softfootball.com match preview
Cheltenham Town and Swindon Town are gearing up for an intense League Two clash this Saturday, as both sides look to improve their early-season form in the 2024-25 campaign. Cheltenham, sitting in 20th place, will host 21st-placed Swindon at the Completely-Suzuki Stadium, with both teams eager to push further up the table.
Match Preview
Cheltenham has endured a challenging start to life in League Two following their relegation from League One. With three wins, one draw, and six losses in their first 10 games, they’ve only managed to accumulate 10 points, leaving them precariously close to the bottom of the table. After beating Accrington Stanley 2-1 earlier this month, the Robins stumbled in their last outing, losing 2-1 to Barrow, and will be looking to bounce back in front of their home crowd.
Swindon Town, meanwhile, comes into the match in better form, unbeaten in their last three games across all competitions. They’ve drawn their last two league matches against Tranmere Rovers and Harrogate Town and come off an impressive 4-0 win over Bristol Rovers in the EFL Trophy. Despite these results, Swindon has struggled to convert draws into victories, with just one league win from their opening 10 games.
The history between the two sides will give Cheltenham confidence, having remained unbeaten against Swindon in all competitions since 2012. The last time these sides met was in the FA Cup in 2019, with Cheltenham securing a 1-0 victory.
Team News
Cheltenham is expected to field a similar lineup to the one that faced Barrow. Striker Ryan Bowman, who has scored twice this season, will be looking to add to his tally. Midfielders Thomas Pett and Joel Colwill are set to play pivotal roles once again, with the 19-year-old Colwill already contributing two goals this campaign.
For Swindon, Paul Glatzel, fresh off a two-goal performance in the EFL Trophy, is expected to start. He came off the bench against Harrogate but is likely to replace the injured Kabongo Tshimanga in the starting lineup. Meanwhile, Aaron Drinan will continue leading the Swindon attack as he searches for his first league goal of the season.
Predicted Lineups
Cheltenham Town
Evans; Kinsella, Stubbs, Bradbury, Shipley; Archer, Young; Colwill, Pett, Norkett; Bowman
Swindon Town
Barden; Sobowale; Wright, Freckleton; McGregor, Cotterill, Kilkenny, Butterworth, Cox; Glatzel, Drinan
Softfootball Prediction
Swindon’s scoring woes continue to hold them back, with just one win in their first 10 league games. Meanwhile, Cheltenham’s defensive struggles could make this a tightly contested affair. Given the form of both teams, a low-scoring draw seems the most likely outcome.
Final score prediction: Cheltenham Town 1-1 Swindon Town
