ABERYSTWYTH Town assistant boss Wyn Thomas admits that defensive errors must be addressed ahead of Saturday’s showdown with mid Wales rivals Newtown at Park Avenue (ko 5.15pm).

A home defeat to Port Talbot in their penultimate game before the league split on Sunday took their challenge for a top six position out of their hands.

Their third successive defeat at Park Avenue effectively means that the Seasiders must now beat the Robins by two clear goals, and also hope that results elsewhere go their way this weekend.

The Seasiders, who have seen loan striker Jamie Reed return to The New Saints after scoring seven goals in 17 starts, have strengthened by signing midfielder Jonathan Evans from Spar Mid Wales League division one neighbours Penrhyncoch.

The 22 year-old made an encouraging debut, but the Seasiders are clearly missing injured midfielder Luke Sherbon, whilst Ross Stephens also missed the game after going off against Haverfordwest.

Assistant boss Wyn Thomas said that the team must address the defensive mistakes that proved so costly in the quickly rearranged match on Sunday - after the original Friday fixture had to be postponed again because of a waterlogged pitch.

“It was a very disappointing result,” assistant boss Wyn Thomas told atfc.org.uk. “We’ve got a squad that can win games, and score lots of goals, but we concede too many. We gifted them their goals, which is massively disappointing for us.

“We started well, but we conceded two goals, which killed us. We came out well in the second half, changed shape, and created chances again, but we can’t concede goals like we are doing.

“Individual errors are costing us week in and week out, and we need to cancel them out.

“The boys worked hard and the performance was better, but the result was disappointing. It’s tough, because they took their chances and we didn’t.”

The Seasiders are now hoping to avenge last season’s Play-Off Final defeat to Newtown when they face the Robins in front of the live television cameras on Sunday, and they can still give themselves a chance of making the top six on Saturday.

Aber need to win by two clear goals to climb above the Robins on goal difference - but must also hope that Carmarthen fail to beat Rhyl, and that they achieve a bigger winning margin than Bangor City in their game against Haverfordwest County.

“It’s a big game this weekend, and hopefully we can win it,” said Thomas. “Newtown will be tough for us, they are a good team, with good players.

“Hopefully we can win it and can concentrate for 90 minutes, and stop conceding sloppy goals.

“We’ve got enough experience, and the players know what they need to do, but mistakes are creeping in and we need to stop that straight away.”