Swindon will be glad to get back to league action following an embarrassing 5-0 defeat to League Two outfit Cheltenham in the FA Cup last weekend. Granted, Swindon were reduced to 10 men in the first half but the way in which they capitulated would be of some concern for manager Mark Cooper. It was a surprising result as they have been very consistent in the league, where they currently sit third, seven points behind this weekend’s opponents. Some may argue it’s the last fixture they would like after such a heavy defeat but the players should be extremely motivated to prove that was only a blip and that they are capable of sustaining their challenge for automatic promotion.
We’re now just over a third of the way into the League One season and Bristol City remain unbeaten. 10 wins and six draw ensures they have built up a five point lead over their nearest challengers but Steve Cotterill will be well aware of how much work is ahead of his players. They have played two cup games since their last match in the league, winning both 2-1 to advance to the next stages of the FA Cup and Johnstone Paint Trophy. Those wins will add to what must be a very confident dressing room ahead of this trip to another promotion contender.
As you would expect from a side flying high in the league, Swindon’s home form has been pretty strong, having suffered just one defeat at the County Ground. That defeat came in a five goal thriller against Rochdale but they have seen off Preston and Sheffield United, which should give them hope of getting the better of another one of the top sides in the division. As ever, the strike duo of Andrew Williams and Michael Smith will be pivotal – the two have 16 league goals between them already.
As well as being consistently good, Bristol City are very entertaining to watch. Matches featuring the league leaders average more than three goals a game whilst their away games have included the second most number of goals in the league, behind Colchester. Incredibly for side at the top of the table, both teams have scored in seven of their eight away games. Their inability to keep a clean sheet on the road should result in them dropping points but such is their attacking threat they manage to cope.
Swindon have scored just one less than Bristol City this season so Saturday’s match promises to be a really open and entertaining affair. Both sides are at their best going forward and with so many threats on both sides (Bristol City’s strikers have 16 between them, too) this surely looks primed for goals.
Over 2.5 goals 31/40 @ Betvictor
