WITH nine games left Mark Cooper could be forgiven for taking a more pragmatic approach towards getting Swindon Town over the promotion line, but he insists he will not abandon his principles.

Starting with the visit of MK Dons on Saturday, the campaign ticks into the final month and the pressure is mounting on the manager to deliver results. Even more so with Town within touching distance of promotion.

The County Ground chief has persisted with his mantra of performances brings results. Though on occasion Town’s play does flirt with kamikaze it is hard to argue that he has been vindicated by Town’s league position.

Then it is no surprise to hear that he will not be abandoning the adventurous style his side have employed all season as the campaign moves into its decisive period.

“It’s nice to win, but more often than not you have to perform well,” he told the local media.

“You can get a lucky, scrappy, 1-0, but if over nine games you’re going to win the majority of them you have got to perform well.

“If we get away from doing what we do we’re not half as effective. So we have to try and play well and we’re not going to get away from our principles.

“If we’re 1-0 up with five minutes to go I might ask Nathan Thompson to do two Cruyff turns instead of three.

“You have to manage a game late on, we understand that, but for us to be successful we have to play how we play.”

However that is not to be mistaken for Cooper underestimating the challenge ahead. Town’s run-in will not pit them against many sides with nothing to play for.

“With the league the way it is this season, there’s going to be something on nearly every game,” he added.

“Maybe with the exception of Yeovil, especially after Leyton Orient’s result last night, everybody is going to be playing for something. Every game becomes a real contest.”

Town have no new injury concerns ahead of Saturday’s game. Louis Thompson and Tyrell Belford are still absentees, though full internationals Massimo Luongo and Yaser Kasim are yet to be fully assessed.

Young scholar Connor Johns has been deputising for Belford on the bench, but Town have now signed Belford’s older brother Cameron, who had been training with the club.

“Ty (Belford) has got a medial ligament strain, which is a bit of a problem for him with the way he plays – he spends a lot of time with the ball at his feet,” Cooper said.

“It’s just a little bit niggling and he’ll be touch and go for Saturday.

“The thought process behind Cameron was that Ty was struggling. We’ve just signed him until the end of the season to have a look at him.

“He’s very good with his feet and can make good saves – he’s a good goalkeeper.”

The Swindon Advertiser was not permitted to attend this morning's press conference at the County Ground.