MacDonald wary of mid-table slips (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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SWINDON TOWN: MacDonald wary of mid-table slips
6:00am Friday 22nd March 2013 in Sport By Sam Morshead
TEST: Kevin MacDonald
KEVIN MacDonald says his Swindon Town side should be just as wary of sides hovering around mid-table as they are of their promotion rivals as the League One season enters its final stretch.
Town entertain 11th-placed Notts County tomorrow, knowing a win could take them top of the division if results elsewhere fall in their favour.
In any other campaign, with just eight games remaining, Notts would be resigned to mediocrity. But in the craziest of seasons Chris Kiwomya’s team are just six points off the play-offs and still stand a good chance of sneaking into the top six.
Regardless, MacDonald thinks the phrase “nothing to play for” really isn’t relevant in the third tier of English football.
“Chris has not long taken over there and he was a very good player. He’s now cutting his teeth in the management side and if they get three or four wins they’ll be trying to push up into the play-offs,” he said.
“We’ve just got to concentrate mainly on ourselves and if we can get all our players fit then we’ve got a really good chance because we’re as good as if not the best team in the league.
“This league is very deep in quality. Eleventh can still get in the play-offs, the bottom six or seven are trying to get out of that.
“If you look at this level the players will be desperate to perform as well as possible. They might be out of contract, they might be looking to progress to higher divisions - when people say there’s nothing to play for sometimes I feel it’s more difficult to play against teams like that.
“They can be more relaxed because they’re either safe or way off at the bottom so they can play with a bit of freedom.
“I don’t see that point as playing with nothing to play for. If we concentrate on what we’re trying to do, try to nullify Notts County’s strong points and hopefully we’ll get the right result.”
A seven-way battle exists for the automatic promotion places in League One, but MacDonald is paying little attention to the form of others.
“You look at Coventry and Walsall and earlier on this season they were in the bottom three or four and they’ve come flying up the table,” he said.
“I’m not bothered about those teams, though, I’m more bothered about ourselves. That’s the important thing we have to focus on because of the situation. We’ve had one or two niggles all of a sudden over the past couple of weeks and we’re having to develop one or two of the younger player to come into the squad.
“If we can concentrate mainly, not solely but mainly, on our team and our performance, then we’ve got every chance of getting into the promotion fight or automatic.”
Simon Ferry and Tommy Miller are carrying minor hamstring and calf knocks going into the game but both should be available, while Alan Navarro is fit again.
Miles Storey (hamstring), Troy Archibald-Henville (knee) and Aaron Oakley (fractured foot) remain sidelined. Louis Thompson should be available again following international duty with Wales Under 21s.
Comments(31)
Another view
says...
9:10am Fri 22 Mar 13
old town robin
says...
9:21am Fri 22 Mar 13
Good luck to the boys tomorrow, COYR
SAPFanSTFC
says...
9:31pm Fri 22 Mar 13
=====.
The email hasn't been posted for the predictions league for the last two results threads or the Notts Co so please feel free to post here...I'll nominate a thread from tomorrow for the results as I've been waiting to post the Brentford results for over a week now and the Yeovil results since Tuesday:
PREDICTIONS LEAGUE: SWINDON v NOTTS CO.
Dear all,
.
Well done to all who made it to Yeovil on Tuesday - an excellent result and brought a load of much needed smiles and feel-good factor….Hi also to Mike who I met in the Newport Holiday Inn on Tuesday.
Well Notts Co aren't my favourite team but thankfully they no longer have that man who always seemed to score a late winner and normally from off the bench (not saying his name as don't want to jinx a change of fortune!).
The football league record is tight at 21 wins 10 draws and 20 defeats….let's hope it isn't totally level after Saturday!!…..we haven't beaten them in 7 games home and away now, although the home form has shown only 2 defeats in the last 9 fixtures….let's hope they re-enact one of the two home fixtures of 2003 5-0 and 4-0 home victories.
===.
Questions for Swindon v Notts Co: (Entries Close 3.00pm Tuesday).
===.
1) Correct Score.
2) Total Attendance.
3) First Swindon Goalscorer AND Time of the goal.
4) Number of Corners.
5) Time of last Substitute.
----.
Match Bonus Questions:.
----.
A) How many points will be won by the Top 10 teams in League 1 as at Saturday morning…i.e. all teams on 60pts and more (2pts)?
B) How many away fans (5pts / 3pts / 1pt)?
C) Total Shots on Target for Swindon (2pts)?
===.
.
ESS! TEE! EFF! CEE! - COME ON GUYS!!!!….Heads down and break the net!!!
.
Cheers all - SAPFanSTFC
mustard red
says...
