Chesterfield ‘are a big club and we have to win every week’ – Gary Roberts

Chesterfield coach Gary Roberts admits the “pressure is on every week” as they ended their five-game winless run in all competitions with a 3-1 victory against Barnet.

A double from Lee Bonis and a late strike from Liam Mandeville were enough for the Spireites to cancel out Mark Shelton’s consolation goal.

The victory moved the Spireites back into the League Two play-off places ahead of the busy festive football period.

Roberts said: “It’s been a really big week. We performed well against Doncaster, and our fans were proud of the boys. Cambridge was a good point. They don’t lose many games.

“And then to beat a Barnet team who are in really good form. They have a really good coach and team, they will beat a lot of sides.

“It’s tough playing for one of the big clubs. The pressure is on every week. We have to win every week. We are really proud of our boys, and they will have a couple of days off now.

“It’s going to be a really busy Christmas. There’s so many games coming. We will be in Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and then for 12 consecutive days we will be in.”

Roberts was impressed not only with the result but also the performance levels from the whole team after a demanding week.

He said: “The pace was ferocious. Our running stats will be through the roof today.

“When you travel to games and get home at half two in the morning, Wednesday you are still wiped out from the game, Thursday recovery, Friday, you can’t train too much.

“And then you go into a game like that where Barnet throw absolutely everything at you.”

Barnet manager Dean Brennan was left frustrated as his side’s six-match unbeaten league run came to an end and singled out Callum Stead for missing two big chances.

He said: “For the first 15 minutes, they were way better than us, and they got a goal and capitalised on us. That’s what good teams do when they’re on top, they score.

“We show good character and get a goal right at half-time.

“Then, the start of the second half, when we’re on top, we miss our chances.

“Steady (Callum Stead) has missed a blatant header, and then he’s missed a one-on-one from three yards out.”

Brennan was full of praise for Chesterfield and admits the difference in quality is what decided the game.

He said: “They’re a serious football club, with serious ambitions and they’ve got good players.

“They proved today that they’re a better group than us and we have to aspire to be in that.

“I was really disappointed with the backline today. You can’t come here and roll teams over, but when you are on top in football matches, you have to score.”