A SWITCH to Friday night football will not duly unsettle Swindon Town’s players, according to manager David Flitcroft.

With games in the lower leagues primarily sticking to the traditional 3pm Saturday kick-off slot, the Town squad will have the rare pleasure of being done and dusted with their work before the weekend truly begins when they welcome Colchester United to the Energy Check County Ground tonight.

Town enjoyed their last experience of a Friday night fixture as they battled to a late 2-0 victory away to near neighbours Forest Green Rovers in League Two back in September.

Having had no midweek game to accommodate into their schedule either, Town boss Flitcroft says preparations for the clash against the U’s have been as smooth as normal.

“It has not really affected us, we have just changed the training week and calculated it to a Friday night game,” said Flitcroft.

“It doesn’t really have that much affect. You have still got your minus-one and minus-two game days and you still do the appropriate things on those days that you would do if it was a Saturday.

“The only difference would be if there had been a Tuesday game so you wouldn’t have loads of recovery time.”

The Town squad are itching to get back into action after seeing last weekend’s trip to Accrington Stanley called off at short notice because of the cold weather, with their most recent match the Checkatrade Trophy second round meeting with Forest Green on December 5.

Flitcroft added: “You always want to play. The boys were ready and it was a late call. We were just setting off to go to the game.

“It was disappointing to say the least, and with the injuries we had, it would have given someone else the opportunity to step into the team and try to stay in the team.

“There was a hunger about the camp in the week and I was disappointed it was off.”

Colchester travel to Wiltshire in good form, with just one defeat in their last eight league matches.

John McGreal’s side are tied on 32 points alongside Town, with the two teams only outside the play-off places on goal difference.

Flitcroft expects his troops to come up against a youthful U’s side this evening but one that has really hit its straps in recent weeks.

“When you look at the model at Colchester, I think it is one of the youngest teams on average on paper,” said Flitcroft. “They have got a Category One academy that produces some excellent players.”

“The manager has really got them going, they have found a way and system of playing and have hit some really good form in the league.

“After not a great start, they have stayed with the plan and it has come to fruition.”