A CRUSHING 3-0 home defeat to Peterborough United has given Argyle manager Peter Reid a clear indication of the task ahead.

After a highly competitive first hour, the Greens crumbled to three goals in a dismal final third of the match.

The crucial opener came from a set-piece and Reid bemoaned poor marking as well as the inability of his forwards to convert from some positive situations.

"You've got to pick up from dead ball situations," he said. "That's not rocket science.

"It was quite an even until the first one went in and it's a bad goal from our point of view because players are detailed to mark, and we haven't done it.

"We then got stretched and got ragged, and paid the penalty. We were poor and we can't seem to get a full 90 minutes together.

"If things go against you, we have got to be stronger character-wise to make it tight.

"When we had chances, we didn't work the keeper. Craig Noone did with his header and Dean Parrett got through once, and he's got to make the keeper save it from there.

"There were plenty of balls that went in their box and plenty went in our box. They got on the end of things in our box and we didn't get on the end of things in their box.

"Ultimately, if you don't do that, you will get beat in games."

The plus side for Reid was a determined display from Noone and the general work-rate of his team, and he refused to blame the defeat on the absence of injured skipper Carl Fletcher and the suspended Kári Árnason.

"Nooney did alright today," said Reid. "He got a little bit frustrated and was putting the ball in too early at times instead of picking people out, but that's understandable.

"Joe Mason showed some good touches but got tired. Patterson gave us everything but didn't get on the end of things.

"I can't fault our effort and the way we went about things, but we have got to be better at defending dead balls and hungrier to get across defenders in the other box.

"Certain teams will have players out. It's part and parcel of football and that's why you have a squad, so I'm not making that excuse. You have to get on with it and you hope the people that go in will do a job for you.

"We need to bounce back and stick together.

"Losing 3-0 is a crushing defeat but I can take certain positives out of it. We've got to work hard and be a lot harder to beat than that."