MATCH PREVIEW: Swindon v Tranmere Rovers

Swindon Town play their third straight top half team as they return home after three weeks to face Tranmere Rovers. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam previews the League Two clash.

Following a typical Swindon showing in the FA Cup last week against Stockport County, Town return to league action hoping to renew their promotion push against a fellow challenger in Tranmere.

Scott Lindsey spoke in his press conference about how the team were looking to quickly put last week’s result behind them.

He said: “I think the first I think I did was try and understand it [the Stockport performance], watch it back, clip it up and understand it.

“Then debrief with the players and try and get some clarity on why it was poor, which we have done and now we have drawn a line under it very early in the week and moved on from it, so we are hoping that we don’t see too many performances like that again.

“I think that [Lindsey’s comments about mentality] was probably a frustration from straight after the game from my point of view.

“I think that it was very difficult and Stockport played a big part in it, they locked in against us and didn’t show us many space to try and play through.

“Having said that, I do feel that we got certain things wrong, which we have spoken about, and once we get certain things wrong it is very hard to play our way.

“It is almost like clockwork, if one cog is out then the rest of it becomes really difficult and we found it hard.

“The players don’t mean to play that badly, they are honest people and I know that because I work with them every day.”

As they return to league action they face a Tranmere side who have struggled in recent weeks, having not won in four and Lindsey said that Micky Melon’s search for a solution has brought its own problems for Swindon.

He said: “They have not won for a while, watching their games back, in the last game they played 352 in the first half and then changed to 442 for the second half and played better like that.

“So it is really difficult to judge what they will do in terms of their formation and shape, so we will be touching on that by playing against both as we are not sure what they will do.

“They have a very experienced manager who I have come across many times and I like him a lot, so if anyone will put it right then it will be him.

“Hopefully that will be after Saturday.”

On the injury front, it is bad news for Conor Brann who dislocated his knee and has possible ligament damage following falling awkwardly in the post-game warm down at Stockport.

His long-term lay-off will mean that Swindon are in the market for a back-up goalkeeper and will be hoping to have one in before the deadline at midday on Friday.

Swindon did not fare well against the Super White Army last season having lost 3-0 at Prenton Park and drawing at home, but prior to that they hadn’t lost against them since 2009, which is an 11-game stretch.

Then across history Town have the upper hand having won 31 out of 70 and only lost 22.