MARK Gardiner blasted his side for taking it too easy in the first half against Flint Town United - but he was pleased with their second half battling to try to salvage the match.

The Vics boss believes the first minute goal made his side take their foot off the pedal.

"I think grabbing an early goal against a lower league side got many of them thinking that it was going to be easy - it wasn't.

"Flint got their game going and we conceded some sloppy goals.

"We went 3-1 down but then we decided to make a game of it and played well in the second half and got some respectability back.

"The winner came out of the blue and Lance Key couldn't really do much about it.

"But I left them in no uncertain terms what I thought about the performance after the game but it's better to lose games now rather than at the start of the season," he said.

Although Gardiner is not too disheartened with the defeat, he'll be hoping for a change of attitude at Skelmersdale next Saturday.

The Vics have injury worries with Nick Boothby and Neil Illman, who both suffered ankle problems during the Flint match, but Ian Cooke played his first competitive match since his injury last season.

Added Gardiner: "Ian Cooke came on for the second half and did very well.

"He's spent four or five months off building himself up and I was pleased with what he did. He's not fully ready yet but he's on his way."

New signings Neil Ellis and Damien Logan played against Flint and Crewe, while Gardiner is also wanting to see a few more trialists in action in the next few games.

He's invited an attacking right winger, left back and goalkeeper along to the Skelmersdale friendly and is also keeping tabs on two more strikers.

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