Swindon Town

The Town striker tapped home Miles Storey's cross to seal a 1-0 win

Mark Cooper made four changes to the side that lost at Peterborough at the weekend. In came Nathan Byrne, Jack Barthram, Yaser Kasim and Louis Thompson. Massimo Luongo, Nathan Thompson and Alex Smith all dropped to the bench while there was no room in the matchday 17 for Ryan Harley.

In a quiet first half, goalmouth action was hard to come by. Alex Pritchard went close on three occasions while Wes Foderingham had to be alert at the other end to keep out a goal-bound effort. Torquay’s Jordan Chapell also saw his effort fly across goal and wide.

Miles Storey was introduced as a substitute at half time and he was involved just four minutes into the second forty-five. A low cross dropped to the young striker in the box but his snap-shot was turned away by Martin Rice. 

Another cross from the right came all the way through to Pritchard who headed wide of goal. Minutes later the winger latched onto a loose pass and advanced on goal before being clipped inside the box. Referee Andy D’Urso pointed straight to the spot. Pritchard took responsibility and struck the penalty hard to Martin’s left but the goalkeeper guessed right and beat away the effort.

Luongo fired wide before, with just over 20 minutes left, Town went close again. Pritchard’s low drive was parried into the path of Williams. With the ball rolling wider by the second, Williams raced onto it and diverted it goalwards. Scrambling back onto the line, Rice appeared to get his body in the way and stop it just before it crossed the line.

As time ticked over the 80 minute mark, Town finally found a way through. Storey raced away upfield, went round his man before squaring for Andy Williams to bundle home at the far post. 

It could have been two minutes later. Williams sniffed out a poor backpass, raced onto the loose ball and cut inside his covering defender leaving the goal at his mercy. He opted to try and force the ball past Rice at his near post but the goalkeeper stretched out an hand and touched the ball behind.