DAN THE FAN: Derby triumph can make up for our cup capitulation

In a black and purple kit Town put on one of their worse ever performances in the F.A Cup as they went down 5-0 away to Cheltenham Town.

The Gloucestershire Robins fully deserved their win, but that display wasn’t the Swindon Town of this season, they looked a team devoid of passion and effort in the club they were representing.

It’s something that won’t be tolerated by the Town faithful this Saturday, as Swindon host local rivals Bristol City at the County Ground.

When the fixtures are released over the summer my eyes normally glance to the first game of the season, how far we have to travel across the country for our Boxing Day fixture, and Bristol City home and away.

It’s a game that has produced many famous moments over the years, particularly in Swindon.

Rory Fallon’s overhead kick in April 2004, Town scoring three goals in nine minutes in Sept 1998, and last season’s last minute goal from Nile Ranger.

In the last two meetings we have been fortunate enough to face a city side on a bad run of results, but this season Town face an unbeaten team that look odds on for promotion, and they’ll have to do it without two key players.

Both Massimo Luongo and Yaser Kasim will be representing their countries instead of lining up at SN1 in one of the most important games of the season.

Town has tried to get their respective nations to allow the players to play on Saturday, but have failed on both occasions.

Having both Yasser and Mass missing is a huge loss, their quality in the team can’t be replaced, but it does give other midfielders a chance to shine.

I predict Louis Thompson will move into Kasim’s position as the defensive midfielder, and it’ll be between Jake Reeves, Ben Gladwin and Anton Rodgers to fill the other two spots in central midfield.

I would go with Reeves and Gladwin out of those three.

Reeves has shown plenty of talent since his arrival, normally someone with his level of ability would be a regular starter in a Town side, but he’s come to the club when our most gifted area of the pitch is midfield.

Despite some recent off the boil displays, Ben Gladwin has shown enough in the past that he has all the tools to be a first team player, he needs more games to show it, let’s hope his headline grabbing performance comes this Saturday.

But despite having to look to the bench to fill the midfield this Saturday, Mark Cooper will have no such problem in defence.

Thankfully club captain Nathan Thompson will be available after his red card against Cheltenham was successfully appealed.

Having Nathan free for this Saturday will turn out to be more important than if we had both Kasim and Luongo available for the first team.

Having someone who has grown up as a fan of the club, and who understands what it means to the supporters will always outweigh anything else in a local derby.

Thankfully Town has the luxury of two local boys in the Thompson brothers who appreciate what it means to the club to pick up a win this weekend.

How they approach the game and handle to occasion will go a long way in deciding the result, if they both play like we all know they can, I predict a season defining win for Mark Coopers side.

Follow me on Twitter @danwjonson

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