SWINDON Town Ladies require just a single point from their clash with second-from-bottom Shanklin in seven days’ time to lift the FA Women’s Premier League South West Division One title.

Steve Robertson’s side, who have suffered just one defeat all season so far, were handed a scare in their penultimate clash of the current campaign on Sunday as bottom-of-the-table St Nicholas pegged them back to 1-1 at Shrivenham’s Barrington Park ground but Town battled back to secure a 3-1 triumph.

Victory stretched Swindon’s lead at the top of the tree to six points and only second-placed Chichester, who have a game in hand but face third-placed Keynsham Town next weekend, can catch them.

However, Town can settle matters all on their own if they avoid a home defeat against Isle of Wight outfit Shanklin, who they beat 2-0 in February, in their final outing of the season on May 1.

“We’re always confident going in to any game but we’re not getting carried away, thinking that there’s going to be a big party,” said manager Robertson.

“The Shanklin game will be no rollover. We’re going to approach the game exactly the same way that we have every other game.

“I think the girls are clear on that and that shows the experience they’ve got. They’re not thinking about a big achievement – they’re just concentrating on getting the three points.

“You’ve not won anything until you’ve got over the line and if we’re lucky enough to get a good result next weekend, then there’s something nice at the end of it for us.”

With 13 minutes on the clock, Alice Smith settled any early nerves as her strike from a cleared corner-kick found the net with help from a wicked bounce off the turf.

But St Nicholas belied their lowly league position and levelled matters four minutes before the break to cancel out Smith’s first goal of the season.

Town continued to rap at the door, with Abby Picton going close to netting, and their pressure finally paid off in the 64th minute as Ellie Maynard played the ball over the top of the visitors’ defence to allow Meg Vella to fire into the roof of the net to make it 2-1.

It took just five minutes for Robertson’s side to make a crucial three points safe, with Chyna Collings heading home from Michelle Rich’s corner.

Collings twice went close to extending Town’s lead further, with her second effort, a well-hit half-volley, crashing against the upright, but the hosts had done enough to see themselves over the line and leave themselves on the cusp of title glory.

Robertson added: “We always thought it would be a tough game against St Nicholas.

“At half-time, it was a case of getting everybody in and telling the girls to relax and take the handbrake off, and from the 60th minute, our quality showed.

“Last season, we probably would have crumbled and that shows the resilience the girls have got this year.”