10:34pm Fri 22 Mar 13
1) 3-1
2) 7966
3) Williams 31
4) 11
5) 84
A) 14
B) 390
C) 9
Devon Red
says...
11:27pm Fri 22 Mar 13
Devon Red has posted his predictions on the Yeovil thread already as he has already left wet Devon for cold Wilts.
However he has asked me to enter the following addition/change following a lengthy phone call.
a)12 points (addition)
c)12 shots on target (change)
Hope this makes sense to you as it don't mean a lot to me !
Mrs Devon Red
Wilesy
says...
11:36pm Fri 22 Mar 13
2) 8789
3) A Rooney 24
4) 12
5) 90 mins.
A) 14 points
B) 459
C) 8
smirg kcab
says...
8:03am Sat 23 Mar 13
7408
Rooney 11
11
86
15
245
7
Onwards and upwards
SAPFanSTFC
says...
8:05am Sat 23 Mar 13
Devon Red wrote::-) ....you sound like my wife there - total bemusement with it all.. :-)
Sap
Devon Red has posted his predictions on the Yeovil thread already as he has already left wet Devon for cold Wilts.
However he has asked me to enter the following addition/change following a lengthy phone call.
a)12 points (addition)
c)12 shots on target (change)
Hope this makes sense to you as it don't mean a lot to me !
Mrs Devon Red
.
Many thanks for all Mrs Devon Red!
....
Hope he's a bit warmer down there than us here!?
Airframe-dtm
says...
8:33am Sat 23 Mar 13
1) STFC 1 v 0 Notts
2) Total Attendance. 7252
3) Swindon Goalscorer Ferry 12th
4) Number of Corners 17
5) Time of last Substitute 78th
A) Points - Not sure how many games will survive so 12
B) How many away fans 252
C) Total Shots 7
AFDTM
Airframe-dtm
says...
8:37am Sat 23 Mar 13
You might want to clarify the entry closure time? Tuesday is a little too leanient!
AFDTM
dazinblack
says...
8:41am Sat 23 Mar 13
Think it might get postponed however :-
Town 2 Notts County 0
7677
Roberts 23
11 corners
83 mins sub
9
301
4
dazinblack
says...
8:44am Sat 23 Mar 13
jedthered
says...
8:56am Sat 23 Mar 13
(1) STFC3-1NCFC
(2) 8456
(3)Willo 26min
(4) 9 corners
(5) 88min last sub
(A) 13points
(B) 434
(C) 13shots
cheers mate
SAPFanSTFC
says...
9:26am Sat 23 Mar 13
7:00am Sat 23 Mar 13
my predictions league answers for today, as can't find the thread, and off to work:
1) Swindon 2:0 Notts
2) goalscorer - Collins 52
3) attendance - 8792
4) corners - 11
5) last sub 86
---
dazinblack says...
7:18am Sat 23 Mar 13
Predicitions for Notts county not up yet, probably because Sam Morshead is on 9 days off and no-one else at the adver knows how to do the computery things.
Town 2 Notts County 0
7677
Roberts 23
11 corners
83 mins sub
Snowing in Swindon
----
badger58 says...
9:08am Sat 23 Mar 13
STFC 3 Notts 1
7137
Williams 22 mins
9 corners
85 last sub
Top ten pts 1 pts
4o8 away fans
9 shots on target
---
Old-Stager, Hilperton says...
9:17am Sat 23 Mar 13
1. Swindon Town 2 Notts County 0
2. Attendance = 7,913
3. Andy Williams = 31 Mins
4. Corners = 11
5. Last Sub = 87 Mins
.
A. 18 Points - from 8 teams
B. 202 Away Fans
C. 9 STFC shots at goal.
SAPFanSTFC
says...
9:28am Sat 23 Mar 13
....
I was sure I'd changed that....wierd.
jason900
says...
10:44am Sat 23 Mar 13
1 stfc 3 notts 0
2 8234
3 williams 17
4 14
5 78mins
a 11
b 365c 11 shots
thanks mate
Roy Carter
says...
10:54am Sat 23 Mar 13
2) 8,515
3) Rooney 34 mins
4) 12 Corners.
5) 89 mins
A) 13 points will be won by the Top 10 teams in League 1
B) 450 away fans
C) 8 Shots on Target for Swindon (2pts)?
Oxon-Red
says...
11:18am Sat 23 Mar 13
7,320
Collins 23 mins
13 corners
87 mins
10 points
127 Fans
9 Shots
COYMR
nestor
says...
11:23am Sat 23 Mar 13
2, 8,137
3, A Rooney 31
4, 12
5, 87
a, 15
b, 312
c, 8
Many Thanks,
SAPFanSTFC
says...
