Town put in a spirited and determined display on their way to securing a share of the spoils in a 0-0 draw away at AFC Wimbledon this afternoon.
Both sides had chances in an eventful first-half with the Robins perhaps the happier of the two sides to go into the break level.
Lyle Taylor missed a hat-trick of chances including seeing his penalty brilliantly kept out by Lawrence Vigouroux.
Swindon had chances too with Ellis Iandolo, Darnell Furlong, John Goddard, Sean Murray and Yaser Kasim all trying their luck in-front of goal, but neither side were able to break the deadlock.
It was a different story in the second-half with chances hard to come by for either team and, despite plenty of effort from the two sides, the game ended all-square.
Town Head Coach Luke Williams opted to make three changes from the side that lost 1-0 at home to Bolton Wanderers last time out, with James Brophy, Anton Rodgers and Ellis Iandolo all coming into the fold.
Luke Norris dropped to the bench and Raphael Rossi-Branco missed out through suspension, while Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill was unable to feature because of injury.
Lyle Taylor tried his luck for the hosts inside the opening minute but his wild effort sailed harmlessly wide.
Both sides took a while to get into their stride with action in short supply during the early exchanges, although Iandolo did hook a volley wide for the Reds.
Taylor then fluffed his lines again after sending a first-time effort wide inside Town’s penalty area, before some determined and terrier like work from Iandolo led to Furlong pulling the trigger outside the box, but the defender’s shot was off-target.
Town were stringing together plenty of intricate passes to cut through the AFC Wimbledon back-line, with Goddard unable to hit the target after scuffing an effort wide.
Murray warmed the palms of James Shea in the home goal with a free-kick from long-range, before there was drama at the opposite end of the pitch with AFC Wimbledon awarded a debatable penalty.
Tom Elliott went down inside the area after very little contact, if any at all, from Conor Thomas, but it was Town who had the last laugh with Lawrence Vigouroux getting down brilliantly to push away Taylor’s resulting spot-kick.
The action continued as the half-time whistle drew nearer with Kasim thumping an effort into the arms of Shea after Murray’s free-kick was only half-cleared by the home defence.
Dean Parrett then saw his close-range effort blocked with that proving to be the final action of the first-half.
AFC Wimbledon flew out of the traps after the interval but Town stood firm with Parrett seeing a shot blocked before his cross was collected with ease by Vigouroux.
However, it wasn’t long before the Reds started to look menacing and they had a couple of sights on goal with Kasim blazing over after Murray’s shot was blocked, before Furlong’s dangerous looking cross evaded a host of Town bodies.
Luke Norris then replaced Delfouneso as Town attempted to inject some fresh energy into their attack with the game in its last throes.
And that change nearly paid off instantly with Norris holding the ball up well before teeing up Furlong after the hosts failed to clear their lines from a free-kick, but the defender could only skew an effort wide.
Second-half substitute Dom Poleon sent a low drive straight at Vigouroux with the two teams still at deadlock heading into the final ten minutes.
And, despite plenty of endeavour from either side, it ended all square at Kingsmeadow with both sides taking a point.
TEAM AND STATS:
AFC WIMBLEDON - Shea; Fuller (C), Robinson, Charles, Meades; Bulman, Reeves, Parrett; Elliott (Tyrone Barnett 69), Taylor (Dom Poleon 69), Barcham (Chris Whelpdale 80).
Subs Not Used - McDonnell, Nightingale, Egan, Robertson.
TOWN - Vigouroux; Furlong, Thomas, Thompson (C), Brophy; Rodgers, Kasim; Goddard, Murray, Iandolo (Brad Barry 83); Delfouneso (Luke Norris 66).
Subs Not Used - Henry, Smith, Evans, Ouldridge, Twine.
REFEREE - John Busby.
BOOKINGS:
AFC WIMBLEDON - Paul Robinson, Dannie Bulman.
TOWN - Conor Thomas.
ATTENDANCE - 4,800 (820 Town Fans).
