Match Preview: Swindon Town v Morecambe

Swindon Town are on the search for an upturn in form as they host Morecambe at the County Ground in Saturday’s upcoming fixture with just four home games remaining this season. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker previews the upcoming League Two encounter.

Rewind to the start of March and Swindon Town’s playoff hopes remained on track and appeared promising. However, a disappointing stalemate against Port Vale last time out combined with suffering back-to-back away defeats in their previous games extended Swindon’s winless streak to three games and have all-but ended any notion of promotion.

In contrast, Morecambe travel to Wiltshire high on confidence after recording recent impressive victories over Forest Green Rovers and MK Dons, that has seen the seaside club distant them from the ensuing relegation battle at the bottom of the table.

A total of nine points separates the sides as they head into the weekend with Swindon 13th in the League Two standings and Morecambe positioned in 19th. But Swindon fans will be wary of the threat posed by the away team given the Robins struggles against lower placed opposition this season. 

Winning the reverse fixture earlier in the season, thanks to a single goal from Elijah Adebayo, ensured Swindon remained unbeaten against The Shrimps with Town having won four of the five previous matches between the two sides spanning back to 2006. However history doesn’t guarantee results and Jim Bentley’s Morecambe side will know they have a decent chance of leaving SN1 with three league points. 

Speaking after the Port Vale draw, Richie Wellens highlighted that he felt ‘let down by his attacking players’ as Swindon failed to entertain - or threaten the opposition goal – in what was a lacklustre performance. 

Since arriving at the club, Wellens has been able to instil his own style of football within the squad, donned ‘Wellensball’ by the STFC faithful, comprising of fast, free-flowing football that promises goals in return. But it appears that in recent games, the Swindon players have struggled to recreate the exciting demonstrations produced over the previous two months. 

International duties mean Swindon will be without Canice Carroll, Ben House, and Lawrence Vigouroux, all who have been called up to their national sides respectively. However positive news for Town fans sees Michael Doughty in place for a return to the matchday squad after an extended period on the sidelines. 

The absence of players may hamper Swindon’s efforts against a Morecambe side on the up, but this match presents an opportunity for the remaining players of Town’s squad to stake their claim not only for a starting position within the team but also their futures at the Wiltshire outfit. 

With just nine games remaining and very little to play for, Richie Wellens faces the hard task of stopping the rot Swindon currently find themselves in and now the players must stake their claim to remain at the club with changes looming in the summer transfer window.