Spireites Boss Happy Despite Defeat

Chesterfield manager John Sheridan was upbeat despite a 2-0 defeat at Gresty Road today.

The Spireites fell to a defeat through some great skill from Donaldson in the first half and a Shelley special just four minutes from the end.

From a Crewe point of view it was a surprisingly comfortable victory against the league leaders with only one or two worrying moments before Shelley sealed the three points.

However, Chesterfield did maintain their ten point gap at the top of the table despite defeat, which is possibly one reason that Sheridan isn't willing to dwell on the result.

Sheridan told BBC Radio Sheffield after the match that he thought it was one of his team's best away performances this season:

'We tried to pass the ball on a tricky pitch. This is one of our best performances away from home even though we've lost.

'If we had that little bit of luck in the chances we created then it could have been a different game.

'I was never really worried, I thought we were the better team in the first half but the first goal is due to switching off and laziness on our behalf.

'We came out in the second half and took the game to Crewe and we were in the ascendency till the second goal.

'I don't mind losing games, I don't expect to win every game, it's in the manner we lose and I'm pleased with how we played. If you perform like that I think you'll win more than you lose.

'I'll give Crewe credit, I like the way they play. I like Dario, I've got a lot of respect for him and they've got one or two decent players but I feel as though we deserved something from the game.'

The state of the Gresty Road pitch has been a particularly big issue this season and its continued deterioration was evident today. However, neither team were put off getting the ball down and passing it and Sheridan echoed Dario's post-match views that both teams coped well.

'The pitch was poor but full credit to both sides, they tried to play on the pitch and both passed it around well. It was the same for both sides, so I'm not making that as an excuse.'

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