Chester FC were masters of their own downfall against Aldershot Town, reckons Tom Shaw.
While the Blues were rightly aggrieved at the referee's failure to award them a penalty before half-time, Shaw doesn't believe that can be used as an excuse for the 3-1 defeat at the Recreation Ground .
The midfielder said it was Chester's dreadful start to the second-half, during which the Shots scored twice, that lost them the game.
Sean McGinty headed the hosts in front on 50 minutes and two minutes later Alfie Pavey made it 2-0, leaving the visitors with a mountain to climb in testing conditions.
Shaw admitted he was stunned when home keeper Phil Smith's foul on Craig Mahon in the penalty area went unpunished but said that shouldn't have affected the Blues' focus.
Read: Referee's blunder hard to take but we're not doing basics, admits Steve Burr
"We all assumed the referee was just making his way over to give the penalty," said Shaw, who came on as a substitute soon after the second goal.
"The crowd went quiet and I think the whole ground knew it was a penalty but the man who makes the decisions didn't for some reason.
"Mahony got the right side of the keeper and then in a panic he's reached out and tripped him up but never mind we didn't get the decision so we need to carry on.
"It was a really poor start to the second-half and it's cost us the game.
"We talked about getting on the front foot from the kick-off and trying to get a bit of impetus in the game but it didn't happen and that's what cost us.
"I thought Aldershot were quite ruthless with their finishing but that poor start in the second-half is what's cost us the points."
Recap: All the action from our live Aldershot Town v Chester FC blog
Chester boss Steve Burr threw on Shaw and John Rooney with 35 minutes to go and the Shots two goals to the good.
Rooney halved the deficit in the 78th minute with a trademark strike from outside the box and Shaw came close to an equaliser but substitute keeper Dan Thomas, who replaced Smith after he was concussed in the collision with Mahon, saved well.
Shaw, 29, said he thought momentum was with the Blues before Aldershot found a killer third goal late on as Jim Stevenson fired past Jon Worsnop, who had made a series of important stops.
Read: Jim Green's verdict on the defeat at the Recreation Ground
"John Rooney's got that in the locker and it was a great strike from him," said Shaw, who signed from Alfreton Town in the summer .
"I had a chance but the ball got stuck under my feet a little bit and then the keeper's made a good save but I've just got to keep getting in those areas and hopefully one of those is going to dribble in the bottom corner at some point.
"We'd just started to get into their half a little more and get in and around their box and it felt like we were going to get another chance or two. Jon made some great saves to keep us in it but they caught us on the break and it was a good finish to be fair."
