PREVIEW: Swindon Town v Walsall

Swindon Town host mid-table Walsall at the County Ground tonight as Ben Garner’s promotion-chasing Robins seek a third successive win in League Two. Total Sport Swindon’s Ben Acklam previews the encounter.

Swindon have changed the outlook on their season over the last two games following a previous 5 match winless streak, with back-to-back 3-0 victories dispatching the division’s bottom two clubs, Scunthorpe and Carlisle reviving promotion hope.

Following a switch in formation to a 4-3-3 accommodating the trio of Harry McKirdy, Louie Barry, and Josh Davison in forward areas, the goals have started flowing again, with all three attackers finding the back of the net at Brunton Park on Saturday including a first goal for Aston Villa loanee Barry.

In contrast, Walsall had been on a run of seven consecutive defeats, which saw former Swindon Player of the Season Matt Taylor lose his first job in management, with experienced manager Michael Flynn his replacement.

However, that decision has seen a stark change in their fortunes, as Walsall beat second place Tranmere under caretaker manager Neil McDonald, before Flynn took the reigns and Walsall became the first team since Swindon to take all three points against Forest Green.

This fixture may come at the wrong time for Town, given the Saddlers upturn in form, and the match being rearranged from 18th December, when Swindon were supposed to host the Midlands club, but the return of club Captian Dion Conroy will give the Robins a boost.

Swindon and Walsall have already met once this season, in their FA Cup 2nd Round clash, where the Robins visited the Bescot and won 2-1 courtesy of goals from a pair of loanees who are no longer with the club, Tyreece Simpson and Kaine Kesler-Hayden, as Emmanuel Osadebe scored for the hosts.

The head-to-head record between these two is fairly even, with two wins apiece and a draw in the last five meetings.

The most memorable match between Swindon and Walsall in modern times was the 1-1 draw at the County Ground in May 2007 that saw both sides promoted to League One, the away side as Champions.

Possibly more pertinent, given the change in management at Walsall, is that Swindon lost both of their last two league meetings with Flynn’s Newport side.

Swindon will once again be without midfielders Jack Payne, Jordan Lyden and Ben Gladwin on Tuesday night, but club captain Dion Conroy is back in contention following his Achilles injury.

Walsall will be bolstered by the return of captain Joss Labadie as he has completed a two-game suspension for picking up ten yellow cards across the season, but Swindon are expected to have enough firepower to continue their climb back up the League Two standings.