FIVE minutes after Tuesday night’s defeat to Swindon Town our dressing room was very disappointed having just been beaten.

But, five minutes after that, our attention turned to making sure we prepared correctly and stayed focused for what is a very important and difficult game at Cheltenham Town this weekend.

Cheltenham have been on a very consistent run of form themselves and that has seen them work their way up to third in the table.

Our intention is to go there all guns blazing and react in the right way after being beaten by Swindon.

We were all obviously upset to lose, but we started the season with no real ambitions in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy.

When the games come along you want to win them and then there is also the lure of Wembley the longer you can progress in the competition.

But the attendance on Tuesday night, which was just below 4,000, shows that maybe the JPT alone isn’t a big attraction.

Wembley certainly is, but we will take promotion above anything else this season – and that includes a possible trip to Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup.

I watched the draw at home with my son who was very excited when he saw us picked to at Anfield if we can beat Oldham next Tuesday.

But if you gave me the choice of playing Liverpool or finishing in the top three this season then, without any, hesitation I would pick promotion.

I hope supporters can forgive me for sounding boring but that is definitely the mentality of the players at the football club right now.

All cup competitions for us are a bonus if they go well this season but we’re never going to go on and win the FA Cup.

We can win League Two though and, long term, promotion would also earn us more money than a trip to Anfield.

However, when Tuesday’s replay at Oldham does come around we will, without any shadow of a doubt, be giving our all to win it.

Last weekend’s first meeting between the two teams, which ended 1-1, was definitely the proverbial game of two halves.

Oldham were on top in the first 45 minutes but we stepped up a gear after the break and could have won it late on with the chances we had.

Away from the football side of things, the pool games have also been heating up at the training ground.

Being the new boy at the start of the season it did take time for me to get used to the roll of the table but I’m definitely up there with the rest of the boys now.

Lee Sawyer and Sean Clohessy are also very good and so is Glenn Morris, but I have won six out of six against him at the moment!

The gaffer is going through a lean spell against me as well, but it’s very competitive stuff.

We still can’t get Chris Barker up to play though but I think that’s mainly because he’s always watching Jeremy Kyle!

Elsewhere, Blair Sturrock was picked out to wear the pink jersey this week and he does always get a few nominations because of his barnet.

But, after he scored against Swindon on Tuesday, I think he might be volunteering to wear it again more often!

CLOSE SHAVE FOR SCRIVS

THE defeat to Swindon on Tuesday finally meant our media manager Dave Scriven was able to shave off his beard.

Scrivo didn't shave during September, like a few of us didn't, to raise money for breast cancer care charity as part of their beards4boobs campaign.

But, as we didn't lose, Dave decided his beard was lucky and would keep it until we lost.

He's therefore had the beard for quite some time and it has been good entertainment seeing him coming to the training ground looking more like a tramp each week!

Sadly it's now no more but I was able to help him get rid of it at Brad's Barbers along the Eastwood Road in Eastwood yesterday.

I regularly go there myself along with a few of the other lads and Dave is certainly looking a lot smarter after his visit!