THE dread of having to settle for second best will inspire Wanderers to get back to their unbeatable best at Swindon tomorrow.

Successive defeats may have caused their critics to cast doubts over their prospects of claiming an automatic promotion place but the players are now more determined than ever.

"As far as I am concerned it's a case of do or die tomorrow," Mark Fish said dramatically ahead of the County Ground test.

"I don't want to have to go into the play-offs. I don't want to have to play an extra three weeks and I'm sure the other players feel the same.

"We know it's going to be hard; every game is a big game from now on. But we have enough talent in the squad and we still have a strong belief in ourselves."

Fish, who missed the shock 3-1 defeat by Crewe last weekend, when he was helping South Africa to a vital 4-1 African Nations Cup win over Gabon, couldn't prevent Wanderers slipping to a second successive defeat at Huddersfield on Tuesday. But, far from despondent, he says that has made them doubly determined.

"I'm sure we can bounce back," he said confidently, despite feeling under the weather with flu symptoms, having jetted back from the 36 degree heat of Pretoria into the cold and damp of England

"I couldn't believe it when a friend of mine told me a couple of hours after our game that Bolton had lost 3-1 to Crewe at the Reebok. I was shocked because I thought it was a formality.

"It's a pity the run came to such a disappointing end but the team should learn from that and remember how we put that run together in the first place."

Wanderers have dropped from second to fourth in the table and now have five points to make up on both Bradford and Ipswich, so the Swindon game has taken on a greater significance over the past week. Colin Todd agrees but is insisting his players avoid distractions. "We mustn't worry about what other teams are doing," he explained, "we must let the other teams do the worrying."

Paul Warhurst, missing for four games after damaging his hamstring in the win at Grimsby three weeks ago, is pencilled in for an early recall but Tuesday's home game against Barnsley is a more realistic target.

Swindon, who have not won at home this year, will be without 17-goal top scorer Iffy Onuoura, who is suspended, and have a string of injury doubts following Wednesday night's 3-2 home defeat by Tranmere.

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