SWINDON produced a battling display but went down 1-0 at Notts County.
A first-half goal from Alan Judge condemned Town to a defeat despite the visitors creating a number of half-chances.
Paolo Di Canio made four changes to the side that lost at home to Brentford in midweek. In came Alan McCormack, Raffaele De Vita and John Bostock for Nathan Thompson, Gary Roberts and Danny Hollands. There was also a start for Andy Williams who replaced Norwich loanee Chris Martin. Along with Hollands and Roberts, Martin dropped to the bench.
Early on, De Vita nodded a ball back into the path of Collins who toe-poked the cross narrowly wide. At the other end, Foderingham had to be alert to tip Sheehan’s effort over the bar and gather Jeff Hughes’ half-volley. Another delivery from Sheehan set alarm bells ringing at the back for Town with Devera having to head behind. From the corner, Hughes was up highest and glanced the cross inches wide of the far post.
In a game that would slowly gather pace, Bostock then intercepted a stray ball in midfield. When the ball came to Williams via Collins, his effort was pushed around the post by Bartosz Bialkowski. Collins would also be denied by the goalkeeper who somehow managed to get down and turn his snap-shot onto the post and behind.
Just as Town were starting to build a head of steam, the home side took the lead. A quick break downfield saw the ball reach Alan Judge 20 yards from goal. Setting himself, the midfielder unleashed a well-placed effort that left Foderingham rooted to the spot and found the bottom corner of the net.
Despite the setback, Swindon appeared to pick up where they had left off before the goal. Collins had the ball in the back of the net but wheeled away to see the linesman’s flag raised high in the air signalling an offside.
As the match neared the break, Matt Ritchie saw one long-range effort screw wide before his thumping shot from range was well held by Bialkowski.
The Polish goalkeeper would prove equally as unbeatable in the second half but it was his Swindon counterpart Wes Foderingham who would make a superb save to deny Chris Iwelumo. The former Scotland international directed a cross back across goal. With the ball certain to find the bottom corner, Town’s Number One threw out his left arm and clawed the ball away from danger.
From then on it was Bialkowski who would take centre-stage. Firstly he pushed away Matt Ritchie’s goal-bound effort before producing an even better save to deny Darren Ward. A deep delivery sat up nicely for the centre-half inside the six yard box. Nodding the ball goalwards, Bialkowski someone managed to spread himself enough so that one of his flailing arms stopped a certain goal.
As time ticked nearer the 90-minute mark, Ritchie unleashed another thunderous effort goalwards but the Notts County ‘keeper was once again equal to it.
