Courtney Senior felt quality in the final third was the difference between as Chesterfield beat Barnet 2-0 at The Hive on Tuesday.

Despite starting brightly, the Bees were put under pressure midway through the first half and found themselves behind on the half-hour mark as Michael Jacobs’ back-post finish put the visitors ahead.

Senior, however, thought the intensity of the home team could have been greater in order to take control of proceedings.

“I think we started very slowly. I wouldn’t say we didn’t stick to the game plan, but they made it hard for us to stick to what we decided to do,” he told the Barnet Times.

“In all honesty, I think it was just a slow start from the boys, which cost us on the night.”

Asked about their preparations for a game against the National League leaders, the Bees winger was modest in his answer, suggesting manager Dean Brennan doesn’t often make special arrangements to deal with any given side.

“Not really. You can be top of the league, you can be bottom of the league. It’s just down to how we play on the day,” said Senior.

“We don’t really change anything. Whatever system that we think will hurt them, cause them some problems, or maybe stop certain threats of theirs, we will work on. But we don’t really change anything just because they’re top of the league.”

The runaway leaders grabbed their second late on as substitute Will Grigg finished from an acute angle to send Chesterfield 23 points clear at the top of the table.

And Senior spoke of the quality of the opposition as the difference between the two sides on the night.

“I think it was the quality. The quality from the wide areas, the final ball, the final cross – it just wasn’t our day," he added.

"I’d say lack of quality in the final third and the wide areas was the difference on the night.”

Despite a patchy period of results, the Bees have an opportunity to capitalise on the form of those below them with their next five fixtures coming against sides in the bottom half of the table.

The north London club make the long trip to Hartlepool on Saturday, then play host to Rochdale on Tuesday (March 5), before travelling to Bromley for an FA Trophy quarter-final tie on Saturday week (March 9).