PHIL Brown has full faith that striker Marc Richards can soon start to the hit the heights in front of goal again that saw him make an instant impact for Swindon Town.

Richards bagged nine goals in his first 11 games for Town after joining on a free transfer back in January and finished the campaign as the team’s second top scorer with 11 in total.

A shoulder injury meant the 36-year-old started the new campaign on the sidelines and although he notched in his first match back on August 18, Richards has drawn a blank in six games since.

Clear-cut chances have not come as frequently for Richards this season as they did last, but Brown has seen enough from the other attributes he adds to the Town attack to think a return to scoring form is not far away.

“The one thing we can improve on is that Marc Richards hasn’t really started the goalscoring exploits of last season,” said Brown, ahead of this afternoon’s League Two clash at home to Oldham Athletic.

“Hopefully that will come at some stage. If it starts on Saturday, all well and good.

“I am seeing very good signs in training and very good signs in terms of his fitness levels having missed a big chunk of pre-season.

“For a guy of 36 who has probably sworn by pre-season and getting it under your belt to put yourself in good stead for 46 games, for him to miss a big chunk of that would have been mentally and physically draining.

“The signs I saw last Saturday against Yeovil were that his hold-up play is back, his movement is good, and his fitness levels are first class.

“He just needs those chances to come along. I know he is the type of guy who thrives on chances because he believes in his own ability and he has certainly got a manger who believes in him.”

Richards was the figure to be relied upon when Swindon needed a goal at the back end of last season, so a sign of how the side has progressed over the summer is that more are being contributed from other areas of the pitch.

Brown is pleased with the goal threat his side carry overall, although thinks they could be more ruthless when it comes to dead ball situations.

“Elijah Adebayo looks like he is a threat to the opposition, Keshi Anderson looks like he is a threat, Jermaine McGlashan looks like he is a threat, and I think Scott Twine is on the verge of starting a very good career,” said Brown.

“That competition, aided by Kaiyne Woolery coming out of the treatment room, is key to any kind of success we are going to get this year.

“Goals everywhere in the team are important. If there is one place we maybe need to improve on, it is goals from set-pieces.

“We have got the quality of delivery coming in, whether it be from Michael Doughty, Matt Taylor, Steven Alzate or Jak McCourt, and we have got movement in the box, we just need that intent.

“When you cross into the penalty box, you have got to be committed to putting your head in and committed to winning the game by that moment. We can improve on that.”

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