Centre-half Cameron Burgess admitted that last night’s 1-0 Carabao Cup defeat to Colchester United was a frustrating one to take but felt it was a game the Blues hadn’t deserved to lose.
Luke Hannant’s 29th-minute goal from a Rekeem Harper error saw the League Two U’s to victory with Town unable to take a hatful of chances.
"It was a frustrating one,” Burgess said. "I think you can see that, the fans that were here, we didn’t really deserve to lose the game and the stats show exactly that.
"It’s a frustrating one to take but all we can do is move on and look forward to Saturday.”
Have the players rallied around Harper following his mistake, a pass across his own area between Burgess and Greg Leigh which Hannant gleefully seized upon.
"Yes, it’s a mistake and we’re all part of it, it’s going to happen throughout the season, not just to Rekeem but to other boys,” the 26-year-old said. "That’s football, sometimes football slaps you in the face and that’s what’s happened tonight.
"You’re going to concede goals, obviously it’s not nice to see that you can concede one shot on target and it’s a goal.
"But that’s happened since I’ve been here on a number of occasions, so we have to take it on the chin and put things right at the other end and put the ball in the back of the net.
"It’s a squad game and we have to take it on the chin, the whole night, the disappointment, and use it to fuel Saturday.”
The former Australia U23 international was the only player to start last night who had been in the XI which began the 2-1 win at Forest Green on Saturday, but he says the changes weren’t a reason for the defeat.
"No, there are no excuses, it’s one of those things,” he said. "Like I said, football slaps you in the face.
"I was in that situation where I’ve not played for a number of games last season and ended up coming in and I think the intensity that we train at day-in, day-out takes that out of the equation - we’re all ready to play, everyone wants to play, so there’s no fatigue or anything like that, everyone’s ready to go.
"We’ve have had a tough pre-season and we’re all ready for it, so there’s no excuse on that front.”
Town wanted a run in the competition to give the players on the fringes a chance of regular football.
"Definitely, but we’ve got other competitions to play in, we’ve got the league, we’ve got plenty of games to play this season,” he continued. "We have to dust ourselves down and go again, that’s all we can do.”
Reflecting on the Blues’ start to the League One season, the home draw with Bolton before the victory at Forest Green, Burgess is happy enough.
"I think so, we’ve got another opportunity to go again on Saturday and hopefully we can put three points on the board again,” he said.
"But I think it’s been a positive start so far in the league, so long may that continue.”
The Aberdeen-born centre-half was a surprise inclusion at the Bolt New Lawn on Saturday, coming into the team for Luke Woolfenden, who was out ill.
"I think we’ve all got to step in and be ready when the time comes,” he added. ‘Obviously, I’m prepared to play at every opportunity so I’m never surprised on that front, I’m always ready to go and I need to get as many minutes as I can personally and help the lads where I can, and that’s the same for everybody in the squad, everyone’s ready to go.
"I think everyone’s in the same boat. I see myself as being able to play in this team week-in, week-out and all I can do is do my best on the training ground and take my opportunity when it comes on the pitch.”
Can Town be challengers this year having ended in mid-table in all three of their previous League One campaigns? "I think so. I think we’re quietly confident. If we implement our style and play the way we know we can for the most part, we can do well this season and that’s the aim, there’s no shying away from that, we have to do well.
"With the squad we’ve got with the training and the hard work we’ve put in, there’s no shying away from that. We’ve got to get it right on the pitch and do things well.”
Quizzed on manager Kieran McKenna wanting to add a more experienced centre-half, 35-year-old Richard Keogh’s signing on a one-year deal having subsequently been confirmed this morning, Burgess said: "Obviously that’s their decision, I think we all pitch in with our input. I don’t think it’s ever a bad thing to have experience in the room, that’s for sure.
"I think that’s something that everyone can bounce off if that’s the case. I don’t know the plans, it’s not something that I have to concern myself with, but if that is the case then we’ll welcome it and I’m sure it will be a good thing for the group.”
While Keogh has come in, young centre-half Elkan Baggott has gone out on loan to GIllingham and fellow central defender Corrie Ndaba is set to join him with Kilmarnock, Fleetwood and Burton all keen. Burgess has been impressed with the pair.
"They’ve got bright futures in the game, that’s for sure,” the former Accrington man said. "They’ve put up a good challenge in pre-season and last season as well with Elkan being here and playing really well and made phenomenal strides to improve.
"Long may that continue for them and as long as they’re here under this management and these coaches, then they’ll continue to do that, I’ve no doubt about that.”
Looking ahead to Saturday and the visit of Liam Manning’s MK Dons, with whom the Blues drew twice last season, 2-2 at Portman Road and 0-0 at Stadium MK, Burgess said: "Similar sort of style of play to us, that can see us cancel each other out at times, I suppose.
"It’s on us to show we’re probably a better team that we were last year. I think we all in the building believe that, that’s for sure, and it’s a good chance to go and show that to the fans and everybody outside that we are a better team and we’re ready to make that one step better this season.”
"What’s better about the team? "Just building on what we had. We’ve had a good pre-season together, new players are in the building, that belief and just knowing that our way of playing and the players that we’ve got in the building and things like that are definitely going to work.
"It’s just implementing it now and just putting the last pieces of the puzzle together and making it three points on a Saturday.”