Swansea vice captain Alan Tate insists the Swans are looking forward despite pressure from those behind them
After two disappointing results at home - the 2-1 reverse to Millwall was followed by a last minute concede to draw with Tranmere - the Swans have seen both Doncaster and Carlisle close in on them after two wins each as League One develops very much into a three horse race with the chasing pack seemingly set for battling for play off places.
The advantage though still firmly lies with Swansea - they have a game in hand over Doncaster to be played next week that could prove vital at the end of the season. And Tate believes that despite the mini stutter, there is still full belief in the Swans dressing room that they will complete the job they have started. “Looking at it straight away you see it as two points dropped,” he told the Western Mail after the Tranmere game
“But, if you look at it positively, it’s another point towards where we want to be. It depends which way you want to look at it I suppose.
“We are focused on getting promotion ourselves, there’s no point looking over your shoulder.
“We’re still six points clear with a game in hand over Doncaster and we still have to play Carlisle. So it’s definitely still in our hands.
“We just have to hopefully get the wins. We said after the game that there’s no point looking at the table.
“We know where we are and we know how many wins we set ourselves, so you can throw the league table out the window, for all we care. We know what we have to do.
“Ever since I’ve been here we’ve done it the hard way and it’s no different now.
“I’m looking forward to playing against Bayo,” said Tate, who might be charged with marking his former team-mate at Sixfields Stadium.
“I still speak to him and he was a good friend of mine when he was here.
“He’s a good lad and a good player. He seems to have got over the injury he had here and he has scored six goals in six games.
“So no-one can complain about what he has done at Northampton, and I’m sure if he keeps going they will extend his contract beyond the end of the season.
“He’s an asset for them and he would be for any club. It’s just unfortunate what happened with him here.
“With a new manager coming in for some reason they didn’t agree a contract. But that’s gone now and I’m just looking forward to seeing him, albeit in the hope of going there and beating them.
“That’s the next one and you can only play one game at a time, not the next three.
“Northampton is a big one for us. But we know what we have to do, we’ve set ourselves a target and we know how many points or wins we need.
“We haven’t sat down and discussed it as a group. But the gaffer has sat down with me and had a quiet word and they’ve told me what they think we need – and that’s all you’re getting.
“It’s not far off, it’s doable.”
And there is nothing in the season so far to say that it won't happen the way the Swans want it to - one defeat in twenty games and a six point lead at the top of the table is an advantage, the key to all areas is not to panic, you don't become a bad team overnight.