SWINDON Town’s players will enjoy Christmas Day off this year, as Mark Cooper tries to teach his squad the importance of responsibility in their chase for a play-off place.

Cooper, who was delighted with the way his team stood up to the test of Coventry on Saturday as Town came from behind to win 2-1, will not hold training the day before the Robins make the trip to Brentford for a crucial League One clash.

He is confident his players will be sensible, but just to make sure he joked about keeping Nile Ranger hostage until the visit to Griffin Park.

“They’re going to have Christmas Day off. I’m going to trust them,” Cooper said. “Nile’s staying at my house, the missus and kids are not too happy but we’re going to lock him in the spare room, feed him under the door just to make sure he behaves himself.”

Goals from Yaser Kasim and Miles Storey gave Swindon all three points on Saturday, and Cooper was pleased with the way his players applied themselves in the final third of the game to force a result.

“I would have kissed anyone that was near me at the end. It’s brilliant, it’s why you’re in the game – for moments like that. It’s such a high to come back and win like that right at the end. Brilliant,” he said.

Special praise was reserved for Nicky Ajose, who played as a wing forward, a wing-back and even a full-back during a pulsating 90 minutes of football at the County Ground.

“Nicky ended up playing wing-back and that’s what he does, he just runs,” said Cooper. “He’ll do whatever you ask him to do. If I threw this table up in the air and asked him to volley it he’d do it, that’s the kind of kid he is.

“If you can get 10 or 11 of them in your team you aren’t going to go far wrong. They’re good footballers but they have to show more responsibility, especially when we go away from home.

“We’re going to go and play, maybe we have to go and just attack and try to win 5-3 or 5-4. It’s not fantastic for me because on the sideline it’s heart attack time, but it’s great for the supporters and he players enjoy playing like that.”