Ian Holloway has praised his Swindon Town players for fighting 'like dying tigers' as they aim to end a six-game winless streak. The manager's comments follow a 1-1 home draw with Walsall that extended their run without a victory, a period in which they have scored only twice. The team's recent form over the last five games is one win, two draws and two losses, a sequence that has seen them slip to 15th in League Two on 15 points from 12 games, with four wins, three draws and five losses.
Holloway switched formations for the visit of Walsall in an attempt to spark an improvement. The move yielded an early goal, with Aaron Drinan finding the net inside the first five minutes. Walsall's Tai Sodje equalised in the 55th minute, a goal that came after Swindon goalkeeper Connor Ripley was involved in a challenge that visiting manager Lee Grant felt warranted a red card.
Despite dominating possession at the County Ground, Swindon could not find a winner. The result leaves them 15th in the League Two standings, with 15 points from their opening 12 matches. Their goal difference stands at minus three, having scored 13 and conceded 16 this season.
Manager's defiant message
Holloway remains defiant about his squad's commitment to turning their form around. "They fought like dying tigers for the badge," the manager said. He believes that level of effort will be the foundation for climbing out of their current position, which sees them ten points adrift of leaders Salford City.
Goalkeeper Connor Ripley echoed the sentiment of total commitment to the cause. "We'd run through a brick wall for him," Ripley said of his manager. The team's struggles have been compounded by a number of injuries to key players, testing the depth of the squad.
Their recent fixtures tell a story of frustration. Before the Walsall draw, they were beaten 1-0 by Crewe Alexandra and lost by the same scoreline away to Rochdale. Their last win was a 3-1 victory at Barnet on October 20, where Drinan scored twice to take his season tally to 22 goals in 40 appearances across all competitions. The winless run also includes a 2-0 defeat to Crawley Town and a goalless draw with Morecambe. Their most recent result was a goalless draw away to Bristol Rovers on Saturday 24 October.
Holloway acknowledged the pressure but insisted on the positives.
The immediate focus now shifts to a home game against Rotherham United on Saturday, October 31. Rotherham currently sit 22nd in the table, offering Swindon a clear opportunity to halt their winless run and build some momentum. Following that, Swindon face an away trip to face league leaders Salford City.
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