BIG MATCH PREVIEW: Swindon Town V Stevenage

All you need to know ahead of tonight

29 December 2021

Swindon Town will be looking to finish 2021 on a high when they take on Stevenage in their final game of the year tonight.

After a long enforced break due to COVID-19, Ben Garner's team are finally back in action tonight (7:45pm Kick-Off) with Stevenage the visitors to The County Ground.

Having not played since early December, the Reds will be looking to shake off any rust as they go in search of a big win in order to end 2021 on a high note.

Allow us to get you set for the game...

LAST TIME WE MET

Jack Payne came up with some late game heroics as he scored a penalty in stoppage time to rescue a point in a 1-1 draw the last time these two teams met, with that game coming earlier this season on Saturday 4th September 2021.

LAST FIVE

Season / Date	Competition	Result	Town Scorers
2021-22 - 4 Sep (A)	Sky Bet League Two	1-1	Payne
2019-20 - 22 Oct (H)	Sky Bet League Two	1-0	Doyle
2018-19 - 12 Mar (A)	Sky Bet League Two	2-0
2018-19 - 27 Nov (H)	Sky Bet League Two	3-2	Pryce (2), Twine
2017-18 - 30 Jan (A)	Sky Bet League Two	0-1	Banks

FULL RECORD V STEVENAGE

P	W	D	L	F	A
14	8	2	4	23	17

TICKET NEWS

Town fans can buy tickets online up until half-time of tonight's game by clicking right HERE.

IMPORTANT INFO

Town will be carrying out COVID checks prior to tonight's game with turnstiles opening at 5:45pm, so we urge all supporters to arrive as early as possible.

For more information on what you will need to do ahead of tonight, please take a read of our COVID Guide HERE.

TEAM NEWS

Town will be a couple of defenders down with Mathieu Baudry injured and Dion Conroy suspended, while a couple of players could miss out due to COVID-19.

A WORD FROM THE TOWN CAMP:

Ben Garner, Swindon Town Head Coach: "It is a situation we've got to try and overcome and it is the same for a lot of other teams in the league, but we'll be prepared for Stevenage.

"Obviously team selection is heavily weighted on who is available and who hasn't been too affected by it, and we've got to give consideration to the fact that we play again three days later, so we've got to balance the squad over the two games and pick what we think is the best team for those games.

"The players have come back in great spirits, they've worked really hard this week and I think in some ways it was a break, albeit one that we didn't envision, that could be useful in some ways in terms of mentally a bit of a downtime and we're looking forward to getting going again now."

ELSEWHERE IN SKY BET LEAGUE TWO:

Barrow V Oldham Athletic (7:45pm)

OFFICIALS

Referee - John Busby

Assistant Referee - George Byrne

Assistant Referee - Matthew McGrath

Fourth Official - Alan Young

FOLLOW THE ACTION LIVE

Not at SN1 tonight? Don’t panic because there are numerous ways to keep up to date with all the action.

Live updates will be available on our Twitter and Facebook pages, in addition to our Match Centre on the website, which can be found at the top of the home page on matchdays.

In the wake of the game, https://www.swindontownfc.co.uk/ will be the place to go with a full report, reaction and pictures available to view and read through shortly after the final whistle.

Match Reports

MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town 0-0 Stevenage

Reds end 2021 with a draw

29 December 2021

Swindon Town had to settle for a point in a 0-0 draw with Stevenage at The County Ground in what was their final game of 2021 this evening.

Finally back in action for the first time since December 11th thanks to a COVID-enforced break, the Reds looked to finish the year on a winning note but they were frustrated by their visitors.

Head Coach Ben Garner made two changes as Captain Dion Conroy missed out through suspension and Tyreece Simpson dropped to the bench, with Louis Reed and Jayden Mitchell-Lawson both coming into the team while Jack Payne wore the Armband.

After what was an even opening 10 minutes, it was Stevenage who fashioned the first real chance of the game as Elliott List saw his close-range effort saved by Jojo Wollacott after it had taken a heavy deflection.

It was then Town's turn to threaten as Jack Payne slammed a curling effort just wide of the post following an encouraging spell of possession, before Akin Odimayo did well to get in the way of a dangerous shot from List.

Jayden Mitchell-Lawson could only fire over the bar from inside the box with 30 minutes played, while Wollacott came up big at the other end as he denied Luke Norris before Rob Hunt came up with the play of the game to clear the rebound before a Stevenage player could pounce.

Two former Town players combined to nearly give the visitors the lead as Norris sent a header from Jake Reeves' free-kick against the post, and that proved to be the final action of the first-half.

HALF-TIME: SWINDON TOWN 0-0 STEVENAGE

Town were having plenty of the ball but they were unable to make it count with Louis Reed's inviting ball going to waste, before Payne's long-range effort was deflected wide.

List then went close again for Stevenage as the former Crystal Palace youngster sent a shot over the crossbar, before Ben Gladwin's superb cross just evaded the head of Harry McKirdy and Reed went off-target with a free-kick.

Town made a couple of changes in quick succession as Tyreece Simpson and Jonny Williams came on for Jayden Mitchell-Lawson and Harry McKirdy respectively, in a bid to try and change the momentum of the game.

It nearly worked as Ellis Iandolo went closest for the Reds with his effort being palmed away by Stevenage 'keeper Adam Smith, before Ryan East made way for Jordan Lyden.

Jonny Williams then delivered a sublime ball into the box but Kaine Kesler-Hayden was unable to get his shot away, and that proved to be the final action of the game with both sides having to settle for a point at SN1.

FULL-TIME: SWINDON TOWN 0-0 STEVENAGE

TEAMS AND STATS

SWINDON TOWN - Wollacott; Odimayo, Iandolo, Gladwin, Payne (C), McKirdy, (Jonny Williams 67) Mitchell-Lawson (Tyreece Simpson 62), Kesler-Hayden, Hunt, Reed, East (Jordan Lyden 85).

SUBS NOT USED - Ward, Dabre, Minturn, Grant.

BOOKED - Louis Reed, Ellis Iandolo

STEVENAGE - Smith; James-Wildin, Coker, Reeves, Cuthbert, Prosser, List (James Daly 84), Taylor, Norris (Charlie Carter 84), Andrade, Lines.

SUBS NOT USED - Anang, Osborne, Vancooten, Read, Melbourne.

BOOKED - Jake Reeves

REFEREE - John Busby

Attendance - 8,131 (112 Away Fans).