We should be top already - Macca (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: We should be top already - Macca

6:00am Saturday 9th February 2013 in Sport

SWINDON Town could go top of League One if they beat Hartlepool this afternoon, but captain Alan McCormack is disappointed his side haven’t reached the summit already.

The Robins are unbeaten in their last 10 games, and victory over the league’s bottom side will take Town top on goal difference if both Tranmere and Doncaster either lose or draw their games with Leyton Orient or Walsall respectively.

Tomorrow’s match will see Paolo Di Canio’s side return to the County Ground after three straight away games, in which McCormack expected his side to earn a better return than the five points they managed to pick up.

“We are a little disappointed we are not top already, especially with the Leyton Orient and the Crawley games, because we looked at them and thought from our last three away games we could have got nine points.

“Two draws and a win are good results considering the pitches we had to play on, but we would have liked to have been top. We said that before the Crawley game in the huddle, so we have to use that to push on and keep going.

“Hartlepool are bottom of the league, but it doesn’t matter who we play against because a lot of teams come to the County Ground knowing they are not going to dominate the game because we are so good at home. We seem to dominate large spells whether it’s top or bottom, we saw with Tranmere how we passed them off the park and played football how it should be played.

“If you do that it doesn’t matter who you play, you will pass them off the pitch and win games.”

The Irishman gave away penalties in the victory over Shrewsbury and the draw at Crawley, but is determined to put the incidents out of his mind as he continues to adapt to his ever-changing role in defence.

“I just mis-timed the Shrewsbury one and I thought he was going to take a touch forward and I didn’t anticipate it, and I am a bit angry I didn’t clear the ball and I took his leg,” he said.

“The Crawley one, when I look back at it, I can see why the referee gave it, but at the time I thought he was going to shoot so I tried to get there as quick as I could.

“I don’t remember making much contact with him, but it was given and it is done and dusted, and we got back into the game and we could have won it.

“After the second one I thought ‘how’s my luck because I have given away two penalties in a month when I hadn’t done it before in my life,’ but you learn all the time.

“I change my position a lot and I have a lot to take in and I’m working overtime, and it has been a little bit difficult but also very enjoyable.

“I have to keep going and forget about the penalties now.”

Eight thousand flags are set to be given away to add to the atmosphere at the County Ground tomorrow, thanks to an anonymous Town supporter. Flags will be given to fans when they enter the stadium in exchange for a charity donation to the Wiltshire Air Ambulance, the club’s charity of the year.

Meanwhile, the open day planned at the County Ground for Wednesday has been postponed due to fears over the state of the pitch due to possible freezing temperatures, and is set to be rescheduled for the Easter holidays.