Another home match. Another defeat. Incredibly, it has now been over five months since Swindon last won at home. Despite a change in management, tactics and, on some part, faces within the squad, the same problems linger in a season many Town fans are already writing off.
With a similar set of on-the-field circumstances, Notts County travelled to Swindon today on the back of a much-needed away win at Tranmere, their first under new manager Martin Allen. It ended their nine game losing streak, and brought them into today's encounter full of confidence.
Allen is renowned for his never-say-die attitude and his touchline (and indeed on-the-pitch) presence, qualities which have since provided him with the nickname "Mad Dog". These assets were evident again today, with Allen often seen communicating verbally with his players and staff, ultimately earning them a second successive win.
It was, however, Swindon who started the brighter side. Town tested County goalkeeper Stuart Nelson on two occasions early on, the former Brentford man first pushing a Michael Rose free-kick clear of danger, before reacting brilliantly to tip a mis-hit Liam Chilvers clearance over the bar after Paul Caddis had whipped the ball dangerously into the box.
The hosts continued to press forward and were desperately close to taking the lead on 18 minutes as Calvin Andrew burst clear on goal and rounded Nelson before poking the ball goalwards, only to see Chilvers back track brilliantly to clear it off the line.
Town fans were left cursing their luck, but were celebrating a minute later as Jon-Paul McGovern showed fantastic ingenuity to over-head kick a seemingly dead ball and lost cause across the six yard box, before Matt Ritchie side-footed from a yard out to give Swindon a deserved lead.
Swindon again dominated the early periods of the second half and were agonisingly close to doubling their lead after 53 minutes, as Jonathon Douglas met a well-delivered McGovern corner with a sweetly-timed volley which thundered off the underside of the bar and out.
Town continued to look the better of the two sides, but as the half drifted into its latter stages the visitors were looking increasingly dangerous in attack - seemingly galvanised by the introduction of talisman Lee Hughes.
And it was the controverisal striker who was involved in County's equaliser, as he allowed Alan Judge's cross drift to across his body and into the far corner.
But if Town fans thought that would ruin what had set to be a fruitful afternoon, they were in for a nasty surprise as Hughes snatched the ball from a hesitant Scott Cuthbert and raced through on goal, before rounding David Lucas and making it 2-1.
The goal cued a furious reaction from Robins fans, some of whom approached manager Paul Hart on the touchline to express their anger. For Hart and Town League Two beckons, as Swindon’s miserable winless home run became their worst since the 1901/02 campaign.
It was a sucker punch for the hosts, and it effectively sealed the three points for Martin Allen's resurgent side, who saw the game out with relative ease, as Town failed to create another clear-cut chance and went down to what looks like being an ultimately fatal defeat.
Swindon must now travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Monday in the knowledge that only a set of unlikely circumstances will save them from an inevitable relegation. Out of the teams above the relegation zone, only Dagenham and Redbridge are now catchable and, should they, Walsall or Bristol Rovers better Town's result on Monday, relegation into the Football League's basement division will be confirmed, with two games left to restore some (if any is restorable) pride.
No comments:
Post a Comment