Roberto Martinez wants his players to finish the job before they celebrate promotion
No doubt a false start to the promotion celebrations last weekend is a contributory factor in Roberto being a little bit wary of not cracking open the champagne just yet. Two late goals from Bournemouth, coupled with a late equaliser for Doncaster turned what appeared to be a promotion celebration into almost a wake as the Swans were beaten. But a much stronger performance at Carlisle in midweek has taken everyone back to the brink of celebration knowing that a victory at Gillingham on Saturday will achieve the season's goal.
And with a four point lead over second place Carlisle, the Swans are in pole position to add the divisional Championship trophy to their haul although John Ward may still have something to say on that front.
“There is never a smooth season and I have to agree with John Ward. There are still 12 points to play for and that’s a huge amount,” said Martinez in today's Western Mail
“The level of performance from the players has been so good that it would be a shame not to finish off the season on a high.
“We have got four games and I’m still just looking to carry on our high standards and see where we are on May 3.
“The players know they can’t get carried away. If we achieve the Championship dream, fantastic, but we have to get there first.”
The Swans bounced back from a last-gasp loss to Bournemouth at the weekend to earn their point in trying circumstances at Carlisle. In doing so, they are still four points clear of the Cumbrian club and hot favourites to lift the title.
“Carlisle was always going to be a test, especially after the disappointment we had on Saturday,” said Martinez.
“But there was no question about how this squad were going to perform. It was a pleasure to watch them play and stamp their authority in very difficult circumstances.
“If you look at the run of results Carlisle are on, it shows you how difficult it is to get results at Brunton Park.
“But we were able to do that without being affected by what happened on Saturday. Every single Swansea supporter should be proud of what their players did.
“It was a difficult atmosphere out there and they still managed to bounce back. Their character was superb.
“We deserved the three points, but maybe one day things will balance up and we will get the three when we don’t deserve them from a game.
“Carlisle tried to intimidate us with a physical style, but we should take that as a compliment. When a team chasing you for top spot needs to be that physical, you have to take it that way.”