LOUIS Thompson believes Town’s performance in their emphatic 5-2 win over Sheffield United sends out a statement that they are force to be reckoned with in League One.

Saturday’s victory took on extra merit, with the consensus in the division being that the Blades will live up to their billing and be pushing near the top of the table this season – a theory backed up by their recent good form.

It is not the first time the Robins have shown they are capable of imposing their style on a side with a big reputation, doing so against Brighton. However it is the first time they have beaten one.

Thompson, the scorer of the fifth and most spectacular goal against United, certainly understood the context of the win.

He said: “You could stay it’s a statement but I don’t think it’s the actual win, I think it’s the performance that’s a statement.

“We have tried to create an ethos around the club – successfully I think as well.

“(Saturday) was a showcase of that we can pass teams off the park to the point where they retract and get everyone behind the ball and give us that little bit of time to toy with them really.

“I think if we iron out those little mistakes that becomes the perfect performance.”

The little mistakes the 20-year-old referred to were the two Blades goals, a rapid double salvo that forced Town to add to their tally after going 3-0 up.

Thompson would rather his side remained firm in their defence of leads like that, rather than having to go in search of more goals.

“You’ve got look at the negatives of the game. We don’t want to concede and have to outscore the opponents to win games,” he added.

“We want to be resolute, not concede then score a couple of goals and win like that.

“As a team that’s what we need to look at, not just dwell on the positives, we need to iron out those negatives in time for Tuesday.”

Town travel to Newport County in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tomorrow night.