INCONCLUSIVE Covid tests saw three Swindon Town players and staff unable to experience the club’s unforgettable night against Manchester City on Friday.

Head coach Ben Garner’s assistant Scott Marshall, as well as striker Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and new signing Emmanuel Idem all returned uncertain results in their pre-match Covid tests and were therefore required to miss out on Swindon’s FA Cup third-round tie.

Despite being announced as eligible to play in Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, Idem was replaced by goalkeeping coach Steve Mildenhall on the bench as City named a starting XI that cost in excess of £400 million.

Clarifying the situation post-match, Garner admitted he was gutted for the trio of absentees.

He said: “Unfortunately, we had three inconclusive Covid tests come back.

“Scott Marshall wasn’t here tonight, and I’m so disappointed for Scott for all the work that he puts in. Emmanuel Idem and Jayden Mitchell-Lawson were the other two.

“We’re hoping to clear that up at the weekend, and hopefully then they’ll be fine and they can come back in. But yeah, that was such a shame that they couldn’t be here tonight.”