THE first aim for us this weekend is simple - we need to try and keep 11 men on the pitch.

I know it looks bad that we have lost two games and conceded six goals but the fact is that four of those goals have been when we have been playing with ten men.

That is not an excuse, we are not looking for them, that is a fact.

What we now have to do is get through 90 minutes with a full team and see if we can start getting some points on the board.

After all, we only had two players sent off in the whole of last season, now we have had two off in our first two games.

It is all too easy to slag off referees and blame them for your problems and it is not a job I would relish doing.

Despite that, the truth is they often do not help themselves or the game they are reffing.

The fans don't pay good money to watch red cards being waved about, they want to see 11 v 11 but some of the refs can't seem to come round to the fact that they are not the stars of the show.

I was not far from Cooky's challenge against Wolves and we all knew it was late but you see late challenges in every game you play in.

But it was early on, we had lost an goal already and I think it needed a bit more thinking about than Mr Winter gave it.

Then he gave a really harsh penalty against Skip.

On top of that, just after we had gone 2-0 down, I was clearly fouled in the Wolves box and I thought it was a nailed on spot kick.

Nothing was given and I am not saying it would have changed the game but 2-1 is a lot better scoreline than 2-0 so who knows.

And it was not a great game to be playing with a man short. We faced a good side on a big pitch in weather more suited to the beach and so it was really hard work. In those circumstances I thought we did quite well - despite the ref.

Mr Winter is one of the top flight referees and, to be honest, the Premiership is welcome to him.

I have only actually had one red card myself, that came against Cardiff in our promotion year.

It was unbelievable, I got elbowed in the throat and sent off for retaliation.

The ref was Mark Halsey who promptly got promoted to the Premiership and I am not sorry he has gone.

That said, the best ref we had last year is one who has had his fair share of critics, Paul Durkin. I think it was against Gillingham and he had a good game.

As a player who likes to take people on I expect to get fouled from time to time but as soon as I know who is in charge I have a good idea about whether I will get any decisions or not.

No matter who is in charge I try to get on with them and have a relationship but that is a two-way thing.

That's enough about refs, the aim now is three points on Saturday.

In any season you do have spells when everything seems to either go for you or against you and we certainly found that out last year.

The problem is, you don't want it in the opening weeks of the season when everyone is desperate to get off to a flying start.

We know it will be a hard game against Sheffield United but we have got a good record against them at Turf.

With our fair share of luck and a full team for 90 minutes, this is a great chance to kick-start our season.

Come along and cheer us on, you can make a difference.