Swindon Town ended their festive run of League Two fixtures with a disappointing 2-0 defeat at Notts County.
Veteran striker David McGoldrick scored twice in the first half to put the home side in control of the game and they never looked like relinquishing their advantage.
Town manager Ian Holloway made four changes to the side which started the New Year’s Day victory over Colchester United, but his team was outclassed by County.
Swindon have taken eight points from five games over the festive period, but they remain embroiled in the battle to avoid relegation to the National League.
Holloway was not too disheartened by the defeat at Meadow Lane, and praised his players for the effort they produced against the promotion chasers.
“I learned that practice makes perfect in their methods of what we can do and also that we could stop them but we didn’t,” Holloway said.
“We caught them with it a lot of times but unfortunately today we did not break through when we could have done.
“Up front we did not quite have that edge and it did not seem to go for us and we needed to make something of those opportunities when we broke down their play and they were wide open.
“But we couldn’t get that into a shot at goal or a chance and that is very unlike my forwards.
“That is something you get when a team dominates you with the ball and if you don’t take your chances when you do get it then you get nothing in the game and it could have been far worse.
“It is disappointing for us but some of the things that I asked them to do we did really well but we did not capitalise on those moments. I am not disappointed with the performance because there was a lot in that performance but we just did not capitalise.”
“I am not downhearted at all because I think that we competed very well and we still kept going but we looked drained at the end.
“We needed a goal and we didn’t get one, so the longer it went on the harder it was to watch but we still kept going and that is encouraging.”
Holloway has done a reasonable job since his surprise appointment in October, but he faces a tough task to keep Swindon out of trouble this season.
The Robins are one of the biggest clubs in League Two, but off-field struggles have significantly hindered their chances of fulfilling their potential.
Australian businessman Clem Morfuni has been widely criticised, with Swindon fans angered by the club’s demise since he took over in 2021.
Morfuni’s arrival at the County Ground initially sparked excitement in his homeland, where sports bettors sought to cash in in his involvement with the club.
Several popular betting apps were inundated with wagers on Swindon winning promotion from League Two, but things have not gone to plan.
However, there may be light at the end of the tunnel, with football finance expert Kieran Maguire recently claiming that Morfuni is willing to sell the club.
The Aussie has repeatedly said that he wants to retain ownership, but would happily move on if someone met his valuation.
Speaking on his Price of Football podcast, Maguire said: “My understanding is that Swindon Town have been put up for sale.
“Admittedly this was a few months ago, but I have been in contact with a prospective bidding consortium, and they asked for certain information which I gave them.
“Clem Morfuni is asking for more money than I think Swindon Town is worth.
“Why is he asking for more money? A) Because he thinks he can get it or B) He has put in so much money that he needs to recover what he has put in because he might have borrowed that money from somebody else himself. We don’t know which.
“When I saw the purported asking price and what I consider the club to be worth, there was a noticeable gap.
“That happens all the time in football, like buying a house, and you try and find some central ground but it was quite a gap.”
