What John Pemberton loves about Chesterfield striker Tom Denton - and the stats which prove how important he is

The 30-year-old has started 16 games in all competitions this campaign, scoring five goals.

Two of the towering forward’s goals have come in the five games he has started in John Pemberton’s six matches in charge since January.

He also claimed two assists for hat-trick hero Nathan Tyson in Saturday’s 4-0 win against Ebbsfleet United.

Out of the 10 league games this season that the Blues have won, Denton has started eight of them.

The former Alfreton Town man was out injured for the first 10 games of the season with a knee injury.

In his first match back against Torquay United Town recorded their first victory of the season.

"Results breed confidence,” Pemberton said.

"When we walked in here seven weeks ago you would have got him under that door with a top hat and tails on he was that low.

"I think now you are seeing a difference in him.”

After signing from Alfreton early last season under Martin Allen the 6ft 6in giant scored 12 goals and created a number of others for strike partner Scott Boden.

But Denton only started once in John Sheridan’s last eight games in charge and that was in the FA Trophy defeat to Notts County.

In July the Derbyshire Times reported how the club had carried out a disciplinary process after Denton had been playing cricket in a Huddersfield Premiership game for Shepley.

Pemberton added: "He knows he did not have the best pre-season because he was injured for whatever reason had gone off. He was disappointed in himself. He never hid that, he was honest right from the start.

"I love Dents, I have got a lot of time for him because he is honest and I think you can see that in his performances.

"He knows what he can't do but it does not stop him from having a go. He was running centre-halves down. He is never going to get there but God bless him he is having a go."