SWINDON Town boss Phil Brown is in no mood to throw in the towel on his side's play-off ambitions despite the diminishing window of opportunity available to the County Ground men.

With three matches remaining in League Two, Town lie three points outside the final play-off position occupied by Mansfield Town - bossed by ex-Town chief David Flitcroft - although in reality, the Wiltshire men's inferior goal difference means they would need to bridge a gap of four points.

On Saturday, Town host a Grimsby Town side for whom victory would almost certainly secure their League Two safety before travelling to a Colchester United team that could still harbour their own play-off hopes on April 28. The visit of current leaders Accrington Stanley wraps up the regular season on May 5.

Town's prospects have been all but written off in some quarters, and Newport's supporters wasted no opportunity to sing that they would be seeing their Swindon counterparts next season during the weekend's 2-1 defeat at Rodney Parade.

Asked whether the play-offs were still viable, Brown said: "I don't know. As far as I'm concerned, we've got three games to go to play with some pride.

"We didn't see that (at Newport) which, as I say, I was disgusted for the fans that travelled.

"I thought as a team in the first half it was just an unacceptable performance. I wouldn't have said it (Newport) was a derby match by any stretch of the imagination, but it's not far off.

"For the fans behind me to be talking to us saying they'll be seeing us next year, it's not what we set out to achieve and if it's not mathematically impossible, we will give it every chance.

"We will do everything we possibly can in the next three games to do what we can.''

If there was a ray of light for Town in Wales, it was that the second half was an improvement on the first-half effort, while admittedly not a stellar achievement in itself.

Brown added: "The first minute of the second half signified that and if the first minute of the second half had been the same as the first minute of the first half, it might have been a different kettle of fish.

"But that's down to mentality, that's down to attitude, that's down to hard work and that's down to the words I'm talking about - desire.''