Swindon Town

Second half-strikes from Gary Roberts and James Collins rescued a point for the Robins at a sodden County Ground.

Paolo Di Canio made three changes to the side that had won at Bury last weekend. Out went Andy Williams, James Collins and Federico Bessone with the latter two dropping to the bench. Their replacements were Gary Roberts, Paul Benson and John Bostock, who started his first game of the season for the Town. 

After scoring inside 30 seconds at Gigg Lane, Swindon were unlucky not to be ahead with two minutes gone. Jay McEveley’s cross from the left picked out Matt Ritchie who craned his neck and directed a header back across goal and against the foot of the post. 

Then, as the rain hammered down at The County Ground, the visitors took the lead. A free kick from a position on the Coventry left was curled in towards the near post area where David McGoldrick was on hand to guide his header home past Foderingham. 

Town set about finding an equaliser: Benson and Bostock both fired over and Simon Ferry headed tamely at the goalkeeper.

However, the visitors still remained a threat and John Fleck caught the side netting with his effort from distance before the Sky Blues doubled their lead. 

Town failed to clear a corner and the ball dropped kindly for McGoldrick who turned the ball into the bottom corner. Before the break, Bostock’s driven effort was parried behind by Murphy.

The manager made changes at the start of the second half, bringing on James Collins and Adam Rooney, which appeared to give Town a second wind. 

Collins had the ball in the back of the net but was flagged offside and Gary Roberts saw his curling effort tipped over the bar. 

Roberts did find the net with 13 minutes to play, hauling the Robins back into the game. A ball into the box dropped to the winger eight yards out and he acrobatically volleyed home.

Buoyed by the crowd and by their breakthough, Town went in the hunt of an equaliser, pulling level just three minutes later. Coventry supporter James Collins was on hand to thunder home a volley to send The County Ground into delirium. 

After battling for 80 minutes, Swindon now looked the more likely to score and perhaps might have won the game twice in the dying minutes. First Tommy Miller sidefooted his effort straight at the goalkeeper then Adam Rooney’s close-range header was directed straight at Murphy. 

From a losing position, Town will see the result as a point gained. They now have a week to prepare for the visit of Scunthorpe next Saturday.

Town: Wes Foderingham; Nathan Thompson, Aden Flint, Darren Ward, Jay McEveley; Matt Ritchie, Simon Ferry, Tommy Miller (C), Gary Roberts; John Bostock, Paul Benson