Skipper Langmead admits Cobblers ‘weren’t at the races’

The central defender was part of a Town side that endured a torrid afternoon as their three-game winning streak was brought to a shuddering halt by a Spireites side that scored three times in seven first-half minutes.

Having dispatched Aldershot, Dagenham and Fleetwood in their previous three matches, Langmead said the team went to Chesterfield with a slight feeling of invincibility.

But such aspirations were dissolved by a dominant home side who powered their way to three points and ensure Northampton have still only won two away games this season.

“We lost the game in the first 25 minutes,” said Langmead, who was one of the team’s better performers on an afternoon that saw several players put in arguably their worst games for the club.

“We gave ourselves a huge mountain to climb and it was always going to be tough after that.

“We got what we deserved and if you start a game like that and give them the goals that we gave them then you are not going to win football matches.

“We don’t always start poorly – we have started some games extremely well. It was just one of those that we weren’t at the races.

“Maybe we felt a little bit invincible the way we had been playing in getting some really good results, and we didn’t do that. We were completely different team to the one we were last week.”