STFC: podium places in vain

A column by Link STFC correspondent Alfie Howlett

Across a 46-game season you need to have the right ingredients but also the right moments to rise to the top. 

For Town it’s a shortfall of both. Swindon look set for the play-offs.

Unless the month of April brings an Easter miracle, The Robins will miss out on automatic promotion. A place in the top three, which has been within grasp for much of the year, is now slipping away.

Swindon will still have a ticket to bid for promotion come May, but it won’t be via the preferred direct route.

It’s disappointing that Swindon are unlikely to be amongst the conversation, particularly when the league has been considered up for grabs all campaign. However, there can be no disputing it, they haven’t quite been good enough.

They’ve not beaten the teams around them, failed to capitalise on certain opportunities, and dropped poor points of their own.

Around the turn of the year, it felt as if Swindon were achieving results through moments. To date, they arguably haven’t offered a complete performance since that fantastic victory against Bolton.

One big moment, offered usually from the left foot of Finley Munroe, was often enough.

Now, both have departed Town. Swindon are failing to conjure moments while remaining consistently unconvincing.

Worst is the fact that the moments are beginning to go against them, in games where neither team is at their best,

Swindon are coming out second best. The best sporting teams have their highlights in memorable seasons, for Town they appear to have dried up.

It’s a tough pill to swallow, it will hurt, and perhaps it might need to. Swindon are going to need every motivation to conquer the end of the season. They’ve tried every tactic, player, style, and still not found one to call their own.

Despite it being a poorer than usual promotion party, The Robins can hold no grievances that they weren’t invited.

So, what positives can we take into April? In my opinion, the midfield three trialled against MK Dons appeared an interesting template. Ollie Clarke, Tom Nichols, and Gavin Kilkenny.

It hasn’t been the go-to for various reasons, but I like what I’ve seen with this trio where each compliment the other extremely well. It reapplies a recently absent array of energy in the middle of the park.

The captain, Clarke, in particular, looks at his best in this system. Predominantly a holding midfielder, Town’s number 8 has already hit his highest goal scoring tally for a season.

Clarke’s a true warrior and can provide great bite and fight at the top of the pitch where Swindon can be accused of being toothless. To have him for the final stages could serve as a catalyst.

So, it’s a case of generating some positive momentum in the fixtures remaining. It could either take Town handsomely into three potential playoff fixtures, or they could even sneak up the table.

They won’t be winning the race, but an each-way place will be equally celebrated.