Underdogs Swindon prepare to take on Old foes (From Swindon Advertiser)

Underdogs Swindon prepare to take on Old foes

6:00am Friday 11th January 2013 in Sport By Andy Warren

SWINDON coach Neil Loader has admitted nobody outside their own dressing room will be expecting them to get anything from their game with Old Centralians tomorrow.

The Greenbridge Road side go into the game against the team sitting second in South West 1 East on the back of a crushing defeat at Newbury, where a succession of injuries and a red card for Connal Knott saw them slip to a 32-6 loss.

Loader himself was sent from the touchline following a disagreement with the referee, but the coach will be back tomorrow for a home game in which his side are sure to be massive underdogs.

“This game is a massive game for us, especially after what happened last week, and it is important to go out there and reassert ourselves in the table,” he said.

“We went away last week to play a game where we were expected to win, but we came back with a bloody nose which was not what we wanted.

“Going into this game we are in a position where no one is expecting us to win, and they have had some great results this year and demolished us last time we met.

“The only people who expect us to get something are in our own dressing room, so the game will all be about attitude.”

Loader believes tomorrow’s opponents are strong all over the pitch, and is looking for a big performance from his side.

“We know what they have got, and it is very clear they are a quality side,” he said.

“They are powerful as well as being very strong out wide, and they have players all over the pitch who can punish us if we give them the chance.

“It is certainly going to be a very tough afternoon, and we have to go out there and play hard for 80 minutes if we are going to get anything.”

Fly-half Adam Westall is set to be available after having to leave the field at Newbury with a broken nose, but Charlie Vine is set for a spell on the sidelines after picking up a knee injury.

Scrum-half Knott is set to feature despite being sent off for two yellow cards in Berkshire, although Swindon have requested clarification regarding some areas of the referee’s report.

“We are not saying the referee is wrong in what he was saying, but we are questioning the accuracy of the report a little bit,” he said.

“We believe it was for two yellow cards, which is not as serious as a straight red and we have already held a preliminary hearing.

“Maybe next week we will have to hold another, but we are not making a big things about it, we simply want to be clear of all the facts before we make any decisions.”

In Southern Counties South, Supermarine continue their bid to move off the bottom of the table with a home game against Trowbridge, while Swindon College Old Boys go to Gosford All Blacks in the Berks/Bucks & Oxon Premier.