DANNY Woodards knows Bristol Rovers face a stern test of their improving credentials when they take on League Two leaders Swindon Town tomorrow.

Paolo Di Canio’s side are four points clear at the top of the table and will be looking to quickly put the disappointment of last weekend’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy defeat firmly behind them.

And defender Woodards, who scored his first ever league goal the last time the two sides met back at the Memorial Stadium in December, believes an improving Rovers will have to be on top of their game to return from the County Ground with anything to show for their efforts.

He said: “It was great to score my first ever league goal against them last time, but I’ll just be happy if we can win the game and pick up three points when we go there tomorrow. “I watched bits of their game at Wembley against Chesterfield last weekend and we are aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

“They are top of the league so obviously they are a good side, but so are we when we go out and perform.

“It’s a decent pitch over there and both clubs have got a good following so it should be a great atmosphere. We’ve been working hard to prepare after losing at Aldershot on Tuesday night and we’re all looking forward to it.”

Rovers will be looking to bounce back from their own reverse this week after suffering a 1-0 defeat at Aldershot in a game which manager Mark McGhee insisted his side were ‘unlucky’ to lose.

It proved to be one of the rare setbacks McGhee has suffered since taking charge of the side at the end of January following the departure of former boss Paul Buckle and Woodards added: “We were all pretty down after the Aldershot game.

“We didn’t play that great, but, neither did they so a draw would have been a fair result.

“It’s a minor setback in a good run we’ve been on and I have to say I’m really enjoying my football at the moment. “We’re a lot more solid than we were the last time we played Swindon and we do look dangerous up front.

“We need to get promoted next year, that’s the main aim, but we need to concentrate on what is a big game at Swindon first.”