Town were forced to settle for a share of the spoils this afternoon after being held to a 0-0 draw by Oldham Athletic at The County Ground in the Sky Bet League One.
It was all one-way traffic in the first-half as the Reds carved out a glut of chances but the likes of Jon Obika, Nicky Ajose and Ben Gladwin were unable to find a way past Connor Ripley in the Latics goal.
It was a much scrappier affair after the break and Oldham were able to stamp their mark on the game with chances being created at either end.
The Robins finished the game as the better of the two sides however, but they were unable to find a winner despite their best efforts.
Town opted for three changes with one of those forced due to Raphael Rossi-Branco having to serve a two-match ban after picking up his tenth booking of the season in midweek.
Dion Conroy dropped to the bench and Fankaty Dabo missed out with Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Brad Barry and Rohan Ince all coming into the fold.
Head Coach Luke Williams lined his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Ince and Charlie Colkett sitting in-front of a back-four, while Ben Gladwin, James Brophy and Jon Obika were tasked with providing the attacking flair just behind lone striker Nicky Ajose.
And that system seemed to work a treat for the Reds who flew out of the traps with a real swagger.
Despite the visitors stringing together the first attack of the game with Aaron Amadi-Holloway seeing his shot inside the area blocked, it was the Robins who looked the more dangerous going forward.
Nicky Ajose was picked out by Ben Gladwin and the striker decided to try his luck from a tight angle, but his effort was smartly kept out by Connor Ripley.
Ajose then had another sight of goal just two minutes later after being set free by Jon Obika, but he was unable to get the better of Ripley who made another strong save.
Nathan Thompson powered a header over the bar from the resulting corner before Obika tested Ripley with a fierce drive from 25-yards in what was a really strong start to proceedings by the Reds.
Town continued to pepper the Oldham goal with a flurry of efforts as Gladwin found Obika with a sublime lofted pass, but the forward could only glance a header inches wide.
Athletic did enjoy a brief respite and they carved out a chance of their own with Peter Clarke nodding wide from an Ollie Banks corner.
But it wasn’t long before Swindon were back on the attack and they proceeded to put their foot on the gas with Gladwin hammering a volley wide, before Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill arrowed a shot over.
BOO then went even closer as his effort squirmed under the body of Ripley and the Oldham defence could only clear the ball as far as Rohan Ince, who dragged an effort wide of the goal.
Obika warmed the gloves of Ripley who then produced another good save to keep out Gladwin’s fierce drive with Town unable to make their sheer dominance count.
As the half wore on the Reds showed no signs of slowing down but they were still being frustrated in-front of goal.
Obika showed brute strength to hold off a couple of challenges but he could only hammer wide after bursting into the box, before Charlie Colkett was also off target with a wild effort.
An entertaining first-half ended with chances at both ends as Obika was off-target with a header while Rob Hunt could only hook a shot wide for the Latics.
There was a slower tempo to the game after the interval and it took a while for Town to get into their groove again.
Oldham looked an improved outfit and they mustered up the first chance of the second-half but Chris Taylor could only curl high and wide.
Gladwin did well to win back possession at the other end but he was unable to make clean contact with the ball and he could only scoop a volley wide just shy of the hour mark.
Town were struggling to repeat their brilliant first-half performance and their attacks were becoming less frequent.
Proceedings were becoming more and more scrappy and Oldham had a rare chance in-front of goal bang on the hour mark as Clarke sent a header straight at Vigouroux, while Obika saw his shot blocked at the other end.
Swindon then carved out their best chance of the half as Brad Barry picked out Ajose perfectly inside the area, but the striker was unable to keep his shot down.
It was soon time for a change for the hosts as John Goddard replaced James Brophy in a bid to add some fresh legs into the Town attack.
But the Reds’ bad luck in-front of goal continued as Gladwin’s venomous drive fizzed past the post.
Clarke nodded over for Athletic at the other end before Town opted for a double change with Luke Norris and Dion Conroy replacing Jon Obika and Rohan Ince respectively.
Norris nearly made an instant impact after latching onto Colkett’s pass, but he could only curl an effort just over the bar.
Norris then saw his header deflected over the crossbar after Ripley had parried Ormonde-Ottewill’s cross into his path, before Gladwin lashed over after turning his man inside the area.
There was still time for one more chance in the dying seconds however, but Norris saw his effort blocked which ensured that Town had to make do with a point.
TEAMS AND STATS:
TOWN - Vigouroux; Barry, Thompson (C), Jones, Ormonde-Ottewill; Ince (Dion Conroy 76), Colkett; Brophy (John Goddard 68), Gladwin, Obika (Luke Norris 76); Ajose.
Subs Not Used - Henry, Thomas, Rodgers, Kasim.
OLDHAM ATHLETIC - Ripley; Law, Wilson, Clarke (C), Hunt; Banks, Fane, O’Neill, Taylor, McLaughlin (Lee Croft 81); Holloway (Michael Ngoo 82).
Subs Not Used - Kettings, Flynn, Erwin, Green, Obadeyi.
Referee - Robert Lewis
BOOKINGS:
TOWN - Rohan Ince, Ben Gladwin, Brad Barry
OLDHAM ATHLETIC - Aiden O’Neill
ATTENDANCE - 6,773
