominated possession but struggled to break down a stubborn Braintree defence.

“At half-time today I had a nice chat,” said Allen.

“I didn’t get the paint off the walls and just said you all know we can all play a little bit better.

“I thought the crowd were very patient with us today, it’s not always going to be magic.

“In the first half we never had that magic.

“In the second half I thought we upped our game.

“When you’re playing at home and it’s 0-0, quite a hot day, a bit windy, we’ve all been in that situation where you’ve lost 1-0 and you all go home unhappy.

“Fair play, credit to our squad of players, they dug deep and put together a fantastic move and it was a top, top finish from Weston, lifting it over the keeper at the drummer boy end.

“It was a relief moment, it was a Whitbread moment for us.”

Allen gave an update on his assistant, who is now out of hospital and on the road to recovery.

“He’s staying at the Mad Dog mansion and getting well looked after there.

“He’ll have quite a lot of time now with my wife and me and we’re going to look after him.

“I do love Bill Shankly and all his sentiments but there’s a lot more important things than football.”

After three games of the season Chesterfield are yet to concede a single goal but Allen reiterated his message from midweek after the win over Aldershot - he wants improvement.

“We can’t do any better on that one (clean sheets).

“They still had a chance today, it was a great save by our keeper.

“We’re going to have to work on that, we’ll always have to improve.

“We’ve got to get better, we will get better.

“This place has just started to rock and roll.”

One player missing from today’s action was Laurence Maguire, the young defender was rested by Allen after coming down with illness.

“Laurence was down to play and yesterday he had a bit of a swelling below his jaw line.

“He got through training and I got a phone call on the way here, the dreaded phone call from our physio.

“It got worse, he was fatigued and needed to see the doctor.

“That was a blow, our plans from yesterday got off track.

“I spoke to him and said he wouldn’t play, he was disappointed but I’ve got good players in my squad who can come in and play.

“His health and welfare is more important than his game.

“He wanted to play but I made that decision that he couldn’t.”