SWINDON Town skipper Nathan Thompson says the team’s recent strong showings away at the top teams in League One have given them hope of getting a win at Gillingham on Saturday.

Although an injury-ravaged Swindon side went down 1-0 at Port Vale in midweek, their recent away days are a source of comfort within the camp.

Town more than matched perennial promotion chasers Sheffield United on the way to a 1-1 draw in their previous away game and were only beaten by a late penalty at league leaders Burton Albion before that.

Third-in-the-table Gillingham looked a cut above when they claimed a 3-1 win at the County Ground on Boxing Day but Town captain Thompson thinks an upset is well within reach for his side at the Priestfield Stadium.

“They were organised, Justin Edinburgh had them organised, they are a solid team but I see no reason why we can’t go there and pick up three points,” Thompson told BBC Wiltshire.

“We’ve come up against the better teams in the league and we’ve matched them. You only have to look at when we went to Sheffield United the other day to see we are more than capable.

“It will be a good test for us. Hopefully we can get some players back fit and we will go there full of confidence going into the game.”

Tuesday's narrow defeat at Port Vale was the second time Town have drawn a blank in as many games after Saturday’s 1-0 loss at home to in-form Barnsley, but Thompson has no doubt they will be firing again soon.

“It’s just being more clinical around the box,” said Thompson.

“Opportunities will arise when we are incisive and you’ve seen earlier on in the season, we are capable of scoring goals.

“Two games on the bounce now is of course frustrating but I know the goals will come.”

The Vale match saw Thompson earn a second start after a long-term groin injury and although fatigue is understandably kicking in as matches draw to a close, he is happy with how he has come through.

“Towards the end of the game I have heavy legs but the way we are playing the game at this moment in time allows me to get a breather in. It’s not as full end-to-end as it maybe was in the early part of the season,” added Thompson.

“That’s good, it conserves energy, especially when we are playing Tuesday, Saturday.

“It is (back to normal), touch wood. It has felt good. I have done some good rehab, it was a long period of time I spent on the sidelines watching the boys but thankfully it is back to normal.”