SWINDON Town manager Phil Brown read little into tonight’s two-goal defeat at Hardenhuish Park against Chippenham Town.

Brown fielded a youthful side against Mark Collier’s outfit, who scored once in either half to secure a confidence-boosting win of their own.

But the result was of little importance to Brown, who continues to learn about his younger players as Town’s pre-season campaign extended beyond its halfway point.

He said: “I thought it was an excellent learning curve for the young lads.

“I was delighted to get 45 minutes out of Jak McCourt and Dion Conroy. James (Dunne) got another 90 under his belt.

“You get a couple of examples in pre-season of good and well-run non-league clubs that have professionals in league football – and that experience tells against our younger lads.

“I know we got beat 2-0, everybody will look at that result. But as far I’m concerned it’s another pre-season friendly and another 90 minutes for a few of the lads.”

The match saw Brown field new Town recruit Jak McCourt after the 23-year-old midfielder was officially confirmed as the club’s latest signing on Tuesday lunchtime.

McCourt, who signed a one-year deal, played a holding role in the midfield and proved useful at granting players on both wings time to develop runs before picking a pass.

The midfielder joins Town on a free transfer after a tough campaign with Chesterfield last season, who were relegated to the National League following their drop from League One just 12 months earlier.

Brown said: “He met his teammates for the first time on Monday and had his first training session. Now all of a sudden he was chucked in at the deep end with all the young lads.

“But I thought he did well, I was always going to play him for 45 minutes – he might get 45 minutes against Benfica.

“Jak has a fitness level about him. He can play in the right way and is a definite number four – he likes to sit behind the ball and let the game come to him.

“He got used in a different role at Chesterfield as he had a run of games where he was playing in the advanced role and got himself six goals from 12 games.”

Swindon Town return to action tomorrow morning in a behind-closed-doors pre-season encounter against Portuguese club Benfica at St George’s Park in Burton upon Trent (11.30am).