DAVID Flitcroft believes Town’s midweek stumble was a reminder to his squad of the concentration levels needed to succeed in League Two this season.

The visitors made a timid start to fall behind early at Grimsby on Tuesday and paid the price again in the second half, having hauled themselves in front by half-time, with the home side opening up the right side of the Swindon defence to set up their equaliser and winner.

Flitcroft has long been the greatest cheerleader for his own squad’s honesty and commitment this term, but reckons that on a murky night in north Lincolnshire, Grimsby once again proved that those attributes are not just the exclusive preserve of the County Ground men.

“You’ve got to play the conditions,’’ said Flitcroft. “I’ve said to the young players, to play 100, 200, 300 league games you’ve got to keep doing the right thing all the time.

“You come in to a traditional football club, under the lights, Tuesday night, greasy pitch, against some experienced players who really want to mix it up, to throw you off guard and make it difficult for you.

“You’ve got to stand up to that. That’s the test you’ve got to stand up to.

“You only have the ball for two or three minutes in a game, so the other 87 minutes you have got to be absolutely pristine in your work in those situations.

“We weren’t (at Grimsby) - we switched off at key moments.’’

He added: “It’s disappointing because we fought tooth and nail to get back in a positive equity and to be 2-1 up and we’ve given that opportunity up of another win on the road.

“We had it in our hands and we gave it away.

“It is an honest division, full of players who are not on fantastic money. But they commit to the work and the job and we saw a real spirited effort from Grimsby.’

“I just think their energy and their intent, not that it caught us out, but they got it forward very early. We knew they would.

“It was a slow start from us.’’