RICHIE Wellens believes injuries alone have prevented his side from claiming more victories against elite League Two outfits this season after Swindon Town’s maiden success over a top-10 team on New Year’s Day.

Before Town’s 2-1 win away at Plymouth Argyle on the opening day of the decade, the club’s record against the current top 10 teams stood at; played nine, drawn four, lost five.

Despite that torrid record against their promotion rivals, Town still find themselves six points clear of fourth place Bradford City – who they face on Saturday – and are in prime position for a return back to League One.

Wellens’ men must navigate a tricky month of fixtures through January if they are to remain promotion favourites however, and that come-from-behind victory over Plymouth could not have come a moment too soon.

Yet, when asked by the Adver how important the timing of the Plymouth victory was given the impending fixtures, Wellens made sure to explain why it hadn’t happened sooner.

He said: “It’s nonsense – who have we played away? Forest Green, Cheltenham, Exeter, Plymouth, Bradford and Crewe.

“We’ve played them all away and we lost those games when we couldn’t field our strongest team.

“But it winds me up a little bit when I hear someone say: ‘it’s the first time you’ve beaten a top side’.

“Forest Green, we drew in the last minute. Cheltenham, it was an outstanding performance, but we drew when we deserved to win.

“Exeter, we should have won but had to equalise in the last minute. Crewe, conceded in the last minute.

“So, we’re not getting rolled over away from home.”

Following the barrage of crosses that Town faced against the Pilgrims, their unwanted record could have been extended with improved finishing from their hosts.

Yet Town survived and Wellens heaped praise on his makeshift back-line.

Referencing the champions of both England’s top-flight and Europe’s elite club competition, Wellens once again spoke of absentees when pushed by the Adver on the timing of a win that removed the club’s winless record against top-10 sides.

He said: “Manchester City are the best team in the world, but you take two of their centre backs and look what happens.

“It happened to us, but against Plymouth we’ve dealt with it.

“The only thing that is hanging over this club is the injuries.

“I took a gamble in the summer because – if we had four or five million to spend, I could go and get players that can play 50 games a season.

“But those players cost a certain amount. So we took gambles on players that are really good players, but that have fitness issues.”