ON TUESDAY night, it was on to Underhill and the first leg of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy Southern Area Final against Barnet.

The side managed by Lawrie Sanchez were thumped 4-0 on their last visit to the County Ground and it might have been the same sort of scoreline had we been able to get the second goal after Aden Flint put Swindon Town in front.

Earlier, Simon Ferry wasted a gilt-edged chance after a brilliant move that went from our corner flag to his one-on-one at the other end in about five one-touch passes.

But from looking comfortable, Town got cocky and paid the price by giving away a very poor goal from a set piece which left Barnet fans more delighted at the end of the first 90 minutes.

I can’t believe that Barnet have enough quality to hurt us in the return leg, but the Swindon players should already have been booking their Wembley suit fittings. The mental as well as the physical efforts of Saturday’s mighty Wigan win seemed to have taken its toll on one or two players, while Paul Caddis had a running verbal battle with hostile Barnet fans throughout the game.

With Paul Benson rested because of a slight niggle, another new strike partnership (Murray and Magera) failed to shine, but one positive was the fine display by Alessandro Cibocchi at left back. Why arguably our best player on the night was substituted late on, I don’t know. His value as an auxiliary centre half may be tested now that Alan McCormack will pick up a two-game ban after his tenth booking of the campaign.

While Cibocchi was enhancing his Town reputation, news was emerging that the club are working on a severance deal for fellow Italian Alberto Comazzi, while boss Di Canio reiterated post-match his concerns that the run-in would be tough for Swindon unless he could bring in ‘three or four’ new players.

He mentioned a striker, a midfielder ‘with physical presence’ and a ‘natural’ centre back. Are you listening chairman Jeremy Wray or investor and ex-chairman Andrew Fitton who was in the crowd at Underhill?