Assistant manager Danny Webb was pleased with the opening day 1-0 victory at home to Barrow.
Dilan Markanday’s first-half header secured all three points for Chesterfield at the SMH Group Stadium.
Webb said: “We showed a willingness and a bravery, with and without the ball, and played the way the manager wants us to play, but with the dirty stuff as well.
“50/50 challenges – we didn’t duck out of them. Headers – we went for them. Lads from set-pieces were marking lads much bigger than them.
“It always comes out hot on the first game of the season. It’s the same for both teams.
“There’s things we want to improve. We have a nice week’s training now before Cheltenham. We want to go down there and put to bed the memory of our visit there last year, when we conceded late on and came away with zero points.
“The substitutions from both teams were really good. Our subs came on and cemented the victory, and their substitutes came on and made them more of a threat.
“Most teams in this league will beat a lot of other teams, it’s that sort of league. We have got to make sure we win more than most.”
Webb was full of praise for match-winner Markanday, saying: “If you expect one person to score a diving header, it might not be Dilan, but I’m really pleased for him
“It’s really important that people, and we as a club, don’t put too much pressure on him. Many saw him as a marquee signing, and we were so pleased to get him in.
“He’s a great lad and an unbelievable player, but he’s a young lad and still learning his trade. There will be mistakes and there will be off days, but for him to win us the game today couldn’t have happened to a nicer lad.
Explaining John Fleck’s absence from today’s matchday squad, Webb said: “Cracked rib. It’s one of those where he wanted to train and play on, but it clicks when he breathes, and the advice is to see how it settles over the next week.
“John certainly wanted to go through the pain barrier, but cracked ribs are risky things to play through, and the department was strong with their advice.”
