Mark Kennedy insisted that there are more long-term positives to take from Swindon Town’s displays than if they had ground out results.

Swindon have still won just once from eight matches across all competitions this season, last weekend’s 4-0 romp over Newport County, before coming back down to earth with a 2-0 defeat against Carlisle United on Saturday.

It was the second time this season that Town have failed to score despite monopolising the ball and Kennedy was left frustrated by their struggles to unlock Carlisle’s defensive efforts.

However, the head coach said that he was still not unduly concerned about the direction his side was heading in so far this season because he believed it was a sign they would be successful in the long run.

He said: “In terms of everything we do, our style, our brand of being a possession-based team, final third entries, crosses, and shots, I was really happy.

“But you are judged on winning games and that is the bottom line.

“Where I am comfortable, is that if we were really ugly, a 30 per cent possession team, and we score a goal to hold on and nick a 1-0 win then I don’t think we are going to go very far.

“Whereas, what I look at and what I see at the minute makes me really positive about what could be.

“I keep saying that you need to support your performances with results because that is what people care about and I get that but I really feel about what I see and what I am looking for.”

Kennedy said that if Swindon continue to create the openings that they have in the first two months of the season then they will start adding more goals.

He said: “What I am really pleased about and confident about is that we are a team that creates really good attacking moments, we are not a team that is a low block, counter-attacking team where we get two chances and are really clinical, we are a team that creates a lot of really good moments.

“Today was probably the first game where I felt that we let ourselves down in those final areas.

“I hate to be the guy that is making excuses but when you look at StatsBomb or Opta, we are one of the top teams in the leagues for possession, crosses, successful crosses, final third entries, touches in the box, and shots on goal – our metrics are really high.

“That is not what you are judged on but what I am trying to say is that if you continue to do those things then you should be successful. You are on the right path.

“When you are a team that creates very little, is poor on the ball, you have three shots a game, but you are clinical then you are going to come unstuck at some point.

“I have been in first-team football since 1992, so I think I understand the game and I am really excited about what I see.”