DAVID Flitcroft says only absolute dedication and commitment to Swindon Town’s promotion push is required from his players from now until the end of the season if that ambition is to be achieved.

With 13 matches left to play in League Two this term, Swindon are nicely placed in the play-off positions, sitting sixth in the table.

However, their hopes of automatic promotion suffered a significant setback on Tuesday night following a 3-2 defeat at Wycombe Wanderers, which saw Flitcroft’s side fall five points behind the Chairboys in third.

Town will look to bounce back from that disappointment on Saturday when they welcome Port Vale to the Energy Check County Ground seeking a fifth home win on the bounce.

Having been in the thick of the promotion battle throughout the campaign, Flitcroft does not want Swindon to stumble now so has called for an unwavering focus to the cause from his players.

“The biggest thing for me is that trying to drive for promotion has got to become the most important thing in your life and the only thing in your life,” said Flitcroft.

“The intensity grows as the games run out and it has got to be everything you think about. There has got to be an intensity to everything we do.

“There are things we will have to learn from Tuesday night. We let an opportunity slip by.”

The physical threat of Wycombe striker Adebayo Akinfenwa proved a real handful for the Town defence in midweek and Flitcroft is eager for his troops to get to grips with that as soon as possible.

However, the Swindon boss knows that the Valiants will not pose the same type of challenge tomorrow.

“We have got to deal with the physical presence,” said Flitcroft. “At times we did on Tuesday and at times we didn’t.

“I think Wycombe are probably a one-off team in terms what they have got with Akinfenwa so we plan for a different game against Port Vale. We go again and we move forwards.”

Captain Olly Lancashire is set to receive an injection to combat an ankle injury in order to play against Vale, although fellow central defender Matt Preston is almost certainly out with a knee complaint.

Amine Linganzi is nearing a return to full fitness after a thigh problem but Chris Hussey, Donal McDermott and Dion Conroy remain long-term absentees. Kellan Gordon will serve the last game of a three-match suspension.