Raffa is glad to be home (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Raffa is glad to be home

6:00am Friday 7th September 2012 in Sport By Sam Morshead

Raffa De Vita

RAFFA De Vita says Swindon’s players are looking forward to returning to the County Ground this weekend, but the winger stressed that he and his teammates do not want to become known as homecoming kings.

The Robins are unbeaten on their own turf in all competitions since August 30 last year and have not conceded a goal at SN1 in 12 outings ahead of the visit of Leyton Orient on Saturday.

However, away from Wiltshire times have been a little tougher for the men in red.

Town haven’t won a league game on the road since victory at Morecambe on April 6, a run of five matches, and while their home form is sensational, De Vita wants Swindon to start improving on the road.

“The County Ground has been a fortress like everyone says and after two games like this we want to play a home game, but at the same time we don’t want to get worried about our away for and we want to put things right the next time it happens,” he told the Advertiser.

“The Hartlepool game and the Preston game have been examined as games after two big games - the Brighton game and the Stoke game - so it’s not been a worry at the moment.

“It doesn’t feel like every time we go away we lose because we went to Stoke and we did well, but it’s three games now when we’ve gone away and not performed so Carlisle will be a big test.

“We don’t want to be that average team that plays well at home and then goes away and struggles. Obviously we need to win our home games but the big test will be when we go away again.”

De Vita expects a tough encounter against an Orient side that has yet to pick up a point in League One this term, although he is expecting negative tactics from Russell Slade and his men.

“Like many teams have done before, they’ll come to the County Ground and try to get a draw or sit back,” he said.

“It’s going to be hard like every game.”