SWINDON Town’s patience and ability to channel their focus was tested today during the club’s eighth and final pre-season friendly against Queens Park Rangers, a game which ended 3-2 in favour of the Championship club.

Paul Smyth handed the hosts the lead before Jermaine McGlashan levelled before half-time.

A pair of second-half strikes from Idrissa Sylla and David Wheeler then put the game beyond Town, although Scott Twine added to his pre-season tally with a consolation.

The game proved a frustrating one for Town boss Phil Brown, who afterwards blasted multiple poor decisions made by the referee which – in his view – spoiled the game.

He said: “It wasn’t a case of him being a bad referee, but he didn’t take the game seriously. He took it like it was a park game and let a lot of decisions go.

“A couple of his decisions really went against us in the first half and consequently ended up with the bal in the back of our net.

“But that’s a learning curve for us. It’s something we’ll have to learn to deal with over the course of the season.”

Rather than viewing the decision making as a negative, Brown took positives from his side’s reaction to two of Rangers’ controversial goals.

And the game even helped sharpen Brown’s focus, who last night travelled to Chasetown to watch West Bromwich Albion’s U23s play the Staffordshire outfit.

He said: “When the first and second goals went in, I immediately understood how important referees are and how important it is to stay in tune with the game.

“And we did stay in tune, despite making 11 changes – which both teams did.

“I’ve seen some good pictures, but if we are going to achieve anything this season, we need to understand that things will go against us.

“And when things do go against us, we must re-focus and make sure we come out fighting.”

Meanwhile, the search for a new centre-back continues with Brown eyeing more than one of Millwall’s current squad.

The chances of the Town boss securing the services of a new defender before Saturday’s opening League Two fixture at home to Macclesfield Town are high, but he won’t be forcing any decisions after appearing to opt against midfielder Kyel Reid – who featured for 45 minutes during today’s game.

“I went to Welling on Monday night to look at a couple of Millwall centre halves, which are hopefully available,” said Brown.

“We might get one of them in, you don’t know. We have to keep knocking at the door and hopefully one of them will open.

“As a betting man I would say the chances are likely that we’ll get a defender in before the weekend. But I’ll still be knocking right until that window closes, either permanent moves or in the loan market.”