SWINDON are looking to return to winning ways at Witney and put last weekend’s ‘embarrassing’ defeat at home to Reading behind them this Saturday.

After starting the season with three wins, Swindon have fallen to back-to-back defeats at the hands of Newbury Blues and Reading in the last two weeks.

Swindon will now face Witney hoping to get their season back on track and not fall to a third loss, which would not be acceptable for the club according to scrum-half Connal Knott.

“We don’t want to lose three on the bounce. That is unheard of at this club in recent years. We just need to get our defence sorted,” said Knott.

“I think everyone was disappointed. Really, we let them (Reading) win - they didn’t win the game - and that was the most disappointing thing.

“We let them play and it ended in a defeat at home, which is always disappointing for the home crowd and I don’t like losing at the best of times.

“In the warm-up last week, the feeling wasn’t there. There wasn’t the buzz and you can always tell when it is not going to be your day. Everyone has got to be up for it and wanting to win.

“We let the supporters down last week. We had a really big crowd and to be honest, it was embarrassing at times.”

Swindon host Witney tomorrow at Greenbridge Road, who sit just two points and one place below them in South West One East.

Witney have beaten Reading this season but go into the game after losing to top-of-the-table Chippenham 30-19.

Swindon, however, will be hoping to improve on their defensive efforts after shipping 68 points in the last two games.

“Witney are a good side and are well-organised. We’ve been playing them ever since I have been playing in the first team and they have been a tough outfit,” added Knott.

“In the first few weeks, the defence was really strong and I felt the lads, one to 18, as a squad, performed well.

“But over the last couple of weeks, and I include myself in this, the defence has not been good enough.

“They have always been in the top five or six in the league and they really are a tough side to break down. They have a big forward pack and in the last few weeks we have been put under pressure in the pack.”

Elsewhere, after having a weekend off, Supermarine host Salisbury while Royal Wotton Bassett travel to Marlow.