FA CUP MATCH REPORT: Cheltenham Town (1) v (1) Swindon Town

SWINDON TOWN failed to break the curse of Whaddon Road today as Cheltenham Town held Richie Wellens’ side to a 1-1 draw in the first round of the FA Cup. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report following the action.

Jerry Yates’ 90th-minute goal looked to have secured victory for the visitors but a goal for substitute Alex Addai in the final seconds of the match ensured the two sides would meet again in a cup replay at the County Ground.

Tentative play from both sides in the opening moments saw possession frequently exchanged in the midfield areas. Cheltenham’s Sean Long offered the hosts a glimpse of goal in the 7thminute after finding space inside the Swindon box but the through ball into him was over-hit and out for a goal-kick. 

Playing in a 4-1-2-3 formation, Swindon had an overload in central midfield with Michael Doughty, Jordan Lyden, and the returning Danny Rose all operating in the central areas. This disrupted Cheltenham playing through Swindon, and a well-worked chance in the 17thminute almost gave Town the lead. 

Stepping in from the right wing, Diallang Jaiyesimi played a through ball into Kaiyne Woolery, with the Swindon winger managing a powerful cross into the box that had to be dealt with as Cheltenham skipper Ben Tozer deflected the ball into Scott Flinders safe hands to nullify the threat. 

Looking far more confident in possession than their counterparts, Swindon continued to threaten with Jaiyesimi looking the dangerman for the Robins. 

Picking the ball up inside his own half in the 21stminute, Jaiyesimi carried the ball over the halfway line before finding Woolery with a delicate pass only for the wingers resulting shot to be tame and easily saved by Flinders. 

The hosts responded to the Swindon threat well with two goal-scoring chances of their own in the 27thminute as Ryan Broom’s shot was well blocked by Zeki Fryers before Charlie Raglan’s follow-up effort was sent high into the stands. 

End-to-end football for the remainder of the first-half saw both sides come close to scoring  but with nothing to show for their efforts. 

Luke Varney was nearly gifted with a goal in the 33rdminute after a coming together between Steven Benda and Zeki Fryers left the Cheltenham attacker with a momentarily open-goal but for the Swindon keeper to recover well and get back up to make the save. 

Just moments later at the other end, Chris Hussey was called into the fray, making a goal-line clearance from Dion Donohue’s shot as Swindon looked to establish a lead in a highly-contested game. 

Jerry Yates’ saved shot on the stroke of half-time summarised Swindon’s first-half performance with both sides having had plenty of chances but nothing to show for their efforts as the players exited for the tunnel with the scoreline level. 

Play resumed for the second-half in similar fashion to how the first ended as Swindon created countless opportunities with the Robins seeking to end their winless run at Whaddon Road. 

A well-worked free-kick routine in the opening minutes of the second-half saw Yates’ shot blocked with calls of handball erupting from the Town fans but referee Scott Oldham waved play on. 

Minutes later Yates looked certain to have opened the scoring after rising highest in the six-yard box to meet Donohue’s cross but the strikers powerful header hit the post and was agonisingly cleared by the Cheltenham defenders. 

For all of Swindon’s attacking prowess, the hosts inability to maintain possession allowed Town to carve openings in the Cheltenham defence with Jaiyesimi’s run in the 67thminute showing this after the winger went uncontested when bursting down on goal, but for his eventual long-range effort to go just over the bar of Flinders. 

Swindon dominated second-half proceedings, as the free-flowing attacking football Richie Wellens has instilled in his side was evident for all to see as Cheltenham struggled to get a foothold in the match. 

With twenty minutes of play left it looked certain that the two sides would be heading for a replay. Yates got the ball in the net in the 73rdminute but the resulting goal was disallowed for offside as chances went begging for Town. 

Cheltenham had their backs against the wall as the full-time whistle loomed ever nearer, but a 90thminute goal from Swindon’s Jerry Yates raised the roof in the away end as the strikers left-footed finish looked to have earnt Swindon passage into the second round of the FA Cup. 

Swindon deserved their goal after dominating the action in Cheltenham but the euphoria created by Yates wa short-lived by Town fans as Alex Addai grabbed Cheltenham an immediate equaliser from the restart. 

After ninety minutes of close misses the match suddenly had two goals in two minutes. There was no time for either side to grab a winning goal as the game was brought to an end just moments later. 

The result will feel like a defeat to Richie Wellens and Swindon Town who having controlled the match for large parts would have been expecting to close the game out after Yates gave them the lead with just minutes left. 

Picture Credit: Swindon Town FC - swindontownfc.co.uk