11:32am Sat 23 Mar 13
2) Total Attendance: 7,324.
3) First Swindon Goalscorer AND Time of the goal: Collins 37mins.
4) Number of Corners: 12.
5) Time of last Substitute: 87mins.
----.
Match Bonus Questions:.
----.
A) How many points will be won by the Top 10 teams in League 1 as at Saturday morning…i.e. all teams on 60pts and more (2pts)?: 12
B) How many away fans (5pts / 3pts / 1pt)?: 187
C) Total Shots on Target for Swindon (2pts)?: 11
newburymike
says...
11:58am Sat 23 Mar 13
7777
Collins 38
Corners 10
Last sub 90
a) 12
B) 125
C) 8
NEWBURYSANDY
2-1 town
8253
Williams 23
Corners 7
Last sub 84
a) 17
B) 199
C) 6
NEWBURYNICK
0-0
7200
Rooney (a) 68
Corners 14
Last sub 87
a) 14
B) 150
C) 7
Cheers Mike
SAPFanSTFC
says...
12:15pm Sat 23 Mar 13
12:11pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Rebel_phish says...
10:09am Sat 23 Mar 13
1) Town 2-0 County
2) 8225
3) A Rooney 15 min
4) 9
5) 85 min
----.
A) 18
B) 431
C) 9
----.
perth red says...
10:53am Sat 23 Mar 13
1. 3-0
2. 8615
3. Williams 23 mins
4. 15 corners
5. 87mins
a) 13 points
b) 342
c) 8 shots on target
QUOTE » | REPORT THIS POST »
Redgollum says...
11:41am Sat 23 Mar 13
Done this before on another thread, but didn't know the bonus questions.
So here is my prediction.
1) 1-1
2) 8501
3) Williams 34
4) 320
5) 85
A) 15
B) 320
C) 3
QUOTE » | REPORT THIS POST »
Norfolk 69er says...
11:46am Sat 23 Mar 13
1) Swindon - 3 NC - 1
2) 8567
3) Williams: 26 min
4) 12
5) 88 min
A) 11
B) 401
C) 8
-----
stokes_stfc says...
12:00pm Sat 23 Mar 13
my answers again with the bonus qs
1) Swindon 2:0 Notts
2) goalscorer - Collins 52
3) attendance - 8792
4) corners - 11
5) last sub 86”
A) points for top 10 - 11
B) away fans 332
C) shots on target 8
QUOTE » | REPORT THIS POST »
Glosteroldboy says...
12:00pm Sat 23 Mar 13
1) swindon 2 Notts 1
2) 7321
3) Collins 24
4) 11
5) 86th min
A) 12
B) 211
C) 8
====
Jacobstfc
says...
12:19pm Sat 23 Mar 13
1)Swindon 3 Notts 1
2)8000
3)Collins 25
4)13
5)90mins
A)13 points won
B) 350
C)9 on target
Okus Road
says...
12:22pm Sat 23 Mar 13
2) 7888
3 Williams 33
4) 10
5) 88
A) 10
B) 333
C) 8
CraftyPig
says...
12:27pm Sat 23 Mar 13
7,752
Williams 63
13
89m
14 points
411
8
Thanks Pete
Wilesy
says...
12:44pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Wilesy wrote:Will change A) to 7 points with the pstponements please
1) Swindon 2 NC 0
2) 8789
3) A Rooney 24
4) 12
5) 90 mins.
A) 14 points
B) 459
C) 8
Wroughtonred
says...
1:45pm Sat 23 Mar 13
8123
Williams 22
14
85 mins
A) 13
B) 345
C) 11
Rebel_phish
says...
1:51pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Just woke up in time for the match commentary. Led up in bed at the moment with ManFlu,so not completely with it.
Though the missus says its just a tickly cough. Women eah!
louiscassius
says...
2:20pm Sat 23 Mar 13
2) Total Attendance: 8215.
3) First Swindon Goalscorer AND Time of the goal: Collins 28 mins.
4) Number of Corners: 11.
5) Time of last Substitute: 85 mins.
----.
Match Bonus Questions:.
----.
A) How many points will be won by the Top 10 teams in League 1 as at Saturday morning…i.e. all teams on 60pts and more (2pts)?: 6
B) How many away fans (5pts / 3pts / 1pt)?: 212
C) Total Shots on Target for Swindon (2pts)?: 15
louiscassius
says...
2:43pm Sat 23 Mar 13
Sorry buddy.
Thanks
Louis
LeGod says...
8:03am Fri 22 Mar 13
If we show the same commitment as Tuesday we should be ok but its down to us tomorrow to get behind the team.