Swindon Town will be looking for a first win in three on Saturday afternoon as they entertain a Newport County side who like their opponents are looking in on the play off positions in league two from the outside.
It was another disappointing display away at Rochdale last weekend, Swindon Town will be looking to bounce back and put in a positive display Infront of the home fans before the busy Easter schedule. Swindon played well in patches played on not the best of pitches. It was a flat performance against a side who had been struggling for points prior to kick off. Never found rhythm in attack and were missing two key components to the side in Louis Reed and Harry McKirdy. Swindon Town did miss two clear chances in the game, and they fell to Josh Davison who missed twice from close range, it was not his day or Swindon day away at Rochdale last weekend.
The good news is that Louis Reed is back from his two-match suspension after his sending off against Sutton United. Harry McKirdy is still out with injury and that was confirmed by Ben Garner in his pre-match presser today. Garner has indicated that McKirdy could be fit for the Easter run in against Harrogate Town and Leyton Orient. More good news is that Ben Gladwin is close to return and potentially could feature at the weekend after his Hamstring injury he picked up against Scunthorpe United in February.
Predicted STFC Line up
4-3-3
Wollacott, Hunt, Conroy, O’Brien, Tomlinson, Reed, Iandolo, Williams, Payne, Barry, Davison.
Newport County are like Swindon Town and are hovering just outside the congested League Two play off race. Newport County are in eighth position in the league two standings, one point and one place above Swindon Town. Sixty-three points from Forty games, Newport County are just one point behind Tranmere Rovers who occupy the last playoff spot.
Newport County form in March started off well under James Rowberry, but it has tailed off in the last few weeks of March and the beginning of April. Newport County was unbeaten in four to start the month with one draw and three wins. The draw was a 1-1 home draw against league leaders Forest Green Rovers. Three wins on the spin followed with a 1-0 home win over Bristol Rovers, a 2-0 away win at relegation candidates Stevenage and a 2-1 away win away at Carlisle.
After the Carlisle away win, James Rowberry Newport County side are winless in the last three games. Just one point picked up from a possible nine, that was a 0-0 draw away at Bradford City. The Bradford City draw was sandwiched in between two home defeats. Hartlepool won 3-2 at Rodney Parade. High flying Exeter City won away last weekend 1-0 thanks to a second half goal from Timothee Dieng.
By Scot Munro