PREVIEW: Bury v Swindon Town

SWINDON TOWN face their toughest test of the season yet as Richie Wellens and his squad travel to high-flyers Bury this afternoon. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker previews the League Two fixture.

A four-nil hammering of Morecambe last time out saw Swindon produce arguably their best performance of the season as Town bounced back to winning ways in style. However a trip North to Bury bears striking contrasts to last weekends opposition with Ryan Lowe’s side, unbeaten in their last 14 matches, occupying 2^nd place in the league standings and on-track for automatic promotion this season.

A difference of seventeen points separates the two sides heading into today’s clash, and with Swindon having lost their four previous meetings against Bury the record books don’t weigh in Town’s favour.

Both Richie Wellens and Ryan Lowe have attempted to instil a style of free-flowing attacking into their respective sides, albeit with the latter having been more successful in doing so, meaning that todays match should result in an attacking and exciting game that provides both set of players with a real test as the end of the season nears ever closer.

Currently seven points adrift of the playoffs but with a game in hand still to play means that Swindon still have a slim chance of reaching Wembley this season, however with just eight games left of the current campaign a defeat today could eliminate any playoff hopes that still remain.

Injury news for the two teams see’s Swindon still without playmaker Michael Doughty but otherwise at full strength, as Bury’s Stephen Dawson and Jermaine Beckford remain unavailable due to respective long-term injuries.

Recent success means that Swindon will be high on confidence as they travel to Gigg Lane later today, but Bury’s dominance of teams lower down the table this season could prove too much for Richie Wellens’ squad. The aim will undoubtedly be to leave with three points, but a point on the road against one of the leagues most dangerous opponents would be a respectable result.

Prediction: 3-1