CHIPPENHAM Town are likely to go in search of more experienced players over the summer as manager Mark Collier blasted his team’s inconsistency this season.

The Bluebirds ended their away season in National League South by succumbing to a 3-2 defeat against Gloucester City on Easter Monday, having led 2-0.

A regular gripe of Collier’s this season has been the number of long-term injuries to key players throughout his squad.

Bemoaning his side’s luck regarding injuries, Collier has been forced to start Bluebird academy players in recent weeks to fill the holes left by injured absentees.

And while the Town boss has full confidence in his young players’ ability on the ball, he admitted that their inexperience has cost the team points, particularly in the defeat to West Country rivals Gloucester.

Therefore, addressing the relative lack of know-how at National League level will be at the forefront of Collier’s summer plans.

He said: “Defeats like Monday made it even more galling, to be honest, because we’ve been to places like Torquay, Billericay and Dartford and we’ve produced very big performances on good pitches.

“We have to make sure we have a discipline and a work-rate and an energy, and have the discipline to play winning football.

“I think it’s a mindset thing when we go a goal behind. Maybe we’ve lacked a bit of experience in recent weeks, and that’s not helped us.

“We’ve had a 17, an 18 and a 21-year-old in our back four at Gloucester and maybe we’ve been caught out on that one.

“We’ve got some young ones in midfield too, so maybe that’s something to think about.

“Maybe we’ll have to think about that lack of experience in the squad over the summer and try and get the right personnel in.

“We already have some thoughts on that, so we’ll sit down over the next week or so and discuss where we want to go with it.”

Chippenham end their season at home to Chelmsford City on Saturday and Collier is adamant that his players will respond in the right way at Hardenhuish Park.

The Bluebirds boss wants his side to show a ‘real Chippenham spirit’ as they look to secure 12th place in the table with a win.

Collier said: “It would have been great to end the season with four-straight wins against four different types of teams – Dartford in the play-offs, Torquay as the champions, Gloucester fighting for their lives, and Chelmsford in the play-offs.

“We’re disappointed about that, however, if three points are available, these players are being paid decent money and they need to produce a decent performance, not just for themselves, but for the football club, the team, the chairman and the supporters.

“I’ll be looking for that on Saturday, to show that real Chippenham spirit and desire to make things happen for us.

“When things aren’t going well for us, make sure you out-fight your opponent and dominate your opponent.

“If we do that all over the pitch, then we’ll have an opportunity to beat Chelmsford.”