ANDY KING has challenged his players to use their opening win of the campaign as the ignition spark to start putting together performances to leave League One rivals quaking once again.

Saturday's 2-1 victory over Milton Keynes Dons at the County Ground was far from a 'classic' and the Town boss is worried that the spark is glaringly absent from his team.

With points now on the board King is now looking to his players to kick on and start producing the kind of displays that gave both him and the supporters so much pleasure last season.

Two defeats on the trot might well have become three had Rhys Evans not made a blinding stop from Izale McLeod's second-half penalty for the visitors.

Brian Howard struck the winning goal at the other end shortly afterwards and King hopes the save followed by the goal will be the turning point in Town's campaign.

He said: "For whatever reason there isn't a spark. I just don't feel we're going to win football matches at the moment.

"One of the pleasures of last year as a manager was sitting there enjoying my team. I don't sit there with any confidence at the moment.

"We just don't look like we are the side that we were."

However, with lady luck finally having smiled on his team, King is looking for a positive response in the days and weeks ahead.

He said: "What happened against Milton Keynes could be the turning point of the season. Now they can start performing to the levels that I expect of them and that they're capable of. I want a positive performance at Bristol City to get us back on the right track."

King admits at this stage, he is unable to gaze into his crystal ball and predict the future.

He doesn't feel Saturday's defeated opponents will be in the promotion shake-up at the end of the campaign but the question he is asking himself and his players is whether they will fare any better.

He said: "What I don't know at the moment is where we're going to be. I know what we're capable of and I know what could be.

"All I know is that they're better than how they're performing at the moment. All I'm looking for is that spark, that ignition which takes it on."

Midfielder Howard accepts that the start to the season has fallen short of expectations and that the players need to make a real statement of intent, starting at Ashton Gate.

Talking the talk is one thing, you also have to walk the walk. That means putting together a run of results.

The young midfielder said: "We have to go to Bristol City and really show we are promotion candidates."

Ticket prices have been announced for Town's Carling Cup first round tie at Rushden and Diamonds on Tuesday August 24. They are as follows: £17 (adults), £12 (students/senior citizens) and £6 (under 16s). It is pay on the gate.