Swindon Town

SWINDON TOWN lost 3-2 against Rochdale despite taking the lead through Anton Rodgers in the 35th minute, writes Adrian Smith.

Rochdale had taken the lead through Lund and Vincenti in the second half only for Michael Smith to equalise in the 77th minute but Hery’s headed goal in added time sealed the win for the visitors.

Mark Cooper had made three changes from the side that started at Yeovil with Anton Rodgers, Andy Williams and Ben Gladwin lining up in place of Louis Thompson, Jon Obika and Nathan Thompson who was suspended.

The first main action of the match in the 4th minute saw Turnbull cut out a dangerous run by Ian Henderson at the expense of a corner which  Town cleared with ease.

Wes Foderingham did well to parry a close range shot by Henderson after he had latched onto a pass from the left wing and fired an effort goalbound in the 11th minute.

Town’s first attack in the 17th minute led to a corner when Luongo slid the ball through to Byrne and his cross was flicked behind by a defender but the resulting cross was easily cleared.

Nathan Byrne managed to trick his way into the Rochdale penalty area and eventually tumbled appealing for a penalty which the referee waved away in the 18th minute. The  visitors then charged downfield and earned a corner when Done’s shot was turned round the post by Foderingham and the Town keeper then caught the resulting cross.

Nathan Byrne popped up in attack shortly afterwards and fired in a low shot which was easily gathered by the visiting keeper Conrad Logan.

Rochdale were awarded a free kick in the 28th minute which was cleared and Luongo bravely won the ball in midfield to set up Andy Williams who charged down the right wing before firing narrowly over the bar after sidestepping a defender on the edge of the area.

Town were struggling to get their normal passing game going but a good move started by Amari’i Bell in the 35th minute saw him use his strength to shrug off a couple of tackles in midfield to pass the ball to the edge of the area where it ran loose after a dummy by Williams and Anton Rodgers gleefully fired home for his first Town goal.

Shortly afterwards Andy Williams almost doubled Town’s lead with an audacious lob from the edge of the area but the ball landed on the roof of the net with the keeper beaten.

The visitors should have equalised two minutes later through Ian Henderson who was through on goal but he managed to fire wide when it appeared easier to score.

Former Town player Michael Rose replaced Scott Tanser in the 41st minute for the visitors.

Andy Williams fired in a shot just wide of goal deep in the two minutes of added time and the other main action to report was a Town corner just before the half time whistle was blown.

Town showed their attacking intent straight from the start of the second half when Byrne jinked his way forward before laying the ball off to Gladwin but he fired wide. However the visitors equalised in the 49th minute when Matthew Lund headed home after some tentative defending although there were half hearted appeals for handball against a ‘Dale player in the build up.

Mark Cooper responded by replacing Gladwin with Louis Thompson in an effort to try and get more control of midfield and Thompson’s first involvement in attack saw him fire high over the bar.

Michael Smith did well to get some space in the penalty area before firing straight at Logan in the 60th minute and Rochdale then went ahead with a bullet header scored by Peter Vincenti from a corner.

There was a break in play when the goalscorer Vincenti went down off the ball and he eventually left the field on a stretcher to be replaced by former Town loanee Calvin Andrew in the 65th minute. Town’s Jake Reeves replaced the goalscorer Anton Rodgers during the break in play and he left the field to good applause.

The introduction of Reeves seemed to give Town added zip in attack which eventually led to Smith outpacing the defence and he was denied by a finger tip save by Logan who tipped the ball out for a corner.

Stephen Dawson was cautioned for a late challenge in the 71st minute and he was substituted by Bastien Hery shortly afterwards.

Jon Obika replaced Amari’i Bell in the 75th minute as Mark Cooper looked to add more in attack in an effort to draw level and his wishes came true in the 77th minute when Michael Smith equalised with a flicked effort from a Town corner.  The goal was Smith’s 9th for the season and certainly raised the noise volumes around the County Ground.

Rochdale responded with a corner and that led to a long range shot by Done but his effort was always rising.

The Town fans sensed that the three points were there for the taking with Byrne on a one man mission but he was denied by a last ditch tackle in front of goal.

Andy Williams was fouled on the edge of the penalty area and up stepped Kasim but his free kick struck the defensive wall and went out for a corner and when that was taken, Turnbull’s header went just wide.

Rochdale were again indebted to their goalkeeper  Logan who tipped a close range Smith header over the bar for  a corner when Smith had looked certain to score. Town were unable to threaten from two corners in quick succession and the ball was eventually cleared downfield.

The visitors took the lead in the 2nd minute of the 6 minutes of added time when Hery headed home unchallenged from a corner.

Town desperately pushed for the equaliser without seriously threatening the goal before the final whistle and so slipped to their first home defeat of the season against Rochdale.