LUKE Woolfenden is relishing the opportunity to play in a youthful Swindon Town back-line and believes the team’s confidence is improving with every passing week under Richie Wellens.

Town dispatched automatic promotion-chasing Bury 3-1 at the weekend to move within four points of the final League Two play-off place, and have produced similarly encouraging results throughout March – a 3-0 victory at home to Colchester United preceded a 4-0 success against Morecambe two weeks ago.

Disappointing defeats to Carlisle United and Stevenage in consecutive matches midway through the month threatened to put out any remaining hopes of Wellens’ men extending their season beyond May 4, but Town have recovered well by scoring seven goals in their last two games, causing some fans to contemplate a Wembley trip once again.

Ahead of Swindon hosting struggling Yeovil Town at the weekend – a game in which the home side will be expected to dominate the ball – Ipswich Town loanee Woolfenden feels his team-mates’ renewed confidence in controlling the match tempo will see them come out on top.

Woolfenden said: “I think our confidence is growing every week – certainly since Stevenage. Since then, we’ve been more consistent and playing the way the gaffer wants.

“Beating Bury, comfortably as well, has given us a real boost.

“Everyone is more comfortable on the ball now, so that makes it a lot easier for us to dominate games, as opposed to it being like basketball where we’re going back and forth.

“Now we’re dominating games more and that’s better for us.

“It was a bit back and forth at the start of the Bury game, but then we settled and it worked in our favour.”

Against Bury, the Town defence’s average age was 21 years old, a similar model to previous years where youth has featured heavily throughout the starting XI.

One goal conceded in their last three games suggests Woolfenden and Dion Conroy do not miss club captain Ollie Lancashire or ex-Premier League star Matt Taylor coaching them through the 90 minutes.

Woolfenden said: “We’ve had a young back four all season, really. Even if you think back to when Sid (Nelson) was here, it was still a young back four.

“We all help each other, and I don’t think the age really matters – if you’re good enough, you’re old enough.

“If anything, it’s probably better for the way the gaffer wants to play because we’ve all come through academies and playing out from the back is what academies do.”