LOUIS Thompson believes Swindon’s new-found resilience on the road is starting to change the football world’s perception of the Robins as they bid to find the perfect ‘promotion formula’.

Mark Cooper’s side earned themselves a reputation as a slick, passing team following a summer influx of young talent from higher division clubs, including Tottenham, but at the same time struggled to cope with difficult away trips where it wasn’t always possible to play their brand of free-flowing football.

Now, having come from two goals down to earn first a draw at Peterborough then a victory at Port Vale, Thompson believes the Robins have found a formula which could set them on course for a serious promotion challenge. “Peterborough have a massive budget and some really good players and other teams like Port Vale come out and try and push us off the park really but we showed there we weren’t going to be rolled over,” he said.

“We kept the ball off them and that’s how to play against these teams, just frustrating them to the point that they can’t chase you anymore and they retreat. It’s not about going toe-to-toe and fighting with them, it’s about finding a way to beat them and that’s what we did in the last two games.

“That is a formula for promotion because we have players who are technically unbelievable so if we keep that grit and determination like we’ve shown in the last few games I think we’ll be alright.

“It’s just a case of things clicking away from home because we’ve put in some good performances but just haven’t been able to put points on the board. We’re getting that now and after coming from behind to get the draw at Peterborough and the win at Port Vale I think people are now starting to think we are a force away from home.

“We’re doing well and people don’t think they can bully us anymore and we’ve been able to play football on some of the worst pitches around.”

Meanwhile, in non-league action, Malmesbury’s visit to Clanfield was postponed last night due to the wet weather.