Ian Holloway believes struggling Swindon have “a long enough ladder” to get themselves out of the hole they are in after seeing Harry Smith’s hat-trick lift the Robins off the bottom of League Two.
Smith scored with his right foot, left foot and head to record the ‘perfect’ treble in a 3-1 win over Fleetwood as Swindon recorded their first league victory under new boss Holloway.
The former QPR and Leicester manager made six changes to his side in a bid to claim Swindon’s first league success since mid-October, and he felt it paid handsome dividends.
“We had people in the team who hadn’t failed, who weren’t part of that, and it made a huge difference,” Holloway said.
“I’m not carrying a load of baggage. This club carries a load of baggage into everything.
“What I care about is seeing that type of performance and our fans joining in with them because of the horrible feeling that we’ve had for so many years here.
“I’m gonna go until I’m devoid of any energy to try and pump this lot up and add some cavalry in the window to have an exciting season from the dregs of hell, that’s how it feels.
“I’m sure my wife will enjoy her weekend a little bit better now than I have been for the last couple of weeks.”
Swindon had the chance to go 4-0 up but Paul Glatzel missed from the penalty spot and Fleetwood threatened to make a comeback when Matty Virtue pulled a goal back in the 67th minute.
Holloway, who confessed he missed Glatzel’s fluffed spot-kick as he had nipped to the toilet, added: “We almost almost damaged ourselves again by missing a penalty.
“We have got one hell of a hole to get ourselves out of but we have a long enough ladder.”
Smith opened the scoring in the eighth minute after visiting keeper David Harrington dithered on Ryan Broom’s floated backpass.
Robins centre-back Will Wright then thundered a dipping free-kick against the crossbar before Smith made it 2-0 in the 28th minute with a header.
Smith smashed home his third in the 58th minute and also won the penalty two minutes later, which Glatzel missed.
Virtue made it 3-1 with a sharp half-volley from outside the box and Ronan Coughlan could have reduced the deficit further after being was sent racing through, but Swindon held on for a win that lifts them up to 22nd.
Fleetwood boss Charlie Adam said: “The first half was abysmal. I think it’s the worst we’ve been since we’ve been at the football club.
“I won’t accept it, the supporters travel all this way week in and week out and to see that from my Fleetwood team, it is unacceptable.
“I’ve told them in there, you have to have a look at yourself in the next couple of days.”
