MANAGER John Sheridan believes it was difficult to tell which team was near the bottom and which was near the top after Swindon Town lost 2-1 at home to Doncaster Rovers on Saturday.

Swindon, looking to make it back-to-back wins for the first time this season, were dealt an early blow in that quest when Fejiri Okenabirhie put Rovers ahead after just five minutes.

The Doncaster striker nodded in his second just before the break, and despite a late Hallam Hope goal, Town lost for the 14th time this season in League One.

Calling the performance “spirited”, Sheridan defended his team in the post-match interview.

He said: “I’ve just said, I’ll go out there and sound like a broken record. I think it was very similar to a lot of the performances we’ve had.

“We just give ourselves a mountain to climb each time by giving goals away and by the fact we’re always chasing.

“Again, we’ve been beaten but it was a good, spirited performance, I thought, against a really good football team.

“Personally, I wouldn’t have known who was near the top or bottom based on that.”

Swindon found themselves in the not so unfamiliar position of being two goals down at half-time this season.

Though the second half represented a morale victory of sorts, Town ultimately slipped back down to 23rd following another defeat.

Sheridan criticised his defenders for their high line during Doncaster’s first goal and reinforced his point about the importance of the first goal in games.

The Town boss said: “We’ve got to be switched on because you saw it last week at Ipswich.

“When we scored first, we’re in the game and it gives you that belief that you can go on and get something from the game. But we concede first too often, too often.

“It was a very even game until they scored the first goal. We’re playing offside when we should never be playing offside when they have comfortable possession of the ball.

“But if I can take any positives, the spirit, endeavour and desire was all there. Anyone who was watching the game could see that.”