Match Preview: Swindon Town v Port Vale

Fifty years have now passed since Swindon Town recorded their most famous victory, winning the 1969 League Cup in a historic match against Arsenal. But as the club enter the weekend facing a League Two fixture against Port Vale, the contrast between the past and present sides couldn’t be further apart. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker previews the upcoming match.

Consecutive back-to-back away defeats against Carlisle and Stevenage have seen Swindon Town’s playoff hopes plummet from outsiders to onlookers with the Robins now seven points off the top six as they welcome Port Vale to the County Ground for their third match in seven days.

Separated by ten points and nine league positions, Swindon 12th, Port Vale 21st, sees the visitors travel to Wiltshire precariously positioned just eight points above the relegation zone knowing that victory on Saturday would all but eliminate any fears surrounding dropping out of English League football.  

A different situation awaits Swindon however, and Richie Wellens will have the difficult task of motivating a set of players who seem resigned to mid-table mediocrity and fully on their way to making holiday preparations for the summer. 

Ten games remaining this season for Swindon, including a game in hand, means that mathematically the playoffs aren’t out of contention, but the fashion of Town’s latest defeats highlight a lack of promotion quality within the ranks of STFC. 

Speaking after Swindon’s midweek defeat against Stevenage, Town manager Richie Wellens said, “We kid ourselves at times because we can see the lights of the playoffs a little bit in the distance, but let’s be realistic, this is where we are.

“We’ll try and make something of this season, which I still think we can, just due to the sheer lack of quality of the other teams.

“But I can’t wait to get some players in over the summer, and I’ll have a proper team – a real, proper team and we can go for it,” he said. 

A one-nil away victory at Vale Park earlier in the season represents Swindon with the chance of completing the double over John Askey’s Port Vale side when they travel to the County Ground. However impressive victories over Yeovil and Mansfield in the latest round of matches means Vale travel to Swindon high on confidence aiming to extend their unbeaten record to four games for the first time this season. 

A resurgence of goals in recent games have seen the visitors score five times in their last two outings, and Swindon’s defence that has conceded four times in their two previous fixtures, will need to be wary of the threat posed by Vale’s attacking duo of Tom Pope and Ricky Wells who have shared thirteen goals between each other this season. 

However, despite a drop in form in recent matches, Richie Wellens will go into the fixture knowing that a game against one of the leagues bottom four sides presents Swindon with a big opportunity to bounce back to winning ways. Town’s strike force of Robinson, Woolery, and Anderson will undoubtedly be keen to impress in front of a home crowd, but Wellens’ selection in midfield will be the key to taking away three points against Port Vale. 

Confidence heading into the match will play a big factor in determining the outcome, and despite recent struggles, Swindon should head into the fixture aiming for nothing less against an opponent who has failed to impress this season.  

Prediction: 2-1