Jacko's thoughts after the defeat away to Swindon Town
Town travelled to Swindon looking to get results back on track after a week which had seen Graham Turner leave his position as manager.
Mike Jackson took over the hot seat and was looking for a reaction after switching things around, and he certainly got that from his side.
With the game level at the break Town then put in a superb second half performance that saw them hit the bar, the post and Swindon keeper Wes Foderingham put in a performance which saw him win the Man of the Match awards.
But in the end Town somehow lost the game 3-1 and come away from the County Ground empty handed.
After the game Mike Jackson spoke to the press to give his thoughts on his sides performance:”It's a very difficult result to take, everything we asked them to do in terms of the game plan they stuck to.
“We got done on two set pieces and the third is a mistake and Connor will learn from that.
“Chris Weale has admitted he could have done better for the second and Tom Eaves on the first one and you can't do that on see pieces.
“The biggest thing for me was the attitude and performance and we haven't had that many opportunities in a game for a very long time.
“On that point of view it was pleasing, the disappointing thing is the result because we need to start picking up points.
“The result hits you hard but we've got to go again on Tuesday, I've just spoken to them and told them to take belief from the performance.”
It was all square at the break after Paul Parry drove in a superb free-kick to equalise just before the half-time whistle. The second half though saw Town take the game to the home side and dominate proceedings:”In the first half I thought we controlled it and grew into the game, then in the second half they had some possession but we then started hitting them on the counter attack. They changed system two or three times as they couldn't cope with it.
“You have to take your chances though, we hit the post, the bar and free headers from close range that we didn't take.
“That's football and what we need to do now is make sure we prepare them right for the games on Tuesday and on Saturday.”
There was a recall to the starting line-up for Paul Parry and he rewarded the manager's faith with a superb free-kick:”It was a great strike, and then in the second half Paul Parry has had another great shot where the keepers pulled off a great save.
“He has got that quality though and that's the reason I played him, it also gives us a little more defensively and he always has the possibility of popping up with a goal.”
There was a début for Wigan Athletic loanee Fraser Fyvie in the heart of the midfield and he put in an assured and calm performance which really caught the eye:”I thought he did ok, he started to look a bit leggy late on and I thought Jermaine would add a little more height with the likes of Ranger coming on. They went to a diamond so Woodsy crawled all over Pritchard and that was the end of him and he didn't have a kick after that.”
With Town lining up with a 4-1-4-1 formation Jacko was asked if this formation might carry on into Tuesday nights game at Colchester United:”I'll look at Colchester tomorrow and look at what the best way to play them with the people we've got and go from there.”
There was a late cameo of Celtic loanee Bahrudin Atajic coming on late in the game due to the form and performance from Tom Eaves:”I wanted to get him on earlier but I was watching Tom Eaves and that is probably the best he's done since he's been here.
“It looked like the Tom of old, he looked like he was going to score, he was running in behind and causing them murder.”
There looked to be little interest from the fans after last weekend's defeat for the trip to Swindon but in the end 227 Salopians' made the trip and Jacko hopes they will be impressed with what they have seen:”It's their club and they are the supporters, managers and players come and go but they remain.
“They pay their money and come down and want to be entertained and see us win, I'm sorry we couldn't do that today but I hope they have seen what the lads have done in terms of effort, determination and desire.
“The supporters have probably questioned that in the last few months but I hope they have seen something today which will rally them around for Tuesday and then Saturday.”
Town now turn their attentions to Tuesday nights trip to Colchester United, one which the manager is looking to for a positive result:”We are looking forward to it but what the lads need now are results for the work that they have put in today.
“We need to go to Colchester and get a result, we have to target 4 points from the next two games.”