DONCASTER - 1 (Hollands OG '11)
TOWN were held 1-1 at The County Ground by second-placed Doncaster Rovers.
Matt Ritchie opened the scoring for the home side before Danny Hollands put through his own goal at the other end.
Paolo Di Canio made four changes to the side that had lost at Notts County a fortnight ago. With skipper Alan McCormack suspended, Nathan Thompson slotted in at right-back with Joe Devera moving to left-back along with the captain’s armband. Aden Flint took his place in the heart of the back four after his return from suspension while there were also starts for loanees Danny Hollands and Chris Martin.
The game started at a terrific pace and Town were ahead with just eight minutes on the clock. Andy Williams received the ball on the left and quickly nipped around the covering defender. Taking the ball into the box, the striker looked up before stroking a pass across to the arriving Matt Ritchie who swept home the opener with his right foot.
The lead lasted for just three minutes as Danny Hollands put through his own goal at the other end. A ball in from the Town right came into the six yard box where Hollands stretched to intercept but could only touch it past Foderingham who had already moved across.
This period of open football ended with Andy Williams running along the edge of the box and firing in a shot that was well held by the goalkeeper.
Iain Hume then volleyed wide for the visitors and Bostock lashed over from the edge of the box before Chris Martin headed Raffaele De Vita’s cross against the post. Minutes before the break, the woodwork denied Martin again. Fed by Williams on the right side of the box, the striker unleashed a shot that cannoned back off the crossbar before being cleared to safety.
Town might have been ahead just two minutes into the second period as a corner from the right-hand side was whipped across the face of the six yard box and managed to bounce through cleanly to the other side without anyone in red managing to get a touch on the loose ball.
The home side continued creating chances: Joe Devera threw himself at a deep free-kick from Matt Ritchie but saw his header well held by Gary Woods.
Ritchie was also in the thick of the action. John Bostock rolled a free-kick to him on the edge of the area and the winger thundered a left-footed effort goalwards that was pushed away.
As time ticked away, James Collins’ half-volley flew wide of the target in a moment that seemed to sum up the whole second half for Swindon; plenty of endeavour but the visitors in the right place time and time again to deny Paolo Di Canio's men a route to goal.
Swindon Town: Wes Foderingham; Nathan Thompson, Aden Flint, Darren Ward, Joe Devera (Capt); Matt Ritchie, Danny Hollands, John Bostock, Raffaele De Vita, Chris Martin, Andy Williams
Substitutes: Leigh Bedwell, Troy Archibald-Henville, Simon Ferry, Gary Roberts, James Collins, Adam Rooney, Miles Storey
Doncaster Rovers: Gary Woods, Paul Quinn, James Husband, Rob Jones (Capt), Chris Brown, David Cotterill, Tommy Spurr, Iain Hume, James Harper, Kyle Bennett, Paul Keegan
Substitutes: John Maxted, Shelton Martis, Robbie Blake, Jamie McCombe, Andy Griffin, Sammy Clingan, Jordan Ball
