Town's defending 'summed up the whole season' - Gunning

Gavin Gunning said that Swindon Town's defensive display in their 3-3 draw with Morecambe was emblematic of the entire season.

In a topsy-turvy final game of the season, Charlie Austin scored after just five minutes to give Swindon the lead, but Joe Adams and Adam Fairclough had quickly turned the tables.

Austin levelled it up before the break and then Williams Kokolo had Town in front, but Gwion Edwards fired home the leveller four minutes from time.

Gunning said that the manner of the three goals that Swindon were conceded was well below the standard required and had been a reflection of the whole campaign.

He said: "I think that as a team we have shown a lack of defensive nous all season and that today just summed it up.

"[Conceding 99 goals across all competitions this season] is unacceptable and you know where you need to improve in recruitment and that is going to be key.

"I think that the goals which we conceded were a shambles today.

"Anybody who was watching will know that the first two goals are ridiculous, the third one was just unfortunate but the first two are dreadful.

"We were marking space and standing in the box not marking our man, you just can't do that at any level."

Austin netted twice during a fantastic first-half display to bring his season's tally up to 12 goals in League Two, the club's top goalscorer.

Gunning was full of praise for his veteran striker, saying that during the game he looked like a much younger version of himself, although with his contract up at the end of this season, the interim head coach remained tight-lipped over whether this would be his final game for the club.

He said: "He was fantastic, he rolled back the years there in the first half, his movement was fantastic, it was a great header, and the finish for the second one was top, it was a great little ball for that goal too.

"It was brilliant for him, he has obviously been waiting for a while to crack that 200 goals mark, but he has gone and got two today, which is a brilliant achievement for him.

"He is a club legend, for sure."

Four academy prospects were given the chance to be part of the matchday squad, and there was also a league debut for goalkeeper Redman Evans off the bench.

Gunning said: "It was an end-of-season game and we were trying to get the kids minutes, but obviously you want to win the game first and foremost.

"We were giving lads more minutes to see if they can be on the journey moving forward.

"It was brilliant to get him [Evans] a debut and that is the main thing for him to feel that crowd.

"It is a different kind of beast when you are out there as a goalkeeper, it is the hardest position to play because there is nobody behind you."