Get back on track (From Swindon Advertiser)

Get back on track

6:20am Friday 3rd February 2012 in Sport By Andy Warren

SWINDON will be looking to ‘get the train back on the track’ when they visit Reading Abbey in South West 1 East tomorrow.

Coach Neil Loader led his side into their game against Coney Hill last weekend without more than 10 first team regulars because they were attending fly-half Adam Westall’s wedding, but the mixture of youngsters and seasoned campaigners put in an encouraging display as they went down 36-23.

Loader will be able to turn to the majority of his established stars, including Westall, for the visit to Berkshire tomorrow, and is expecting a win to get their season back on the straight and narrow.

“We knew this was a time in the season we just needed to get through and then go into the last eight or nine games and try to pick up as many wins as possible, and that is still the case,” he said.

“We need to get the train back on the tracks so I will go back and pick what I consider to be my strongest available side. But I think that is a little bit harsh on some of the boys who have come in but now are being stepped down from the first team.

“The boys who came up can definitely now consider themselves as part of the first team squad, there is no doubt about that.

“It wasn’t a great result, but all of the guys who came in were fantastic, I could not praise them higher.”

Swindon put in a convincing display to beat Abbey 79-24 in October, and while Loader is hopeful of a repeat, he is wary of the attacking threat they can pose.

“We beat them quite well at home earlier in the season and I have done a bit of research into their side and it seems as if they still have quite a few of the same players as they had on that day.

“They have turned their season around a little bit and have picked up some reasonable results, but this league is unpredictable.

“In truth we gave them a bit of a hiding that day, but then we must remember that they scored 24 points against us and are capable of attacking.”

It is a big weekend for Wootton Bassett, who could go second in Southern Counties North with a home victory over Alchester.

The top two in the division, Beaconsfield and Grove, face each other leaving Bassett the chance to close the gap, but captain Gary Williamson insists his side are only focusing on picking up the win.

“Obviously it would be great to move up the league, but we don’t think about that because we just want to play our game and get a win,” he said.

“We have got all of our players back after they missed our game against Windsor last week, and that is very important.”

Swindon College Old Boys’ first team are without a game this weekend, but the second XV host Swindon 3rds in a local derby at Nationwide.

“Local derbies are always good and the players will be up for it I am sure,” manager Martin Peaple said.

In Dorset & Wilts 1 North, Supermarine will be looking to get back to winning ways when they host Trowbridge 2nds.

Marine have lost their last two matches, and need to secure maximum points to keep their position as the leading first team in the division.

Minety host Chippenham 2nds while Fairford are at home to Avonvale.

In National League 3 South West Chippenham visit Barnstaple, the side immediately above them.