Joe Tomlinson was jubilant to score on his return to the County Ground after a difficult year

Joe Tomlinson said that coming off the bench to score was a brilliant feeling after a difficult year following Swindon Town’s 3-0 win over Harrogate Town. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam spoke to the defender after the match.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy scored twice during the first half to set Swindon on their way to Jody Morris’ first home victory in charge, before Tomlinson completed the scoring as a second half substitute.

Tomlinson said that he had been visualising the moment all week and was thrilled for it to become a reality.

He said: “It was brilliant. I have to say it's been a tough 11 months for me since I got injured here and I had to cut my loan short last year.

“It has been a very, very tough time for me, so to get that bit of luck today with a goal and to come on and score with the fans being like that, it was brilliant.

“It was kind of a relief that my hard work is over this past kind of 11 to 12 months, paid off today.

“I have been thinking about that moment all week, every day it has been in my head, visualising wanting to come on and do what I did last year [score on his debut].

“The fans were fantastic with me today when I came on as sub and when I was taking throw-ins they were signing my name and when I scored they were brilliant, so I was glad I could score for them today.”

Tomlinson also revealed the reasoning behind why he opted to take the number seven shirt despite being a left back.

He said: “When I came in, Gladwin had left a couple of weeks before me arriving and so the number was available.

“Growing up my first ever team was Wroughton Juniors, obviously a local team, and that [seven] was my first number playing football.

“There are not many times when you join a new team that that number is available, and so with it being available that was what I wanted to do, because it was my first ever number.

“Glads [Gladwin] is a fantastic player and has done fantastic things for this football club, so I texted him and spoke with him and made sure it was alright with him.

“He helped me massively last year and I have a lot of respect for him, so hopefully I can do the number justice.”