SWINDON Town manager John Sheridan has tasked his players with preventing the first goal from going against them in their upcoming games.

The Town boss admitted his frustration at the number of times Swindon have conceded first since he took over, though he did commend his squad for often showing excellent fight to creep back into matches.

A point against Shrewsbury Town and Charlton Athletic sandwiched the memorable comeback victory over Oxford United in games where Sheridan’s men have conceded first but still managed to take something from the contest.

Sheridan is keen to see his side start winning consistently, however, and the 56-year-old said his team can make their life far easier if they stop conceding the first goal in games.

The Town boss said: “My first game, against Shrewsbury, we came back to take a point. We scored late against Charlton to take a point.

“We have shown good signs a few times this season when we’ve gone a goal behind where we have been brave.

“There have been a few occasions where, OK we’re chasing but, we’ve actually taken the game to the other team in the second half and been braver in the things we’re doing.

“We’re playing at a better tempo and we’re playing forward quicker, but I’d like us to start like that and get an advantage in the game.”

In the nine games that Sheridan has overseen where Swindon have conceded more than one goal, Town have conceded two goals in quick succession – within 15 minutes of one another – on four occasions.

The Town boss identified this pattern as one of the primary reasons why his side occupies 23rd place in League One and has asked his players to begin each match like they did against Ipswich Town earlier this month.

Sheridan said: “Throughout the whole of the season, at the wrong time, we concede.

“And then when we do concede, we start to panic a little bit and we start to make errors by trying to force things in bad areas. That leads to us possibly conceding a second in quick succession.

“We can’t keep chasing – I’d just like to see us start properly, like in the Ipswich game.

“In that game, I never felt uncomfortable because we scored first and controlled the game well.

“A lot of the time, we’re chasing the game, and that happens too often. That’s why we’re in the position we’re in.”