Swindon Town

A goal in either half condemned Swindon to their first defeat of 2014.

Mark Cooper named an unchanged line-up at the Lamex Stadium. Striker Nile Ranger kept his place leading the line while Ryan Harley was restored to the substitites’ bench in place of Ben Gladwin. 

The hosts had the better of the first half and started as they meant to go on with Lucas Akins and  Filipe Morais delivering crosses into the danger area. 

Yaser Kasim and Ryan Mason both fired off target for the Town while sandwiched in between, Ranger was denied twice by Boro ‘keeper Chris Day. 

The home side did have the ball in the back of the net through Zoko but he saw his header chalked off for offside. 

Just before the break, Stevenage did take the lead courtesy of Akins. Picking off a loose pass on the edge of the area, he drove a left-footed effort across Foderingham and into the corner. 

Minutes before the deadlock was broken, Alex Pritchard’s dipping effort came clattering back off the crossbar in what was arguably Town’s best chance of the half. 

The second half was just over ten minutes old when the home side doubled their lead. Grant Hall dragged down Francois Zoko in the box and Filipe Morais stepped up to bury the resultant spot-kick. 

Seconds later, Zoko was charging at the Town defence once again but this time could only drag his effort wide. 

Swindon then pushed forward in search of a way back into the match. A swift break from the halfway line was eventually worked to Alex Pritchard who had sight of goal but delayed pulling the trigger. Under pressure from the closing defenders, he sliced his effort off target.

Next, it was Ryan Mason’s turn. His driving run from midfield ended with a shot from 25 yards whistling past the upright as Town couldn't find a way through. At the death, Mason's free-kick was acrobatically tipped away by Day.