DESPITE a clash with Bury representing a crucial encounter in the battle to avoid relegation, Swindon Town head coach Luke Williams insists that he doesn’t consider his team’s trip to Gigg Lane this afternoon as the be-all and end-all.

Defeat in Greater Manchester would plunge Town into the League One relegation zone while victory would provide a major tonic, and although his team face teams all inside the bottom nine of the table within the next month, Williams says that he isn’t placing added significance on upcoming fixtures, keeping only the bigger picture in mind.

When asked if he would savour three points today, Williams said: “Of course, but I don’t care if we win the last seven and lose all the rest if that’s what we need to be safe.

“I couldn’t care any less who we play or who we beat, as long we beat enough teams to stay where we need to be.”

Despite being two points and two places below Swindon, the Shakers have been prolific scorers so far this term and Williams is well aware of the threat posed by January’s League One player-of-the-month James Vaughan and his experienced strike partner Tom Pope, as well as former Liverpool and Arsenal winger Jermaine Pennant.

The Town boss said: “That’s something that we’ve worked on for two days - trying to impose ourselves and stop the opposition from being able to have a clear line of sight at those front two, that are clearly a physical danger to us.

“Provided that we’re capable of putting a game plan into action, then we’ve got a chance to make it a difficult day for Vaughan and Pope.

“I think it’s difficult to completely stop Jermaine from crossing the ball altogether so we need to make it difficult for him, and we need to be prepared to defend the box correctly because, in a 90-minute game of football, with players of that quality on the pitch, it’s impossible to expect to never concede a cross.

“We know that the ground is an old-fashioned ground. It creates a certain type of atmosphere without it being full – it’s almost as if the stands are looking down at you.

“I think that the pitch will probably be tough and the opposition will be full of men, and tough as well, so there’s a time for people to stand up and be counted.”

Williams also refuted suggestions that his team’s struggles this term have been down to a lack of match fitness.

He said: “It’s nothing to do with fitness. The boys are monitored very, very closely by Michael (Cooper, sports scientist) and he knows every single player’s limitations and what they’re capable of.

“It’s not a physical problem at all. My opinion is that it comes down to the mentality of the group and it’s not strong enough.

“There’s too many people that go within themselves and in a shell, and are not able to perform consistently.”