PLAYER-COACH Matt Taylor admits Swindon Town’s inconsistent performances are a cause for concern, but vows that the club’s players will work on improving the issue in training this week.

Goals either side of half-time from Jonathan Forte and Jayden Stockley denied Phil Brown’s side any points at St James’ Park on Saturday, dropping Town into the bottom half of the League Two table.

The mood in the away section following Saturday’s loss was a far cry from the jubilation that followed Town’s comprehensive three-goal win at Yeovil just three weeks ago.

Two draws and a pair of losses have followed that result – and Taylor is keen for Town to recapture that form from Huish Park when squaring up to Mansfield Town and former boss David Flitcroft at the Energy Check County Ground on Saturday.

Taylor said: “The level of consistency is a concern. As a manager and assistant manager, you cannot play the game for your players.

“When the players cross that white line, the players must stand up and be counted.

“Consistency is something where the higher up you go, the players tend to be better at it – that’s what I’ve found in my career.

“We’ve got to find a greater level of understanding between each other. At times we’re passing when we should be shooting and shooting when we should be passing.

“But we’ve got a period now where we can work on that in training.”

The 36-year-old has played at the highest level for more than decade at clubs including Portsmouth, Bolton and West Ham.

Playing with Premier League experience on his back has its benefits, but Taylor insists players are ultimately responsible for their performances on the pitch.

At the same time, Taylor is keen to avoid calling out individuals – instead insisting the club must stick with its ‘win as a team, lose as a team’ mentality.

Taylor said: “I can pass on key messages, whether players take on those messages is an individuality.

“There isn’t a magic wand, football is an extremely simple game that complicated by decisions on and off the ball.

“I know it’s an easy thing to say, but the game – for them – was won in our box.

“Unfortunately for us, we huffed and puffed a lot – but we didn’t take our chances.

“Overall they had four chances to score two goals, and that’s why they are where they are in the league and unfortunately we’re mid-table.

“Let’s not point fingers at individuals when we concede. As a team we lost and as a team we win.

“We’re extremely disappointed to not get the result, but I’m not going to stand and have problems with mistakes that have been made by team mates.

“Ultimately we will all make mistakes, that’s why we’re at the level we are.”