Swindon Town

TOWN were beaten 4-1 at Barnsley despite taking an early lead at Oakwell.

An own goal had put the visitors in front but, after going in behind at the break, a further two goals after half time condemned Town to their first away defeat of the season.

There were returns to the starting XI for Jordan Williams and Yaser Kasim who had both been away on international duty. Brad Barry continued to deputise at right full-back for Nathan Thompson while Rapha Branco retained the captain’s armband. There were places among the substitutes for Henrik Ojamaa, Jordan Stewart and the returning Louis Thompson.

Town took the lead on twenty minutes after a patient opening from both sides. A long ball forward from Branco bounced between the retreating Lewin Nyatanga and Nick Townsend in the Barnsley goal. With Wes Thomas in close attendance, the defender reached the ball first and nodded it past his goalkeeper before proceeding to collide with him on the edge of the box allowing the ball to trickle into the empty net.

Just over a minute later however, the hosts levelled through Marley Watkins. The Barnsley man sprang Town’s offside trap and slotted past the advancing Vigouroux.

Anton Rodgers came closest to restoring Town’s lead in the first forty-five after Nicky Ajose had rounded Townsend. The frontman pushed the ball too far ahead of himself and when it was worked back to Rodgers on the edge of the box, his first-time effort curled wide of the angle of bar and post.

Just before the break, Barnsley hit the front in spectacular fashion. Reece Wabara found himself with time to shoot from distance and drilled a thumping effort beyond the diving Vigouroux.

With the opening to the second half following the pattern set in the first, the hosts added a third goal just six minutes in to second forty-five. When a corner was cleared back out to Scowen on the right, his cross was met at the far post by Nyatanga who directed a header into the corner of the net.

With ten minutes to go, Town's woes deepened with the hosts adding a fourth to their tally. The visitors could not clear their lines properly and, after Scowen's dribble ended with his shot deflecting onto the bar, Conor Hourihane steamed in to tap home the rebound from close range.

Nicky Ajose spurned a chance to reduce the arrears towards the end but, in a manner that seemed to sum up Swindon's day at Oakwell, fired over one-on-one from around ten yards. Moments later, Ajose's neat turn and shot brought a simple save from Townsend before Winnall was given time and space to hit a dipping volley that Vigouroux superbly tipped over the bar.