WE HAVE TO FIND FINISH – SMITH
SWINDON Town midfielder Martin Smith admits they need to be more streetwise and ruthless in front of goal if they are to make a success of their League Two campaign.
The 23-year-old has acknowledged that a lack of goals has contributed to their slump in form, with the Robins registering only one win in their last eight league matches.
And the former Sunderland and Kilmarnock man believes it is time the players stood up and be counted as they look to turn their season around and start climbing the table.
“We have to take responsibility as players on the pitch and as a team,” said Smith. “That’s the only way and that doesn’t come with coaching or anything like that,” said Smith.
“That comes from ourselves and that means on the pitch. In key moments, we have to switch on, be streetwise and be ready.
“We have to be alive from restarts and setplays. We need to do that straight away because we are shooting ourselves in the foot and that’s the most frustrating thing.”
Phil Brown’s side are sat in 17th and have been sliding down the table in recent weeks, losing 1-0 to high-flying Colchester United in the league last weekend.
And Smith, who joined the club in the summer, said three goals in their last eight league matches is not good enough as they look to find the balance between attack and defence.
He said: “We need to be more ruthless. We have got to the stage where we have been getting clean sheets and we aren’t conceding goals or chances.
“Now we need to do it in the other box. The game is won in both boxes, it is decided by taking chances and keeping the ball out of your own net.
“We need to get that balance right of keeping clean sheets and taking chances.”