ACTING skipper Jamie Vincent has vowed the team will deliver the required response after admitting the 3-0 defeat at Stockport was simply not acceptable.

The defender insists the belief remains to secure automatic promotion but the squad must get back to delivering on the basics' of football.

Emerging following a lengthy post-match inquest, the 31-year-old said: "We didn't get in their faces, didn't get anywhere near them and didn't match them for their commitment or work rate.

"Those are the basics of football. They showed more desire than us from start to finish.

"That's this league. If you show commitment, 11 players going out there prepared to work their socks off and work 100 per cent you get yourself out of this league. If you don't, you get beaten week in week out, like we did here.

"In the end we've conceded three goals, which we haven't done all season, so that's also disappointing.

"It wasn't going to be a pretty game because of the pitch. We just didn't get stuck into them, like they did to us.

"If we show the commitment, win headers, tackles, roll our sleeves up, then play football, we have individuals who can win us games.

"But if we don't do it as a team we won't do very well."

Vincent said the message from the manager had got through and that there was a determination to make amends, starting today in the reserve game at Bristol Rovers.

He said: "I think there will be a response from the players after this performance.

"There is a game on Monday where we can respond from our bad performance and put things right.

"Then we'll go from there and work hard all week in the build up to the Accrington game."

Vincent insists Town have to dig deep like never before as the season heads towards its climax.

He said: "We've been up there all season but we shouldn't get complacent because of that.

It looks good (in terms of league position) but the only reason we've been up there is results. We need to keep there for the next 11 games."

So can Town pull themselves out of this current slump and take a top three slot?

Vincent said: "Yes. We've believed from the start that we could get promoted.

"The belief is still there and hopefully we can show that on Saturday."

n Town's home reserve clash with Bristol City has been rearranged for Monday March 19 (7pm).