Swindonvs.Notts County

The visitors might be aiming to finish in the top 12, but after recently slipping up against a team below them in the division there will be no room for complacency here.

Match preview

With just seven games remaining this season Swindon will be hoping to put the relegation battle behind them once and for all, and three points this weekend would take them a step closer to that.

The Robins are currently 11 points above the relegation zone, and while that does provide them some breathing room there is no doubt that the fans would prefer that gap to be increased.

Swindon's form has been the opposite of what they need right now though, as they head into Friday's match on the back of four performances without a win, which is a concerning run at this point in the campaign.

Gavin Gunning's men were blown away by a fast start from Doncaster Rovers during their previous match, conceding twice in the opening 26 minutes, and while Paul Glatzel did get himself on the scoresheet the Robins were unable to kick on and get a draw.

Despite that defeat, Swindon have typically been stronger at home this season as they have won nine of their 11 matches at The County Ground, which could provide some confidence for this weekend.

However, the Robins will certainly be wary of the fact they were comfortably beaten 3-1 by Notts County in the reverse fixture earlier this season, a result that will inject belief in the visiting squad.

The Magpies were left frustrated last weekend when they were beaten 2-1 by Salford City, a result that will serve as a harsh reminder of how seriously they have to take every game, regardless of whether a team is below them in the league table.

Stuart Maynard will have been left particularly annoyed on the sidelines due to the fact his team conceded an 87th-minute goal to lose the game, dropping what would have been a valuable point in their bid for a top-half finish.

A victory on Friday has the potential of taking Notts County into 12th place depending on other results, but goal difference is on their side in comparison to the teams above them.

The main problem for the Magpies has been consistency, but stringing together a good run of performances could be enough to inspire a strong finish.

Swindon Town League Two form:

D

W

D

L

L

L

Notts County League Two form:

L

L

L

D

W

L

Team News

The experienced Charlie Austin is sure to be leaned upon this Friday, as the former Premier League star will be leading the line for the Robins.

Reece Devine suffered a setback on his return to fitness during training this week, and that is going to keep him out of the team this weekend and for the foreseeable few weeks.

Elsewhere Saidou Khan and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy are both out of action, with the former expected to miss the rest of the season due to a hip problem.

Sam Slocombe returned for his 400th career appearance against Salford, and it is expected that the experienced goalkeeper will retain his place in the team.

Aden Baldwin is no longer suspended, and is therefore available for selection again, while there will be question marks over Aaron Nemane after he missed last weekend due to illness.

Swindon Town possible starting lineup:

Mahoney; Godwin-Malife, Brewitt, Blake-Tracy; Hutton, McEachran, Glatzel, Ukakwe; Austin, Drinan

Notts County possible starting lineup:

Slocombe; Warner, Cameron, Macari; Robertson, Jones, Chicksen, Crowley, Austin; Jatta, Longstaff

We say: Swindon Town 0-2 Notts County

Both teams have struggled with putting together consistent performances this season, which is reflected by their current league standings.

However, Notts County does head into the game as the favourites despite losing their most recent outing, with the team boasting enough quality to get the job done here.

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