SWINDON TOWN manager named Blair Sturrock on the bench for the top of the table clash at Walsall with Andy Nicholas also being replaced by Jamie Vincent at leftback.

There are further changes with Sofienne Zaaboub handed a second start with Ricky Shakes dropping to the bench. Brown took his place in the centre of midfield with Frenchman Zaaboub partnering loanee Timlin in the centre of the park. Weston started the game on the right hand side of midfield. Town employed a 4-5-1 formation with Brown and Roberts the wide men in midfield, although the pair were certainly in advanced positions for most of the encounter - supporting Jutkiewicz well throughout.

After kicking the game off Town won a corner after just two minutes, with the ball eventually finding Sofienne Zaaboub who saw his left footed effort from 25 yards fly just wide of Ince's right hand post.

The home side won their first corner of the game on 8 minutes but Kinsella's centre was cleared away by Jutkiewicz inside his own box. After a period of Town pressure down the left Walsall soon returned to the Swindon area with Chris Westwood seeing his header cleared off the line by Sofienne Zaaboub following a corner.

Quick interplay from Town saw their first effort on goal arrive with 15 minutes on the clock. A smart throw from Vincent released Zaaboub on the left hand touchline and his looping cross found Jutkiewicz, who saw his header flash over from 14 yards.

Town took the lead on 23 minutes with a first senior goal for Lukas Jutkiewicz. Curtis Weston took the ball on through midfield before releasing Timlin, The Fulham midfielder threaded a neat pass through to Jutkiewicz who outmuscled Roper before firing the ball past Ince from eight yards with aplomb. It was only the second goal the home side had conceded all season at the Bescot and it really was a well-worked effort.

Sturrock's men were soon back in the thick of the action. Lukas Jutkiewicz then saw another left foot effort blocked by Dobson on 26 minutes before Timlin saw his follow up effort tipped round for a corner by Ince. Aaron Brown fired over a free-kick on the half hour mark before Phil Smith made his first real save of the game - turning a powerful drive from Fox behind for a corner.

Walsall pressed as the half came to a close with several corners being repelled well by Town. Kinsella curled a right footed free-kick into the arms of Smith on 42 minutes before Butler also saw his close range header saved.

Half-Time: Walsall 0 Swindon Town 1

Saddlers Boss Richard Money made one change at the break with former Wrexham striker Hector Sam replacing midfielder Mark Wright.

Soon after the restart a purposeful break from Kinsella down the left saw the ball squared to the edge of the area where Dobson arrived to power a right foot effort narrowly over on 49 minutes.

There was soon a chance for a Swindon second with Christian Roberts curling a left foot effort narrowly over from the edge of the box on 51 minutes. Aaron Brown then tested Ince with a right foot effort on 56. Mark Kinsella's acrobatic effort brought a save from Smith at the other end with the game becoming more open.

Mark Kinsella's Walsall career came to an end just before the hour as the new Charlton coach was replaced by Craig Pead.
Swindon were awarded a penalty on 68 minutes after Lukas Jutkiewicz was felled by Scott Dann inside the box. Jutkiewicz had been allowed to run from the half-way line after a slip by Roper. Christian Roberts stepped up to take the spot-kick and he fired home in off the left hand post before celebrating in front of the large travelling contingent.

Town made their first change of the afternoon on 71 minutes with Michael Pook coming on to replace Aaron Brown, who had received a heavy knock five minutes earlier. Sofienne Zaaboub shifted out to the left with Pook alongside Weston in the centre. Chris Westwood was replaced for the home side with Anthony Gerrard coming on in his place with fifteen minutes remaining.

Christian Roberts was replaced by Ricky Shakes with ten minutes remaining. Sofienne Zaaboub brought successive cheers from the Town faithful with two delightful flicks setting up Jutkiewicz with Swindon still impressing inside the final period of the game. The Frenchman was brought off with five minutes to go, having made another solid contribution with Andy Nicholas coming on in his place.

Craig Pead's right footed volley shaved the crossbar at the end of normal time, but it was the closest the Saddlers would come to breaking the Swindon deadlock. Town held out in the four minutes of injury time to register their first win at The Bescot Stadium since April 1969 - and what a year that turned out to be.

Full Time: Walsall 0-2 Swindon Town

Attendance: 6,812