‘PLAY well and win’ - Swindon Town manager Richie Wellens says his side can lift the spirits of their fans by putting in a committed and quality performance on Saturday against Port Vale.

The manager’s comments came after he was asked how the team could prove the absence of recalled loanees Jerry Yates and Eoin Doyle would not affect them moving forward.

Though Hallam Hope was brought into the club on Wednesday, many fans have been expressing their concerns on social media about how the circa 40 goals of Yates and Doyle will be replaced as Town continue their quest for promotion.

Wellens admitted he is still in the hunt for an out-and-out striker, and says he is trying his very best every day, but told supporters that the players currently under contract at the club will be doing their utmost to fill the goal-void for the time being.

Wellens said: “We lift the fans by winning. Play well and win – it’s simple, isn’t it?

“As long as our supporters come along and see that our players are giving everything they can, we’re trying our best to entertain and get results, I think our supporters will be happy.

“I’ve said it before, but they’re clever supporters.

“They know we’re taking a few blows at the minute, but we need to go out on the pitch and show commitment, we need to show spirit, but we need to show quality as well.

“But we also need the supporters to back us, and I have to say in more or less every game this season, they’ve done that.”

Saturday’s game against Port Vale will see not only the debut of Hope, but a return to action for vice-captain Mathieu Baudry after nearly a month out with a hamstring injury.

The Frenchman came off after 17 minutes in the corresponding fixture – a game Town went on to lose 2-0 despite playing well in large spells.

And Wellens believes a similar performance from his side will result in a different result this time around.

He said: “The away game will still have an impact because I would imagine most of the players from both sides will be on the pitch again this week.

“The systems will be similar, but we actually played really well up there.

“But we conceded goals at bad times, and the injury to Ellis Iandolo set us back straight away with the nature of the injury.

“Saturday is a chance for us to respond, and our home form has been outstanding this season, so we’ll look to carry that on.”