Swindon Town

TOWN slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Scunthorpe despite taking a 1-0 lead into the half-time break.

A treble from the hosts in the second half sealed back-to-back defeats for Swindon for the first time this season.

Mark Cooper made three changes to the side that was beaten at Oldham in midweek. Skipper Nathan Thompson was restored to the heart of the defence after an injury while there were also recalls for Nathan Byrne and Andy Williams.

In a lively first half, Williams had Town’s best early chance, dragging a shot across goal and wide after being put through on the right.

Michael Smith then drilled a cross into the area but Harry Toffolo couldn’t quite connect at the far post. Smith would meet the same fate minutes later when Byrne’s ball in picked out Town’s Number Nine but he could only mis-time his shot and the ball trickled through to Daniels.

Jack Stephens fired wide from the edge of the box before Swindon took the lead just before the break. Toffolo fed Smith 20 yards from goal. The striker shifted the ball onto his right foot, took a touch then bent a shot inside the far post beyond the dive of Daniels.

At the start of the second half, the home side squandered a glorious chance to level matters through Paddy Madden. A long ball over the top caught out the Town defence and the striker picked up the ball in a deep position by the byline. With the Swindon defence back-tracking, Foderingham did superbly to keep out the Irishman’s cross/shot.

The hosts levelled just after the hour mark. After hitting the bar moments earlier, a corner dropped at the feet of Madden who smashed home past Foderingham.

The visitors immediately set about hitting back: Yaser Kasim’s swerving free-kick caused problems for Daniels but the Iron ‘keeper held the ball at the second attempt. Andy Williams then cut in off the left and crashed an effort back off the crossbar.

With fifteen minutes to play, the home side took the lead. Another corner caused problems for the Town at the back and Niall Canavan was afforded the room to rise highest and nod the ball into the net.

After Louis Thompson had rifled an effort just over the bar, the home side added a third. Van Veen was the beneficiary of a defensive mix-up at the heart of the Swindon defence and simply lifted the ball over the advancing Wes Foderingham.

Despite conceding a third, the visitors continued to create chances. Substitute John Swift forced a smart save from Daniels before the stopper somehow kept out a goal-bound header in stoppage time.

At the other end, Foderingham produced a remarkable save to stop Canavan from adding a fourth.