Ebbsfleet United manager Dennis Kutrieb reacts to 1-0 defeat to new National League leaders Chesterfield

Ebbsfleet boss Dennis Kutrieb claimed it was “embarrassing” that the officials failed to spot a foul in the build-up to Chesterfield’s winner on Saturday.

The Fleet’s resistance was finally broken with seven minutes left against a team that went top of the National League after Armando Dobra’s bagged the only goal of the game at Stonebridge Road.

But Ebbsfleet felt Joe Martin was fouled off the ball by Dobra during the build-up, with the Fleet defender booked for his protests by referee Paul Johnson.

Kutrieb, who was himself serving a one-game touchline ban after collecting three yellow cards this season for technical area misconduct, was not impressed.

“I’m suspended, I can’t watch a game of football, we’re not allowed to speak about referees but how he cannot see the foul in the build-up play, for me, is embarrassing,” said the Fleet boss.

“I get all the pressure and everything else but as a referee, and a linesman even better, you just need to watch. You don’t need to play or pass or make decisions on a game with the ball in the middle, you just need to watch the players. How they’ve not given a free-kick for us - I’ve already seen the clip on top of this - it’s just embarrassing.

“Apart from that, they put pressure on us in the second half and we had to suffer. We had a good goalkeeper and we defended very well as a team but going forward was not good enough from us.”

Kutrieb was not happy with his team’s attacking play.

Ben Chapman’s shot which was diverted away for a corner was their only effort on target during the 90 minutes and they struggled to get out of their own half at times.

“When we did it (kept the ball) first half we always looked good and sharp and that we could create something,” said Kutrieb.

“But I