In a season that's been anything but predictable, Swindon Town manager Ian Holloway has delivered a passionate rallying cry to his squad ahead of their do-or-die League Two play-off showdown with Chesterfield. With everything on the line, Holloway reminded his players that the power to shape their destiny remains firmly in their own hands.

The Robins have hit a rough patch at the worst possible time, slipping to eighth in the table after winning just one of their last six matches. That slide has allowed Chesterfield to leapfrog them into seventh place, holding a slender one-point advantage. But Saturday's lunchtime clash at the County Ground offers Swindon the perfect chance to flip the script.

"I've told them what a wonderful opportunity this is," Holloway told BBC Radio Wiltshire, his voice carrying the urgency of a manager who knows the stakes. "When do you ever get a chance to face the team who've just gone above you, with the only result you can control being your own? You've got them at home, so it's still in your hands."

The veteran boss didn't sugarcoat the challenges ahead. "What the boys have got to do is realise they've got to get back to what they were doing with authority and belief," he said. "You've got zero base because basically you've let automatic promotion slip out of your hands. So, talk about making it hard for yourself! But we still have another chance."

With no margin for error, Holloway made it clear: "One win and we're in the playoffs, or else our season is all over. I know what I want and I know what we deserve, but we have to redo that. We have to go again because no-one gives you anything, you've got to take it."

Adding another layer of drama, Holloway will be watching from the stands after serving a touchline ban following his sending-off in last month's defeat at Colchester United. Ever the optimist, he sees a silver lining. "It might be a blessing in disguise, who knows? I'm not proud of myself. I've let the team down, I've let the club down and I've got to make sure I make up for that and see if we can get not just in the play-offs, but to Wembley and beat whoever else is there. I believe in miracles. I always have and I always will."