RICHIE Wellens felt his Swindon Town side were well below their best despite claiming a seventh League Two win on the spin on Saturday with a 2-0 victory over Oldham Athletic.

Town have swept all before them in recent weeks to charge to the top of the table, but Wellens conceded they fell short of recent standards against the Latics.

The home side had to wait until first-half stoppage time to break the deadlock as Kaiyne Woolery pounced on Michael Doughty’s ball in behind the Oldham back-line.

Eoin Doyle then killed off the visitors for good five minutes before the end of normal time when he scored for the ninth league game in succession.

Although pleased with another three points, Wellens admits Swindon failed to reproduce the quality that has lifted them to the top of the table – and believes it was all down to missing the influence of Jordan Lyden in midfield after he picked up an injury in the week.

“It was probably one of the worst (games) we have played, in all honesty,” said Wellens.

“We started really slowly and sloppily, and I probably put it down to the change in formation.

“Because of Jordan Lyden’s injury, we had to change a little bit and there were just straight lines all over the pitch – we didn’t have any angles to play through Oldham.

“Fair play to Oldham, they played a high press and we kept on trying to play through it rather than hit the areas.

“Their wing-backs were willing to commit really high up the pitch and they are vulnerable to that ball (over the top) but it took us up until 40 minutes to work it out.

“Mathieu Baudry played a ball just before Kaiyne’s goal, but it just went out of play, then Michael Doughty played one to the edge of the box and we got in and we scored.

“We just didn’t earn any right in the first half – even in the second half, to be honest – to really play through them.

“I am disappointed with the first half but in the second half – in terms of the basics and the ugly stuff – I thought we did well. We probably should have added a few more goals.

“The effectiveness of the players in the second half was really pleasing, but the overall performance was nowhere near the levels we have set in recent weeks.”

Town sit three points clear at the top of the table and have a seven-point cushion in the automatic promotion places ahead of the play-off spots.

Wellens’ side head to near neighbours Forest Green Rovers next weekend for the first of five games in 15 days of the festive period.