IT WAS awful, there’s no getting away from it. It was an awful and a terrible way to spend a Saturday.

Yes, I'm talking about the trip to Macclesfield. I've thought long and hard about how to phrase this particular missive but there's just no getting away from it.

It was one of the worst afternoons I can remember in 45 years of watching Town games. It’s up there with a 7-1 thrashing at Nottingham Forest or a 5-0 drubbing at Gillingham. Not forgetting a dismal day at Histon.

I'm not going to take anything away from the home side. Macc thoroughly deserved their place in round two. For Swindon, though, there was very little to recommend it.

The offer by the players and staff to refund the price of the ticket for those who travelled is an honourable one and is appreciated. It’s part and parcel of life as a football fan, though, that you take what comes when you go to a match - be it good, bad or atrocious.

To be honest, over the years I must be owed a top-of-the-range car after some of the performances I've witnessed. It won't stop me going to Colchester, as it didn't stop me watching the win over Wycombe on Tuesday.

Football supporters are pretty durable. We take what comes with the territory. I was furious at Moss Rose but wouldn't have missed a moment of it.

Within minutes of the final whistle in Cheshire the journey on the supporters’ coach contained more controversy about the result of the pre-match prediction game than the cup tie.

You're beaten but you move on.

We bounced back rather shakily against the Chairboys for a vital, confidence-boosting win. Swindon are now in the last eight of the JPT. Perhaps that's a more realistic route to success than the FA Cup ever is. We'll be hoping rehabilitation continues in Essex.

Nothing will heal our wounds better than a decent display on the road. Come on Town, let’s put Macclesfield behind us and sort out that travel sickness.