QUALITY over quantity remains part of Richie Wellens’ management philosophy, despite admitting his increasing concern with regards to attracting a proven goalscorer to Swindon Town in good time.

Town will be without top scorer Jerry Yates while he serves a three-match suspension after being sent off in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup first round tie away at Colchester, a game Wellens’ side lost 3-0.

Completing a signing isn’t an issue for Wellens. If he wanted to, he could have a fresh face in the squad within 24 hours at any moment.

But the 39-year-old is on the lookout for quality, someone that can complement Yates’ persistent work in the danger zones.

And it’s in that area of a players’ ability where Wellens is finding business tricky.

He said: “I’m not going to get a player in that’s not good enough, I could get a striker signed up within 24 hours if I wanted to.

“But will that player be the one I want at this moment in time? Probably not. We’ll keep working.

“I’m on the phone every day, we are trying. Tuesday was a massive blow for us.”

Defenders Dion Conroy and Mathieu Baudry were understandably rested for Tuesday’s nights trip to Essex.

The pair have formed a solid partnership in Town’s back four, keeping a clean sheet at Scunthorpe before conceding twice on Saturday against Carlisle.

Other key players Lloyd Isgrove, Jordan Lyden and striker Yates did feature though. And it’s their game time on Tuesday night that Wellens regrets most about Town’s mid-week loss.

He added: “I drove home and my biggest regret was not resting three or four of our key players. Hindsight is always a brilliant thing.

“We’ve had to move on from Tuesday, we went into training bright and breezy. If we can make it three wins in the league then we can view that as a good start.

“We’re out of one cup and clinging on in the other, but it was a tough one on Tuesday.”

In addition, Town’s stability defensively has Wellens slightly anxious on the touchline.

After conceding six goals in just 180 minutes, the Town boss is for good reason concerned about the uninspiring record of his back four in Conroy and Baudry’s absence.

He added: “The biggest difference for me is we don’t look like we have that defensive stability when we don’t field Dion (Conroy) and Mathieu (Baudry).

“We allowed them to have four shots on our goal – and we conceded three. That worries me a bit.”