Mark Kennedy explained the reasons behind Rosaire Longelo and Nnamdi Ofoborh missing Swindon Town’s 2-1 home defeat against Notts County.

Following a busy final week of the transfer window, two moments of David McGoldrick magic undid Swindon despite a vastly improved performance against the Magpies at the Nigel Eady County Ground.

Of Town’s five signings in the final week, only George Cox was unavailable for selection in this game after being signed after the registration deadline for this week, and so Gavin Kilkenny impressed after coming into the starting line-up, Kabongo Tshimanga and Danny Butterworth both made their debuts off the bench, and Dan Barden was also in the matchday 18.

With these new players coming in, other players had to drop out, most notably Longelo and Ofoborh, who had featured in every game up until this point.

After the game, Kennedy was asked why the pair had been left out of the squad for this game.

He said: “Ros getting injured is a massive blow for us because that leaves us slightly light in that area.

“Ros got an impact injury last week; I don’t know the timescale of his injury.

“Nnamdi was just unlucky because when you pick subs, you don’t just pick the best players, you need a goalie, you need defenders, you need midfielders, and you need forwards.

“We had Danny and Jake [Cain] on the bench today and if we put another midfielder on the bench then it means that we have probably got to take a striker off.

“Nnamdi was just unfortunate in that regard.”

Longelo’s injury meant that both Tunmise Sobowale and Jeff King, who are naturally right-sided players, did stints at left wing-back during the Notts County game, with Cox not signed in time to play and Kennedy also revealed that he would take some time to get up to speed anyway.

This means that Swindon are slightly light in that area of the pitch whilst the former Accrington Stanley man recovers from that impact injury.

Ofoborh was the odd man out in Swindon’s midfield, with the signings of Kilkenny and Butterworth leaving them with eight players who could play in the midfield three, although youngsters Dylan Mitchell and Jaxon Brown could be candidates to head out on loan.

With Swindon taking on Exeter City in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy on Tuesday, that game is a chance for Ofoborh and others to make their case in what is now a deep squad.