Newtown 'beaten by better team' in Airbus defeat
Nathan Leonard admits his side lost to the better side in their 3-0 Boxing Day defeat to Airbus - with his side suffering a catalogue of injury set backs before and during the game.
The Robins, now winless in four, lost Finley Starkey-Jones in a training injury prior to Christmas - before Ollie Sharp pulled out injured in the warm up.
Tom Pritchard was also forced off early in the game - with Leonard handing a first league start to 17-year-old Harri Howells against the Wingmakers.
It was Ollie Lanceley's hat-trick that proved to be the difference - and although Leonard admitted his side could have done better for all three goals, he held his hands up and admitted his charges lost to the better side.
He said: "We lost to a better team, they are a very good side who deserved the win.
"At 1-0 we changed shape and got a bit of pressure on them and we were well in the game.
"But we conceded three really poor goals, and I sound like a broken record on that side of things.
"We give the ball away, we had an erratic clearance, and we could have avoided all three goals.
"But they are a very good team, yes we can play better both individually and as a team.
"I hate to use this as an excuse, but we are thin on the ground.
"We lost our two centre mids, and Harri had to come in for his first start and he did well against one of the best central midfielders in the league.
"Then we have got two or three long term injuries.
"They know they can be better in there and we have to find some form from somewhere.
"The only way we do that is by working hard, reflecting on performances and making sure we learn from our mistakes.
"There isn't a magic wand, it is working hard and battling through it.
"Credit to Airbus, they are a good team, with experience, lots of Welsh Premier League experience and they ran Colwyn Bay to the wire last season and then added to that team."
The Robins are now three points behind Airbus who do have a game in hand on Newtown and Holywell Town who sit in second place behind Llandudno - who have opened up a seven point gap at the top.
Now the Robins' attention turns to New Years Day, when they face a huge clash with bitter rivals Caersws.
It was Newtown who came out on top when the two sides met back earlier in the season - as a huge crowd of over 1,200 watched Starkey-Jones bag a late winner in a tight affair that saw two players sent off.
The situations are slightly different going into this one though. Although they have lost two of their last four games and are four without a win - Newtown are in second with Sws languishing down in 12th.
Although, they have managed to put some form together with three wins from their last four games - and Leonard has labelled it a must win.
He said: "We have to dust ourselves down and get ready for Caersws, we have got to win that game."