Ben Garner wants more Swindon ruthlessness after big win at Harrogate

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2022 by PA

Ben Garner has challenged his Swindon players to keep showing a ruthless streak if they are to grab a Sky Bet League Two play-off spot.

Following two games without netting, the Robins reignited their top-seven push with a 4-1 win in which on-loan strikers Louie Barry and Josh Davison both bagged braces.

The pair’s potency was timely, with 18-goal leading scorer Harry McKirdy still yet to return after almost a month sidelined by injury.

Garner, whose side are two points off the play-off positions, said: “It was a very good performance, especially in the first half when we created lots of opportunities and scored two really good goals.

“The only disappointment at half-time was that we hadn’t scored more times. But, after we got two early goals in the second half, we were very much in control of the game.

“We then conceded a goal during the nine minutes of injury time when we were down to 10 men because Rob Hunt had to go off.

“In terms of the performance, there was not much difference between how we have been playing in recent weeks, but we picked the right final ball more often and Louie and Josh both finished well.

“We found gaps and really good spaces on the pitch and it was a really pleasing performance in that respect. In the last couple of weeks there has been plenty of positives, but we have not got the points the performances merited.

“In this game there was a bit more purpose to our play and we’ve got to maintain that in our coming games.”

Harrogate have now lost seven of their last nine games and are still not mathematically safe from relegation, with home boss Simon Weaver bemoaning the club’s worst injury crisis for 10 years.

A nasty Ryan Fallowfield groin injury was responsible for a big chunk of the added-on time, while Alex Pattison and Mark Beck also needed to be replaced.

On Fallowfield and the club’s over-populated treatment room, Weaver said: “Ryan is on oxygen to take away the pain. His groin muscle has come off the bone and the poor lad is in agony.

“In terms of the squad, we’ve lost another three players and it’s getting crazy. I don’t think we’ve had a situation like this since 2012 where we’ve got eight or nine players out injured and it’s difficult. We’re just trying to put it into some form of perspective and ride out the storm.”

Weaver also conceded, however, that his team were comfortably second best on the afternoon, adding: “They are a really good team with good players, who are League One players to be honest.

“They looked stronger and let’s get it right, so they should, because playing Swindon Town would have been a big cup tie for us a couple of years ago.”