RICHIE Wellens hopes Swindon Town can reap the rewards of a full week’s preparation when they host Morecambe in League Two on Saturday.

For the first time this season, Town have no midweek match on their schedule, meaning Wellens can get the full five days on the training field between fixtures.

Swindon shared a 2-2 draw away at local rivals Cheltenham Town last weekend and will be hunting a third league win from six when the Shrimps make the trip to SN1.

That match at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium was a seventh for Swindon in three weeks since the campaign began back on August 3.

Wellens concedes that relentless schedule was evident in the closing stages against Cheltenham as the visiting players started to show signs of fatigue.

The Town boss reckons a break in that heavy workload will do his troops the world of good and is hopeful they will come out all guns blazing against Morecambe.

“We have needed this week,” said Wellens.

“It is the first week we have had where the first part of the week we can get a bit a breather into the players and then work them really hard on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in terms of our tactics.

“Having the full week to prepare can make a massive difference.

“You look at the last 10 minutes of the game – and I know were down to 10 men – but we didn’t have that counter-attack energy to get up the pitch.

“It is difficult to go Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday-Tuesday. It should be in December when we are doing that, so it is surprising that we are doing it so early on. The players have coped really well with it.

“We will work and then come Morecambe at home, we will make sure everyone is refreshed by the little break and raring to go.”

Morecambe travel to the County Ground with just one win from five league games this season.

That lone success came away at Macclesfield Town on August 20.