Swindon Town suffered a second consecutive 2-1 defeat in the space of a week, this time at the hands of Salford City at the County Ground.
Despite a spirited second-half fightback, the Robins couldn’t avoid another frustrating loss, leaving them licking their wounds after a lacklustre first-half performance.
Early Salford Strike Stuns Swindon
Salford City got off to a dream start, opening the scoring inside the first three minutes through N’Mai. Tom Edwards delivered a low cross from the right, and N’Mai was perfectly positioned at the back post to slot the ball home, catching Swindon off guard.
The early setback rattled the Robins, who struggled to find their rhythm throughout the first half. Salford dominated possession and created multiple chances, with Okoronkwo’s header forcing a fine save from Swindon goalkeeper Barden. Salford continued to pile on the pressure, and although Swindon had a few half-chances, including a shot from Harry Smith that went wide, they entered the break trailing 1-0.
Smith’s Strike Offers Hope
Swindon came out for the second half with renewed energy, and it didn’t take long for them to level the score. In the 55th minute, Cotterill’s perfectly weighted pass found Smith, who latched onto it and coolly slotted the ball past Salford keeper Jamie Jones, giving the home crowd something to cheer about.
However, the joy was short-lived. Swindon’s defensive frailties were exposed once again in the 67th minute. A failure to clear their lines allowed Salford substitute John Taylor to volley home from the edge of the box, restoring the visitors’ lead and silencing the home support.
Late Drama but No Equaliser
Swindon pushed hard for an equaliser in the closing stages, with a great chance falling to Tshimanga, who found himself through on goal, but Jones saved his shot. Longelo also had a free header that he fired over the bar in stoppage time. Despite seven minutes of added time, the Robins were unable to find a way through.
The result leaves Swindon with back-to-back losses, a disappointing run that has put pressure on manager Mark Kennedy as the Robins continue to struggle in their recent outings.
Writer’s View
Swindon’s slow start once again proved costly, and while they showed character to fight back in the second half, defensive lapses and missed chances ultimately undid their efforts. If Swindon are to turn their form around, they’ll need to shore up their defence and start matches with more intensity.
