RESPONSE on the training ground to last weekend’s uninspiring 2-1 defeat against Bury at the Energy Check County Ground has encouraged Swindon Town assistant manager Neil McDonald ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Yeovil Town.

Swindon slipped to only their second league loss of the season when Byron Moore’s brace denied Phil Brown’s troops a chance to put themselves in the play-off frame.

The result frustrated fans, who only saw Town register three chances throughout the 90 minutes – one of those being Luke Woolfenden’s 50th-minute equaliser, which was cancelled out six minutes afterwards.

However, team spirit in the squad following the loss to the Shakers has remained high, with McDonald insisting players are keen to learn from their errors while understanding what positives can be used going forward.

“We look at strengths and weaknesses – the good and bad,” said McDonald.

“We try to give players the feedback on that. When you get beat, it can be easy to highlight the defensive problems, but going forward, we didn’t really create that much (against Bury).

“All in all, the disappointment was that we know we can play better than what we did.

“But this week’s training has gone well and we’re in a better frame of mind and want better performances from everybody.

“The professional eye is the best thing to look at – stats can back up what you see.

“We try and see how far players have run and how quick they’re moving.

“Technically, we can use video evidence to understand if players are in the right position or not.

“Stats, for me, are only there to back up what you see from the actual game itself.

“There are so many stats that you can get swallowed up by it all and forget the reason why you’re having a meeting with a player and what you’re trying to improve.”

Yeovil, meanwhile, experienced better fortunes last weekend as strikes Yoann Arquin, Jordan Green, Diallang Jaiyesemi, Olufela Olomola and Carl Dickinson guided Darren Way’s men to a more than comfortable 6-0 victory at Newport County.

Prior to that, Yeovil scored only three goals in their previous four fixtures.

That stat means McDonald doesn’t regard Yeovil as a prolific goalscoring unit – but last’s fixture highlighted the clinical edge the Glovers can produce when all players click on the pitch.

McDonald said: “It’s possible that some of Yeovil’s goals could’ve been avoided (against Newport).

“Watching the video, it can be said the defence and goalkeeper could’ve played better, maybe then Yeovil might not have scored six goals.

“But they have a threat, and we have to be on our guard.”