Swindon Town

SWINDON Town secured their place in League 1 next term with a comfortable win against ten-man Chesterfield thanks to Yaser Kasim’s 77th minute goal, writes Adrian Smith.

Town’s win moves them onto 55 points from 44 matches played and with results elsewhere going their way, Luke Williams’s team have guaranteed their place in League 1 for season 2016/17.

Danny Wilson’s Chesterfield started off two points behind Town and Swindon’s first attack of the game saw Barry charge down the wing before eventually laying off the ball to Obika who squared it to Rossi-Branco but his effort went wide of goal. The visitors response saw O’Shea receive the ball 20 yards from goal but he was forced wide before firing a shot on goal only for Jake Kean to push the ball over for a corner.

Town were enjoying plenty of possession and almost went ahead in the 14th minute when Louis Thompson’s shot was kicked off the line by a defender.

Jake Kean denied the visitors a goal midway through the half when Novak flicked a goal bound shot from close range but the Town 'keeper deflect his effort wide of goal for a corner.

Spireites 'keeper Tommy Lee did well to push Doughty's goal-bound pile-driver out for a corner but Town lost possession when the ball was crossed.

Charlie Raglan was cautioned for a bodycheck on James Brophy in the 42nd minute after the Town palyer had flicked the ball past the Spireites player only to be unceremoniously stopped.

The 4th official indicated that 6 minutes of added time would be played and the visitors were denied a certain goal by Brophy’s last minute intervention as he flicked the ball away with a visiting player certain to score.

Town made a good start to the second half with Brophy going close after the referee Trevor Kettle had played a good advantage from a foul on a Town player but Brophy’s shot struck a defender in front of goal.

Jon Obika’s shot from 20 yards was deflected for a corner and that led to Doughty tricking his way into the penalty area before being crowded out. Doughty was then denied by the post after collecting the ball in midfield and curling in a shot from 20 yards which beat the 'keeper but the ball struck the upright and rebounded to safety in the 52nd minute.

Town had a good chance to open the scoring in the 65th minute through a free kick awarded for a foul on Rossi Branco but Doughty’s curling shot went just wide of the upright.

Jon Obika spurned a fantastic chance in the 76th minute when Doughty’s curling shot rebounded off the 'keeper to the Town number 20 but he blazed over.

However Town took the lead in the 77th minute when Barry’s pass to Yaser Kasim saw him curl a shot into the far corner with the keeper standing flatfooted and powerless to stop the ball. The Iraqi midfielder looked understandably delighted to open his goalscoring account for the season after returning from a lengthy lay-off the previous weekend.

The visitors were reduced to 10 players when Charlie Raglan repeated his bodychecking to illegally stop Louis Thompson and he saw yellow for the second time followed by a red card in the 88th minute.