SWINDON manager Paolo Di Canio believes the manner of his side’s title clinching 5-0 victory over Port Vale proves exactly why his side have swept all before them to become League Two champions.

A brace from Paul Benson and goals from Matt Ritchie, Aden Flint and Alan Connell made sure of the win, after the visitors matched Town for much of the first half an hour.

But after Ritchie’s thunderbolt gave them the lead Di Canio’s side never looked back, and produced a second half performance fitting of champions, and it could even have been more shot after shot rained in on the Port Vale goal.

Following a few tough weeks Town blew out the cob webs and were back to their fluid best, especially in midfield where they had a stranglehold on the game, and Di Canio was proud his team were able to complete the job in style.

“This was obviously the perfect way for us to win and say thanks for the fans, and it was a fantastic performance for us to finish at the top,” he said.

“We deserve to be called champions now, and the players and fans have been amazing, as have my technical staff.

“The players asked if they could come back in on Friday, and I said ‘no chance, instead Wednesday’ because I want to win the last game and make our fantastic season special by getting another win and 95 points.”

“Port Vale made it very difficult for us, especially in the first half hour, but in the second half we battered them and deserved to score even more. We were the team we saw for five or six months this season from October. This is why we finished top and deserve to be called champions.”

Town attacked from the off, and soon Ritchie swung in an early cross which a stretching Benson just failed to reach, but Port Vale quickly reminded the home crowd they were not there simply to make up the numbers, as Tom Pope worked himself into a good position before heading wide.

Pope and his strike partner Richards continued to cause a few problems for the Town defence, but as the home side pushed forward Paul Caddis and Ritchie continued to deliver tantalising balls into the area for target man Benson.

Town were given their first clear sight of goal when Ritchie was brought down by Chris Shuker, but the midfielder drilled his free kick into the wall before firing his second effort well over.

Vale had two quick chances as first Sean Rigg failed to get a shot off when free in the area before Richards headed over following good work in midfield, while Simon Ferry and John Bostock tried their luck from distance for Town.

There was a real scare as Flint made a hash of a clearance before under hitting his back pass to Wes Foderingham, but the keeper was out quickly to sweep up and halt Richards.

But in truth that was the last time the home fans had any need to worry, as their team soon gave them a lead they would not relinquish.

Caddis and Bostock combined down the right, and after the Spurs loanee superbly kept the ball in and dragged it back, Ritchie cut inside and fired in an unstoppable shot into the top corner to give his side a 1-0 half time lead.

Di Canio’s side came out for the second half in the same manner in which they ended the first, and Bostock and Oliver Risser both had quick chances to double the lead, which soon came in superb fashion.

Caddis burst forward from full back and played the ball into Ferry, who flicked the ball between his legs and into the path of Benson who superbly chipped keeper Chris Martin to double the home lead.

The party had already started inside the County Ground, and the mood was heightened even further when Lee Holmes escaped his man down the left and whipped in an inviting cross which Benson guided into the back of the net at the near post.

The former Charlton striker was on a hat trick, and soon directed a header towards goal but John McCombe deflected it behind for a corner. But the chance was not gone, and Flint latched on to Ritchie’s corner to turn the ball into the net to make it 4-0.

Bostock and Holmes rained in shots on the Port Vale goal as Town refused to settle for four, and they soon got their fifth when Connell deflected in Jon Smith’s shot to complete a perfect afternoon for the Robins.

Di Canio singled out Ritchie’s opener and Benson’s first as contenders for goal of the season, and was delighted with the manner in which his side found the net.

“Ritchie scored a fantastic goal and it was a good technical moment from a player, even if Bostock gave a good ball,” he said.

“The goal we scored with Benson, we moved the ball really well and the fantasy for the last touch and the way Benson scored with the chip is a special moment of football.

“There are another two goals there that will be the in with a chance of the goal of the season.”