King's Lynn Town manager Gary Setchell refused to use the serious head injury suffered by Matty Castellan as an excuse for his side's poor showing in a 1-1 draw at home to Cirencester.

Castellan, 21, returned home on Friday after two nights in Hinchingbrooke Hospital after the incident at St Ives which could keep the youngster sidelined for up to two months.

King's Lynn Town 1 Cirencester Town 1: Frustration for Linnets

Setchell said: 'Yes, it has been a very difficult week, but it's game day and while it is very important that Matty is well, it didn't have an effect on our performance.

'Matty wasn't injured before Kings Langley at home and he wasn't injured before Biggleswade away so if any of the players have used that as an excuse then it's a major cop-out.

'I'd imagine Matty followed the game on Twitter and hopefully the goal will have cheered him up. It would have been nice to get the win for him, but you are not going to win the game if you don't work as hard as the opposition.'

Setchell is at a loss to explain Lynn's up-and-down form which has seen the team fail to record back-to-back league wins on home soil.

'The difference in our levels of performance, both individually and collectively, which we are putting together, are baffling,' admitted Setchell.

'We've let Cirencester off the hook a little bit. As a team, they came down here on their luck and they must have thought that they were on holiday at Butlins in the first half.

'We didn't press them high up the pitch, we didn't close them down in the middle of the park and gave them the freedom of the pitch.

'In the second half we went 4-4-2 and were better, but still gave a goal away which could have been prevented with a little bit of communication at the back.

'It's just frustrating. We prepare the lads right but then they go on the pitch and it's like a burst tyre. It is something that has got to be addressed.

'A point is better than a loss but to me it feels like a defeat. Perhaps we are a little bit too nice at times and are short of a couple of horrible lads who dig people out and are aggressive.'