DAVID Flitcroft admits the rare weekend off for his Swindon Town troops has “fallen at the right time” as he bids to get his squad into the best shape possible for a strong second half of the season.

Town are without a fixture this weekend following their elimination in the FA Cup in the previous round, while attempts to re-schedule the proposed postponed League Two clash against Accrington Stanley also fell by the wayside after John Coleman’s side had already filled their own blank Saturday with a game against Chesterfield.

Swindon played three times in eight days between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, with Flitcroft naming an unchanged XI for the last two of those games, which yielded wins at home to Notts County and away at Barnet respectively.

That has inevitably left some heavy legs in the camp and Flitcroft hopes that some time off will prove beneficial when his troops return to action at home to Forest Green Rovers in the league on January 13 looking to continue their push back into the play-off places.

With the transfer window also having re-opened at the start of this week, it has also given Flitcroft the opportunity to step up his efforts at bringing in fresh faces to the Energy Check County Ground without having to juggle preparation for a game at the same time.

“We probably would have preferred to play Accrington and get another game under our belts but we haven’t, so it has given us an opportunity to have a break,” said Flitcroft.

“It has probably come at a good time as it has been a tough period and it is now given us a chance to really focus on the balance in the squad.

“Focus on what I have learned about the squad in terms of regrouping it and trying to get it improved, that is what we have got time to do now.”

With Town going 12 days without a game, Flitcroft says his players are well deserving of a bit of time off after the sacrifices they have made over the festive period.

“We train hard, you can see that. We train hard and work hard,” said Flitcroft.

“I have asked them to commit a lot over Christmas and New Year and not have that family time, so it gives them a chance to do that.

“We have planned this period and we will make sure we get all of our injuries sorted and then work from there.”