TEN-MAN Town held on to register a point in a 1-1 draw at MK Dons.
Alex Pritchard’s free kick gave Swindon the lead before Patrick Bamford struck to level matters. Nathan Byrne was also shown a straight red card.
Mark Cooper named an unchanged starting XI, fielding the same team that had beaten Crewe so comprehensively at SN1 a week before. The only changes to the matchday squad came on the bench. Deadline day signing Dany N’Guessan took his place among the substitutes in place of Raphael Branco.
Town sprang out of the traps and could have been ahead after just seven minutes when Ranger fed Pritchard inside the box, only for the winger to fire straight at David Martin. It was Pritchard who would give Swindon the lead nearly ten minutes later. From a free-kick 25 yards out, the on-loan winger stepped up and struck the ball confidently beyond the sprawling Martin.
From the re-start, Town found themselves inside the Dons box once again but Massimo Luongo helped the ball away from goal rather than towards a fellow red shirt and the chance was lost. Ryan Mason, Jay McEveley and Nathan Byrne all had efforts on goal while at the other end, Kasim had to be alert to deny Patrick Bamford while Luke Chadwick could only skew wide.
Before the break, Ranger managed to hold off his marker before turning and hooking a shot goalwards that Martin turned behind.
If the first half had gone Swindon’s way then the opening to the second forty-five most certainly did not. Firstly, Nathan Byrne was shown a straight red card for appearing to go into a tackle over the top of the ball. Within minutes, the home side had drawn level. A ball from midfielder bisected the Town defence and allowed Bamford the room to slot home beyond Foderingham.
With the momentum now with the home side, Foderingham had to be alert again to tip over Danny Green’s curling effort.
With their man advantage, the home side exerted plenty of pressure with Town playing on the break. In the dying moments, substitute George Baldock had the ball in the back of the net but, as he wheeled away to celebrate, the linesman had his flag raised signalling an offside.
Dons continued to push for the winner and Izale McLeod hooked a low cross over the crossbar.
Swindon Town: Wes Foderingham, Nathan Thompson, Grant Hall, Darren Ward (C), Jay McEveley; Yaser Kasim, Massimo Luongo, Ryan Mason; Nathan Byrne, Nile Ranger, Alex Pritchard
Substitutes: Tyrell Belford, Ryan Harley, Dany N'Guessan, Louis Thompson, Miles Storey, Jack Barthram, Nicolas Ajose
