Tom Brewitt revealed that the Swindon Town squad had some difficult conversations following their 7-4 FA Cup defeat against Aldershot Town.

Town were staring down the barrel of the worst home defeat in the club’s history as Jack Barham scored a hat-trick, Lorent Tolaj got a brace, and Cian Harries and Josh Stokes both netted prior to Dan Kemp and Charlie Austin scoring two goals each to slightly reduce the embarrassment.

Brewitt said that the players had been forced to have frank discussions as they were torn to pieces against the National League outfit, becoming the first Football League club ever to concede seven to a non-league team in the FA Cup.

He said: “We have had some difficult conversations, everyone is holding each other accountable, and the leaders are owning up to their mistakes and poor performances.

“That comes from the gaffer [Michael Flynn] and goes right through the dressing room and there is just a feeling of needing to put things right on Tuesday.

“If you had asked me two hours ago, I wouldn’t have said that that kind of performance was possible.

“But we have gone and performed so poorly as an 11, as a unit, and as a back five or back three.

“We have allowed so many opportunities to a team that we should never allow that many opportunities to.

“If Manchester City came here, it would be embarrassing to concede seven against them, it is unacceptable, and I can only apologise to the fans.”

Brewitt said that he was pleased for the chance to instantly put the defeat right as Swindon take on Colchester United in three days' time.

He said: “For me, I don’t think that it will be a case of clearing my head, it is about taking that fire into the game on Tuesday and using what we have done so poorly today to go and put together a performance on Tuesday.

“That can be the only mindset for us and we need to hold ourselves accountable to a much higher level than we did today.

“There is no time for arguments inside, we need to hold ourselves accountable, which we do, and with a small group, we need to stick together.

“Tuesday is an important time to correct this and a week is a long time in football, we have a game on Tuesday and we have a game on Saturday and we need to go out and perform.”