CONNAL Knott hopes Swindon can pack a punch against Leighton Buzzard this weekend.

A spate of wet weather has affected the pitches at Greenbridge Road and Sean Lynn’s side have sought to train elsewhere to preserve the playing surfaces.

The team have kept busy by turning their focus to boxing instead and that has ensured they will be fully pumped up to return to action after a blank weekend of fixtures seven days ago.

“We’ve been boxing training and doing something a bit different,” said scrum-half Knott.

“The pitches are pretty wet at the moment because of all the rain, so we haven’t gone out on them, and it’s good to do something a bit different sometimes anyway.

“I think it’s been useful and we’ve worked on other muscles that don’t normally get a big workout and we’ve learned from it.

“I don’t think it means we’ll want to start throwing punches out on the pitch on Saturday. It’s just been for fitness.

“You always want to play but it’s also nice to have a bit of a rest at the same time. The break is always a bit of a catch-22.

“You want to keep that consistency of playing, but the guys who have been struggling with a few niggles will have benefitted from the week off.”

Saturday’s match sees seventh host ninth in South West One East and is a crucial one if Swindon are to climb back up the table.

They won three on the bounce before going down to a narrow defeat at second-placed Salisbury in the final match before the break and Knott hopes for another good showing against Buzzard.

“They are a well-organised side. It will be a tough game,” added Knott.

“We are at home and we need to do well at home, and for the large part, we have done that. In this league, you have to win your home games and pick up whatever you can on the road.

“We did well away against Salisbury but a few decisions went against us. They are a very good side at home and we pushed them close, so we can take some good stuff from that.

“We needed those three wins before that as we’ve had a bit of an up-and-down season.

“We’ve had problems with selection and injuries. It’s just been one of those seasons. It’s always difficult when you haven’t got a massive squad.”

Tom Mannion remains sidelined through injury for Swindon but head coach Lynn will otherwise have a fully-fit squad to pick from.

  • SWINDON College Old Boys return to action in Southern Counties North looking to make it back-to-back victories for the first time this season.

Mark Lea’s men are bottom of the table, having won just twice in the league this term, and travel to Marlow on Saturday.