Athletic will bounce back — Colbeck

JOE COLBECK . . . “hopefully we can redeem ourselves on Saturday.”

PARK LIFE:

JOE COLBECK admitted he was left in a state of disbelief by Swindon's two-goal salvo at the County Ground on Tuesday night.

The Athletic substitute, who emerged with credit from the game after scoring his first goal for the club while also setting up a late consolation for Jason Price, was as stunned as anyone by the home side netting a pair of crucial strikes in quick succession on the stroke of half-time.

Billy Paynter — a former colleague of Colbeck's while on loan at Bradford — lashed in a brilliant first just before the 45-minute mark and only seconds later he was doubling his night's tally from the penalty spot after Joe Jacobson had pushed over Charlie Austin.

The third goal, three minutes after the restart from Austin, had a strong whiff of offside about it, effectively killing the game.

And the fourth from Danny Ward showed just how quickly a game can turn on its head when a side high in the league is riding on the crest of a wave of pure, distilled confidence.

"It was a very bizarre game," said Colbeck, a replacement for Pawel Abbott after 69 minutes.

"Coming on with just over 20 minutes to go and 4-0 down, it was a bit of a training match, really.

"When it is so one-sided like that, trying to chase the game when a team is on top is very difficult.

"But in the first half I was sat on the bench and couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"When we came in at 2-0 down I was scratching my head, ‘thinking how did that happen?’ It was so bizarre.

"We had so many chances. But you have to take your chances, at the end of the day, and hopefully we can redeem ourselves on Saturday."

Chances came and went once again for Athletic, who failed to test Town goalkeeper Phil Smith with any effort on target until Colbeck side-footed home Chris Taylor's skewed shot in the 79th minute.

It is a game few at the club will look back on with fondness – least of all boss Dave Penney, who was keen to point out his side's shortcomings in conceding the penalty when it was so important to keep things tight.

Even Colbeck himself wasn't overly joyous about bagging a goal and an assist in a losing cause and he and the rest of the squad now turn their attentions to taking three points from Saturday's home game against Walsall.

"It was one of those days when we could have been two up rather than four down," lamented Colbeck, troubled in recent weeks by a hamstring injury which he is now over.

"Obviously we are disappointed, but hopefully we can pick ourselves up.

"We were on a bit of a high going into the game, very confident, and we just have to get our heads back up again now.

"I would rather take a win than the goal and it is a gruelling journey home. I am happy scoring, but it is the team that matters.

"My goal was a bit of a gamble to be honest. If it were the other way around, I would be telling him (Chris Taylor) it was a good cross!

"It was my first time back on the bench at Tranmere on Saturday and now I will work on my fitness to try to get back into the side.”