Town fell to a frustrating 3-1 loss to Colchester at the JobServe Community Stadium on Tuesday evening.
A positive first half would be sabotaged in the second half after goals from Cameron McGeehan, Samson Tovide and Noah Chilvers would seal a 3-1 win to the U’s.
Swindon made two changes to the starting eleven with Liam Kinsella replacing suspended Saidou Khan in midfield and Jake Young replacing Harrison Minturn as Tyrese Shade returns to left-wing back.
A quiet but positive start for Town in the early stages of the half, with a good spell of pressure nearly paying off, as Udoka Godwin-Malife sent a long-range ball into the box to which Charlie Austin nearly headed home.
It was Town that would find the goal first, with Jake Young managing to get on the end of a ball just outside the penalty area where he would open up his body and place it in the bottom right-hand corner.
Not long after, everyone at the JobServe Community Stadium nearly witnessed one of the season's goals of the season, as Young found himself on the end of a deflected block and tried hitting it first time on the volley. but Colchester’s goalkeeper Owen Goodman made a good save to deny Young his second.
The home side dominated the latter stages of the first half as Colchester’s Jay Mingi found himself with plenty of space and drove forward, but his effort flew over the top of the bar.
Half-time: Colchester 0 Swindon Town 1
The second half did not start the same as the first, as a drilled cross from the right-hand side caused issues for Town, leaving the returning Liam Kinsella to, unfortunately, turn the ball into his own net.
A great passage of play from Town saw a linkup between Shade as Young would play acute through ball down the left-hand side and Shade’s cut-back finding Young whose shot flew just wide off the post.
However, after a long spell of possession, Colchester would find themselves on the counterattack and Tovide would be on the end of a vicious cross to which he tapped home in the 64th minute.
Town was quick to re-control the game as right-back Remeao Hutton released Young down the wing but unfortunately, his shot on target was saved comfortably by Goodman.
With only 15 minutes left to play, Dan Kemp came close with a long-range effort outside the box that travelled with pace through the air but would also be whiskers wide of the left post.
Rushian Hepburn-Murphy would use a lovely bit of trickery to beat his two defenders and run through on goal and attempted to go around the keeper but would look to be brought down by one of the defenders chasing.
The penalty shouts were quickly waved off by the referee and his officials as Swindon continued to push for a late equaliser.
A late chance fell to Town after Hutton whipped the ball to only find Kemp at the back post however, despite his best efforts throughout the game, the ball went wide off the near post.
The last action of the game would unfortunately see another goal for Colchester as Chilvers found himself battling with Town’s defence and a quick pass into space behind would leave Colchester's number 10 with enough space to find the bottom right corner.
Town will now look to move on from a difficult spell as they look ahead to Saturday's game against Stockport in the league at The County Ground.
Colchester: Goodman, Greenidge, Hall (C) (Dallison 35), Tovide (Hopper 72), McGeehan, Mitchell, Read, Egbo, Mingi (Chilvers 73), Taylor (Ihionvien 72), Fevrier
Goals: Kinsella (OG) 49, Tovide 64, Chilvers 90+3
Subs not used: Hornby, Jay, Cooper
Swindon Town: Mahoney, Hutton, Blake-Tracy, McEachran (Hubbard 89), Young, Kemp, Brewitt, Godwin-Malife, Kinsella (Minturn 69), Shade, Austin (C) (Hepburn-Murphy 69)
Goals: Young 23
Subs not used: L.Ward, Genesini, Brown, Hart
Referee: Tom Nield
Attendance: 3,455 (370 away fans)
