ZEKI Fryers believes Swindon Town’s encouraging start to the season could have been even better, and has called on everyone at the club to continue pulling in the same direction ahead of a tough run of fixtures.

Following their home clash against Michael Flynn’s Newport County on Saturday, Town enter a month of games which is likely to either act as a springboard onto further success or undo all of the good work in the opening stanza of the season.

Town lie in fourth place in League Two and are the third top scorers in the EFL, but a controversial Northampton Town goal robbed them of what would have likely been a point while many who watched draws away at Exeter City and Cheltenham Town would argue Richie Wellens’ side deserved to take the spoils back to Wiltshire.

Bradford City, Crewe Alexandra and Crawley Town can all count themselves among the early promotion-chasing sides that Swindon face throughout October.

Defender Fryers – now back from injury – is ready to play a part in his side kicking on and securing a top-three spot once November arrives.

Fryers said: “I’m going to say that we should be higher, but that is where we’re at.

“We’ve dropped a few points here and there along the way, but all we can do is look forward from now and try and get as many points as we can in a difficult month.

“The fans help a lot too. We’ve got good supporters here, and if they can keep that support going, they will help us going forward.”

Fryers saw his season temporarily cut short in Town’s first league defeat to the Cobblers back in August, but is fully focused on helping his side remain unbeaten after returning to the starting XI – albeit at a semi-unfamiliar centre-back role – in Swindon’s 1-0 win away at Cambridge United last weekend.

The 27-year-old openly admitted he prefers playing at left-back, but the idea of getting 40 games in and helping his team-mates pick up wins is far more important, according to the former Manchester United defender.

Fryers said: “The idea was for me to play 40-odd games this season, whether it be left-back or centre-back or wherever.

“I just want to help out the team and get some games under my belt.

“The main difference between the two would be the licence to go and attack.

“At centre-back, your limit is almost the halfway line – you can go up for corners and you might be able to get a goal – but at full-back, you can bomb on as much as you want, especially if you’ve got a good relationship with the winger.

“I find playing left-back more enjoyable, but playing centre-back, you’ve got to enjoy defending too.”

After facing a barrage of crosses and cross-field balls upon his return to the team last weekend, Fryers believes Town will face much of the same when Newport arrive at the County Ground on Saturday.

But the former Barnsley man believes his own side can also be quite purposeful in their attacking plans too without relying on hopeful punts up to the forwards.

Fryers said: “I’m expecting a similar game plan from Newport.

“They’re very direct, maybe even more so than Cambridge, so we’ll have to be ready for that.

“But we’re quite a direct team as well. Maybe not so much long ball, but we have different styles of play which can be effective, so we’ll see what happens on Saturday.”