Kennedy: We let ourselves down at set-pieces

Mark Kennedy was installed as Swindon Town head coach in May

Swindon Town head coach Mark Kennedy believes his side's 2-0 home defeat against Carlisle United on Saturday came from self-inflected errors.

Former Manchester City winger Kennedy joined Town on a two-year deal in May, having parted company with Lincoln City last October.

"Unfortunately we’ve let ourselves down on set-pieces," the 48-year-old told BBC Wiltshire.

"We felt going into the game we’d be vulnerable in that area purely because we’ve lost a lot of height. But they didn’t dominate us aerially, we helped them with two really poor goals."

Town conceded goals either side of half-time from set-pieces delivered by Carlisle left wing-back Cameron Harper.

First, Harper's in-swinging corner was headed into the net right in front of goal by central defender Sam Lavelle before a free-kick from Harper from the left-hand side eventually fell to United's Luke Armstrong to side-foot home via the inside of the post with less than 20 minutes remaining to seal the win in Mike Williamson's first game in charge of the U's.

But Kennedy also believes the Robins are on the right path to climb the League Two table, where they currently sit in 21st place after just one win from their opening seven league matches.

He said: "In terms of everything we’re trying to do, in terms of our style of play, our brand being a possession-based team, final-third entries, crosses, shots; really, really happy.

"If we were really ugly and a 30% possession team and we score a goal and we hold on to nick a 1-0, I don’t think we’re going to go very far, whereas what I look at and what I see, I’m really, really positive about what could be.

"We’re not far into the season now. I think we’ve played four of the top six but we feel that with our possession stats now that we’re starting to really dominate games, so I think this is a new experience for the team.

"I thought our dominance on the ball penned them back. It's then [about] finding different ways [to break the opposition down]. My only disappointment about Saturday is that we need to find a way to unlock doors".