Swindon Town head coach Luke Williams thinks next two games "could be crucial" in relegation scrap

Swindon Town head coach Luke Williams has admitted that he sees the next two matches, both against fellow strugglers, as key if the club are going to avoid relegation to League Two.

Town face Chesterfield (23rd) on Saturday before making the trip to Port Vale (22nd) the following weekend in what are the last two games of a spate of 'six-pointer' matches that the club have had to play in recent weeks.

Prior to Chesterfield and Port Vale, Swindon have played Bury (lost), Northampton (lost) and Oldham (drew), as well as Coventry and Gillingham (both won) with all of those teams being in and around the relegation zone, with Swindon.

Speaking to the 'EFL Weekly' Sky Sports podcast, which aired on Thursday, Williams said of the next two games: "I think they could be crucial.

"But having said that, if we don't pick up the points that we want in those next two games and you ask me the same question I'll say 'the next ones are crucial and we can beat anybody'.

"Yes, I think to try and take points off the teams that are in and around us is obviously sensible and to think they're the best teams in the division would be silly because they're there for a reason, as we are, so it would be preferable to take points off of these next two opposition as opposed to trying to take points off of Sheffield United and Bradford.

"We need to really try and take this opportunity now to try and take maximum points - if we don't we will dust ourselves down and try again."

Once the relegation clashes have finished Swindon have to deal with the opposite end of the spectrum as they have to play four of the current top six in succession.

First it is Sheffield United (1st) at home then Bradford (5th) away before Millwall at home and Fleetwood away (6th and 3rd currently respectively).

Williams said he has not got a points target for those games and, while he accepts they will be difficult fixtures, he has faith that his young squad can do what is required from the four matches.

"I think we have proved that we can beat the top sides. We beat Bolton (2-1 at the Macron Stadium), we beat Bradford (1-0 at the County Ground), so we have shown that we can beat top sides but of course we know it's going to be that much more difficult a task because they are where they are for that reason.

"Yes, more difficult, but impossible? No."