SWINDON Town head coach Ben Garner said club’s 3-1 win away at Port Vale on Saturday was not a result of an emotional pre-match talk or an inspired message given to his players – it was simply down to hard work on the training pitch.

At half-time of Swindon’s 3-2 defeat by Mansfield Town four days prior, Garner revealed he had told his players everything they needed to hear following a dismal first 45 which saw them 3-1 down.

Although the Robins were unable to pull back the two-goal deficit necessary to snatch a point, the noticeable upturn in performance and late goal by Ellis Iandolo did at least provide Garner with a degree of comfort that his players had heard him.

Fast forward to Saturday evening, and Town dominated promotion rivals Port Vale to emerge worthy winners.

Garner explained why there was no repeat of the first-half mess produced at Field Mill. He said: “I think I got everything off my chest last Tuesday at half-time against Mansfield.

“There was a reaction then and I thought we could have taken something from the game. We just reiterated that ahead of Saturday.

“We did a lot of work tactically on Thursday and Friday – a lot of work. I thought with the pitch at Vale Park being a big pitch, there would be key spaces that would be good for us.

“Tactically, we were excellent on Saturday, but we also had the intensity and focus that we have to have in every game if we’re going to be successful.”

With three points garnered against Vale, Town have now beaten every other team in the top nine once aside from Exeter City – not yet played – and Tranmere Rovers – drew 0-0.

Swindon’s head coach has been pleased with his team’s form since the start of the year and wants to see them kick on for the remainder of the season.

Garner said: “We saw out the game at Port Vale very, very comfortably. Hopefully, that can be a little springboard to get a good run of form going now.

“We’ve had Northampton at home, Mansfield away, and Port Vale away – I think six points from that run is a really good return.

“Aside from spells in the first half at Mansfield, we’ve been good in the three games and possibly could have taken more points.

“That’s teams right at the top of the league – two of which were away from home – so to take six points from nine is a pleasing return but we want more, we want to push on from that.”