TOWN return to League One action this weekend against Colchester United. After the Boxing Day clash at Leyton Orient was postponed, Paolo Di Canio’s men will go into the game at the Weston Homes Community Stadium off the back of a magnificent 5-0 win over Tranmere Rovers a week ago.
The Robins will be hoping to make amends after going down 1-0 at The County Ground when the Us came to Wiltshire in October.
THE VIEW
Speaking at Thurday’s press conference, manager Paolo Di Canio was keen for his players to approach Saturday’s fixture with the right frame of mind after their Boxing Day match at Leyton Orient was postponed.
With the enforced break under their belts, the manager wants his players to learn from their home defeat to the U’s just under three months ago.
“Our legs should be fresh as we didn't play on Boxing Day but the players had a very hard session,” he said. “We used the day well and the players are looking forward to a game at Colchester on Saturday.
“We must approach the game in the right way but the players have been good. They have trained well and the players know what happened here against them at The County Ground. We lost that game but we have improved a lot since that day. We have more quality, but there is a mix of players. That means nothing though if we don't approach the game in the right way.”
THE STORY SO FAR
After a poor start to the 2012/13 campaign, manager John Ward was replaced by Joe Dunne. Since their victory at The County Ground at the start of October, the ship appeared to have been steadied with just one defeat that month. However, just one win in November preceded four straight defeats in December, one of which was a 3-1 home reverse to Brentford on Boxing Day.
They currently lie in 20th position in League One, a place above the drop zone and just two points clear of Portsmouth who have a game in hand.
LAST TIME OUT
The two sides met in the second round of last season’s FA Cup. Matt Ritchie’s strike proved to be the difference between the teams with a 1-0 win teeing up a third round clash with Premier League side Wigan Athletic that Town would famously go on to win.
The last league meeting in Essex ended in defeat. Despite Scott Cuthbert’s equaliser, a last-gasp winner condemned Town to a 2-1 loss. Swindon’s last league victory at Colchester came back in 2004 when Sam Parkin secured a 1-0 win for Andy King’s men at Layer Road.
TICKETS
Adult £18
S.Cit. O65 £13
18-21 yr.old £14
Under 18 £10
Armed Forces (ID) £13
Wheelchair users £13 (Phone Colchester on 0845 437 9089 to book)
Amb. Disabled £13
Prices increase on matchday by £2 adult and £1 concession.