FITTING ‘round pegs in round holes’ on the pitch is key if Swindon Town are to mount a promotion challenge out of League Two, according to manager Phil Brown.

Brown made several slight changes during Town’s 3-1 win away at Cambridge United last Saturday, most notably switching the formation from 3-5-2 – a system used since Christmas – to the traditional 4-4-2 tactic.

It meant players including Matt Taylor, Rollin Menayese and Ben Purkiss were positioned ‘five or 10 yards’ out of their usual spot on the pitch since the festive period.

But Brown deemed the changes necessary, and as he prepares for his second game in charge away at Exeter City today, has been impressed by how his men have bought into the club’s new philosophy.

He said: “They’ve all bought into the change. We started work early in the week in the build-up to Cambridge.

“I said I was going to make a change to the system.

“I thought the comeback game of Chris Hussey was one of the key factors that forced me into a back four.

“Our two centre-halves looked comfortable, and our wide players and midfield players did too.

“We’ve got a big test this weekend against a side that can cause problems.”

Brown’s side visit Exeter amid an impressive defensive run at St James Park, which has seen Paul Tisdale’s men concede just 10 league goals since the turn of the year.

A one-goal win against Port Vale on Tuesday night lifted the Grecians to sixth in the table, three points clear of Town, who sit two places outside the play-off frame in ninth.

A win for Brown’s men on Saturday could see them rise back into the top seven, but the 58-year-old is by no means underestimating the opposition facing him.

“We’re focussed on how we play,” said Brown.

“A busy Easter period follows where we have two games in a short space of time, but all that matters now is Exeter.

“We were at a sponsors evening while Exeter were playing on Tuesday.

“The players enjoyed themselves but everyone kept coming up with the Exeter score. That doesn’t matter to me – what matters to me is the result on Saturday.

“They’ll be a points total at the end of the season, and as a manager, I need to make sure we don’t take our eye off the ball.

“The players have all shown a tremendous attitude and appetite for work.

“If we can take that energy level, work-rate and commitment, then hopefully the intelligence and tactical side of the game we showed last Saturday can be used in the game at Exeter.”