'Where was the oomph?' - Holloway 'livid' after Salford beat Swindon Town

Manager Ian Holloway admitted he was “absolutely livid” with his Swindon Town side as they were beaten 3-2 at home by League Two promotion rivals Salford City.

The Town boss was left questioning where the “oomph” was in his team, as goals from Joel McGregor and Aaron Drinan proved not enough at the Nigel Eady County Ground.

Salford struck first through Oliver Turton, with Kelly N’Mai doubling their advantage, while McGregor responded for the hosts before half-time.

Kallum Cesay netted a third for the visitors to make it 3-1 before Drinan fired what proved to be a consolation.

Reacting to the defeat, Holloway told BBC Radio Wiltshire: “They’ve taken six points off us. Well done to them and I’m absolutely livid. Absolutely livid with my team, with their lack of oomph, where was the oomph? That’s how I feel.

“Now we’ve got to do better against other teams than they do, otherwise they’ll catch us, go past us or whatever. That’s a big blow and a massive step forward for them, so there we go.”

He added: “I thought they out-fought us in the first half. They out-thought us and out-fought us. The second goal just sums it up.

“I’ve just watched it back. I’m going to have to go back in there and rip their heads off because that’s absolute garbage.

“I thought their shape nullified us at times. I don’t think our midfield players played the right game against them. I wanted them to flick it round the corner into our front two.

“Every time they won it back they stuck it straight into one of their front two and then they had runners off of that, whereas I don’t know what we were trying to do in midfield.

“They looked like they had freshness and legs and were running and we didn’t, to be honest.”

Defeat meant Town slipped six points behind leaders Bromley in the division, but remained second in the table ahead of Walsall and Salford on goal difference.

Swindon Town meet Salford City again, this time away from home, in the third round of the FA Cup on Tuesday (7.45pm).