After helping the Ballarat Red Devils upset Northcote City to keep up their winning start to the NPL season, top scorer Dom Swinton believes that there is more to come from his side.
The man of the hour has scored three goals in the two games played so far this season, and that tally is already in stark contrast to the one he had last season with Ballarat.
“It feels good. Last year was a really tough year for us, we only had one win and I didn’t score a goal so it feels good already to get on the scoresheet,” Swinton said.
“But obviously the main thing is the two wins, two wins in two games I can’t ask for much better so that’s the main thing.”
It’s been a dream start for the regional club who were a big unknown quantity back in pre-season.
While they had a rough time in State League 2 North West last season, the appointment of James Robinson as player/coach has changed the landscape of the club, and Swinton feels everything is now going in the right direction.
“The boys have been working hard and we’ve recruited well, so there’s no reason why we can’t go on,” he said.
“It’s been a big challenge but I think the coach that’s come in and the players, when you bring in quality players around you too that really helps, and we’ve had a great pre-season too and that’s made the transition a lot easier.
“We’ve got the squad, we’ve got the players and got the coach, we’re all doing the right things so we just got to keep working hard and making sure that we’re consistent week in week out.”
Perhaps the most important thing about Ballarat’s start to the season is that these results have come on the road, with the team asked to travel every week while they await the completion of their new stadium.
Swinton recognises the need to pick up points away from home, and cannot wait to play at Morshead Park when it opens.
“It’s definitely [important winning away],” he said.
“Obviously it’s a big ask for us travelling each week but I guess when your from Ballarat you’re used to that.
“When we get to play at home, at the new stadium in front of hopefully really big crowds, it’s going to help us a lot to push that extra mile and hopefully pick up results, and points at home too.”
As for the man himself, Swinton has been a part of Ballarat from the beginning of his footballing career and is now relishing the opportunity to play at the top level.
“I moved to Ballarat in 2003 and I played for Ballarat ever since, coming through the youth setup there so obviously the easiest thing to do is just play in Ballarat,” he said.
“There’s too much travel with work and other commitments to have to travel to play in Melbourne.
“So now we’ve got the opportunity to play in the big leagues, everyone jumps at it. It makes things so much easier.”
Swinton also credits Robinson for his start to the season, who he feels has fine-tuned his game to suit the team.
“I know exactly how the coach wants me to play, and being in the right position, doing the right things is obviously the result of my goals both weeks,” he said.
“I think a lot of it is down to the players around me and the way that we’re playing.”
And not to forget the torrid year the club went through last year, Swinton was complimentary about his former coach Sinisa Cohadzic, who is now in charge of Ashburton in the Women’s Premier League.
“Sash (Cohadzic) came in and did a job last year, it was a tough ask,” he said.
“We didn’t have a lot of squad players. We had about 15 to rely on for the entire year so he came in and it was a really tough ask but he did the best he could and obviously I wish him all the best with the WPL girls that he’s got at the moment.”