DAVID Prutton hopes Swindon Town can continue to build a reputation as Southampton’s bogey team when the two clubs meet on the south coast tomorrow.

Town have won each of the past four meetings between the two sides without conceding a goal, and have a 100 per cent record at St Mary’s.

With the Robins desperately in search of their first win in 11 outings, an extension of their recent form against Nigel Adkins’ Saints would go down a treat for Prutton and everyone involved with the County Ground outfit.

The midfielder says Town should take the experiences of two victories over their hosts already this season into the contest.

“Going to certain places is sometimes tougher, but it would be nice if we were their bogey team.

“The way we played over there earlier in the season I thought was good and when we played them here I thought we bashed them up pretty well.

“It would be nice to be their bogey team but it’s a game that we’ve got to win.

“On certain occasions we have matched teams that are meant to be pretty decent in this league and played really well and deservedly beaten them but a team like Southampton have ground out more wins in different areas.”

Last season, fans and pundits alike complimented Swindon for a brand of quality, passing football which earned manager Danny Wilson and his coaching staff widespread plaudits.

But with the League One relegation battle coming to a head, Prutton said end product matters more than style and substance - although no one will complain should the two be married together.

“I wouldn’t say on reflection this season that we’re this wonderful footballing team that we’ve made out to be because we haven’t played well enough,” he said.

“Once you start labelling teams you get into a sticky position where, if you don’t live up to that level, you look daft.

“For the next two months it’s going to have to be a team that’s good at battling and fighting in games and not necessarily the prettiest.

“It’s great if that goes hand-in-hand with it, but if that’s not the case then we’ll take winning against looking like Brazil.”

However, Swindon have battled hard in their two most recent defeats, at Colchester and at home to Carlisle, without reward.

And Prutton hopes the squad can find the right balance to kick-start their worryingly ailing campaign before they run out of options.

“You don’t want to start ticking boxes and then come to the end of the list and find out we’re still not winning because that suggests that we’ve not got anything to fight for or fight with and I don’t think that’s the case,” he said.

“We’ve got good players in a good team, it’s just misfired.”

After making a major impression off the bench last weekend, the 29-year-old is in line for a starting berth tomorrow.

And following a frustrating spell on the sidelines, the former Nottingham Forest man is determined to make an impact when he’s given the chance.

“If you want to be a footballer and you want to be anywhere near decent then you’ve got to be on the pitch and it has been very frustrating, but it’s a manager’s prerogative to pick who he wants to pick,” he said. “As much as you can be good behind the scenes, the biggest impact you can have is on the pitch.

“I think I should be playing anyway, but ask any footballer in the world and they should give you that answer.

“I believe I’ve got enough to be in the team and it’s down to me to do as much as I can to prove as much as I can.”