SWINDON Wildcats player-coach Aaron Nell says victory in each of his side’s next three matches will more than brush their current mini-blip under the carpet.

The Cats set out on a superb 10-match winning streak in the National League throughout October and early November but have since lost three of their last five matches.

Basingstoke Bison were the latest side to inflict defeat, claiming a 4-2 win at the Link Centre last Friday night.

Swindon have just one fixture again this weekend, and it also comes on home ice as Hull Pirates travel to Wiltshire on Saturday.

Nell’s side currently sit second in the table but after facing Hull, they take on league leaders Telford Pirates and third-placed Peterborough Phantoms on weekend of December 14-15.

If two points can be gained from each of those fixtures, Nell says Swindon’s dip in form will be a distant memory.

“The most important thing after losing last Friday night is how we bounce back,” said Nell.

“We have a very tough game against Hull coming up and we have got to be ready.

“Losing games is a concern but only if it continues. The next three games are key – they are against three other top teams.

“In my view, Basingstoke, Peterborough, Hull, Telford and ourselves are the top five teams in this league.

“That’s where they are in terms of positions, and from the games we have played against them, you can tell they deserve to be there.

“We play three of them in our next three games, so from this run of four games, I’d be really happy if we won three.

“That means we are going to have to try to win each of the next three. We are just going to have to take it one game at a time.”

Nell felt Swindon fell short of the standards they expect of themselves when falling to Basingstoke last time out.

However, given the superb form they have already shown this season, there is no chance of pessimism creeping into the camp with fortunes expected to fluctuate throughout the course of a campaign.

“There are going to be lots of twists and turns – this time last season, we were down and out and we ended up winning the league,” said Nell.

“We have lost three of our last five games but it is how we bounce back.

“We have got a good team – a lot better than we showed last Friday.

“I think having last Saturday and Sunday nights off will be good for us, we have had a very long schedule.

“We will get a bit of rest and be ready for a very good team in Hull.”