PDC's warriors ready for battle (From Swindon Advertiser)

SWINDON TOWN: PDC's warriors ready for battle

6:00am Tuesday 14th February 2012 in STFC News By Gary Rose

PAOLO Di Canio has backed his ‘warriors’ to deal with his absence from the touchline and put another promotion rival to the sword when Swindon host Crawley at the County Ground tonight.

Town return to League Two action for the first time since winning 4-1 at Southend at the end of January.

That victory over Paul Sturrock’s side moved them into the automatic promotion places, but successive postponement means the Robins head into tonight’s game lying fifth in the standings.

A win over Crawley would ensure Town leapfrog them in the table, while a defeat would see them stay in the play-off places, meaning tonight’s game is once again the very definition of a six-pointer.

Di Canio will have to watch on from the stands, however, as he serves the first of a two-match ban, but the Italian is confident his players will be able to do their job on the pitch without his influence from the sidelines.

He told the Advertiser: “I am not worried, I am smiling because I am not a player, so nobody can stop them from doing their job, scoring the goals and winning the games.

“I am expecting a warrior’s performance from my players and with the quality that we have then we are going to win, if we perform to our usual standards.

“At the moment Crawley are the best side to play against because they are above us and they come from a very good moment. They beat Cheltenham 4-2 not so long since and then before that they beat Hull City to reach the fifth round of the FA Cup.

“However, we are a better side and if we play our football we will win.”

With the top of the table as tight as it is, February could prove a crucial month in determining Town’s ultimate fate this season.

The games are set to come thick and fast, weather permitting, and Di Canio knows that victory is crucial tonight to keep Town firmly among the automatic promotion contenders.

“Every game we have the desire to win, especially when we are competing for the title. We take every game like it is the final of a big cup,” he added.

“In our situation, we are playing against Crawley, who are three points above us, and if we win we go above them on goal difference. That is an extra incentive for us.

“Obviously it doesn’t count for six points, but mentally, for our belief and expectation for the future, it counts a bit more than just three points.”

Swindon have already proven they are capable of beating Crawley, with two goals from Mehdi Kerrouche and an Alan Connell strike sealing a surprise 3-0 win at Broadfield Stadium back in September.

However, Di Canio feels it would be unwise to read too much into that result, given how much the two sides have changed since the second month of the season.

“It was a completely different moment,” he said. “Now they have only three players who played against us when we were there.

“Like us, they have changed many things during the season and that means it is a completely different game from when we won 3-0 there.

“Obviously we are both the same clubs, same managers and it is Swindon against Crawley, but the players, the mentality and the way play is all different.

“I am curious to see how we will play against one of the best sides in the league.”

Luke Rooney is available again after he was ineligible for Swindon’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy win over Barnet seven days ago, while on-loan Arsenal defender Daniel Boateng will be hoping to make his debut.

New signing Lee Cox could also be included in the matchday squad, following his deadline day move from Inverness Caledonian Thistle.