ROBINS boss Alun Rossiter has revealed his desire to confound expectations still burns as bright as ever as he prepares to lead his team into battle at Wolverhampton tonight.

Swindon gave their Elite League title push a huge boost with wins against Lakeside, Wolves and Belle Vue in their previous three outings, which silenced critics who felt the Robins’ attempts to make the play-offs were beginning to unravel.

Rossiter admits that he revels in shooting down negative opinions and said that Swindon’s campaign was very much on course.

“Nine points in a week was pretty outstanding and just shows how good this team is when we’re right,” he said.

“We won at Belle Vue and at home to the league leaders (Wolverhampton), and the win at Lakeside was phenomenal because that is a hard place to go and win.

“Everyone was hinting that we were struggling to make the play-offs and then a few days later we had three wins.

“I do thrive on proving people wrong because I don’t know why in this sport people are so negative all the time. At times it is just so negative and I really don’t understand people.

“We lost one meeting against Birmingham and you would have thought the whole world had collapsed.

“We’ve had a very stop-start season and then we have banged in a load of meetings and all of a sudden we have nine points and some great performances.”

The Robins will go top if they win at Monmore Green tonight, but they will face a formidable challenge against a Wolverhampton side that sit at the summit of the Elite League table.

Third-placed Birmingham are breathing down Swindon’s neck but Rossiter feels the standings present a slightly false picture.

Given Swindon’s lack of home meetings compared to their rivals, the team manager believes his side can come on strong in the latter months of 2013.

“It’s not vital that we go top, but it would be nice,” he said.

“Wolverhampton have had quite a few home meetings and not as many away. If you look at our record we have had seven meetings at home and 11 away and that is quite a good stat for us, because we will be able to finish the season with lots of home meetings.

“If you’re looking to make the play-offs and you’re having to go away to do it, it’s a tough ask. That said, we can’t take our finger off the pulse and be lackadaisical about it.

“I think Birmingham have had quite a few home meetings as well and it will be interesting to see how they get on when they go on the road.

“If they can continue their form away then of course they are going to be at the top, but it’s still all to play for.

“As we proved last year, it doesn’t mean anything finishing top when you come to the play-offs.”

Meanwhile, Ashley Birks declared himself fit to ride tonight after suffering a fractured scaphoid.

The reserve only sustained the injury just over a week ago while guesting for Leicester, but confirmed with Rossiter on Saturday afternoon that he would feature against Wolverhampton.

And the team boss was delighted to hear the news.

“Ashley said he had gone to a specialist and is going to ride,” said Rossiter.

“He’s got a fractured scaphoid but it’s not to the point where it’s broken, so that isn’t so bad.

“He’s raring to go. I’m fine with him riding because he seems quite confident about it. That’s good enough for me.”