MANAGER John Sheridan expressed his disappointment at Swindon Town having a free weekend after the club won its previous two games without conceding.

Sheridan’s men should have been travelling up to Rochdale to take on one of their relegation rivals this weekend, but international call-ups for the hosts caused the game to be pushed back to Tuesday April 13.

Town therefore have the opportunity to rest players ahead of a jam-packed final nine games.

While Sheridan is disappointed at his team being unable to continue their positive momentum, the 56-year-old did admit the break would act as a timely chance to rest some older legs ahead of the Easter weekend programme.

Speaking after Town’s 1-0 victory over Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night, Sheridan said: “I wish we had a game on Saturday to tell you the truth. But while we have got a break, we have played a lot of football so a couple of the older lads will get a rest.

“We’ll trained this week anyway, but the ones who haven’t been figuring much will work hard. Everyone will have the weekend off and then we’ll get ready for two big games next Friday and Monday.

“We’ll take the break, I told the players to be chuffed with themselves because they’re the ones who have done it, and we have to get ready now for the final nine games.”

Town’s recent mini upturn in good form came as Sheridan opted to return to a back five while also retaining an attacking threat in the form of wingers.

The Swindon boss was adamant victories over Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers were not simply down to a change in shape – instead, the success could be pinned on a change of luck and an increase in discipline from his players who knew their jobs to a tee.

Reacting to a question about having time to iron our any issues with the team’s shape this week, Sheridan said: The system is the system – we’ve got the breaks recently and we’ve scored first. And we’ve kept clean sheets.

“If we had kept more clean sheets, we would have won more games because we’ve scored in nearly every game.

“I’ve always said it’s about not conceding goals because we’ve got some good players going forward – and that’s what we’ve done. It gives you that belief when you score first.

“There were a few times against Bristol Rovers where things were getting a bit edgy, but players were sprinting because they want to keep the ball out of our own net.”