Richie Wellens knows he is a facing a tough challenge at Swindon

Posted Sunday, November 18, 2018 by PA

New Swindon manager Richie Wellens believes his side’s 4-0 humbling home defeat to Carlisle in his first game in charge highlighted a lot of problems at the club.

A brace from Regan Slater, as well as a strike each from Ashley Nadesan and Jamie Devitt secured the comfortable win for the Cumbrians from just five shots on target and six in total over the 90 minutes.

Nadesan opened the scoring on 39 minutes with a crisp finish before a powerful close-range strike from Slater made it 2-0 just after half-time.

Devitt’s superb free-kick had the score at 3-0 after 55 minutes. Slater’s second and Carlisle’s fourth was another hard hit from distance that this time was rifled into the the bottom corner 25 minutes before the end.

It was a baptism of fire for Wellens, who had to deal with unsavoury chants from the home supporters, aimed at both his team and club chairman Lee Power.

“I knew it was a tough challenge. You never really get a job and the situation is all rosy, which obviously highlighted a lot of things that aren’t right at the moment,” Wellens said.

“There was a lot of good things in the first 35 minutes but we can’t have a real good period then have a dodgy period and concede, we’ll be working hard in the week to rectify it.”

Swindon were also dealt the blow of losing midfielder James Dunne after just half an hour, as he was withdrawn for Martin Smith due to an undisclosed family concern.

Wellens continued: “I think the biggest thing for me is ([James) Dunne going off, it killed us, He had that energy, he started positively, it just sucked a bit of life out of us.”

Carlisle boss John Sheridan, who Wellens worked with at then League One Oldham was delighted with the impressive nature of the four strikes from the away side, praising the clinical edge his side showed at the County Ground.

“It was a very good result to get four goals and not concede,” he said.

“There were four really, really good goals. I said after Tuesday we needed to be more clinical and that’s what we’ve done today. Today we have created chances and taken them.

“Regan is a very good player. He’s only 19, he’s only about five two or three but the way he plays you would think he’s six foot two.

“He’s got the willingness to do the ugly things but those two goals were magnificent.

“He should be getting forward more to get opportunities to score because he has a good engine on him.”