MATCH REPORT: Oxford United (1) v (2) Swindon Town

SWINDON TOWN ended their Kassam curse as second-half goals from Tom Broadbent and Tyler Smith saw Swindon record a 2-1 win over Oxford United, marking a first league win over their fierce rivals for the first time since 2001. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report from the Kassam Stadium.

Picture credit: Swindon Town FC

A frantic opening ten minutes presented both teams with chances to take an early lead as a mixture of good defending and poor finishing kept the match goalless. 

Oxford-born Matty Taylor had the chance to put his side in-front in the 5th minute after dribbling into Swindon’s box with some neat footwork before being dispossessed by Robins skipper Mathieu Baudry in the nick of time. 

Immediately up the other end, Jordan Stevens found himself in a one-on-one situation with Oxford keeper Simon Eastwood but the on-loan Leeds winger couldn’t compose himself and sliced his shot well wide.

Despite a few meaty challenges reflective of this rivalry breaking up the game, both teams were able to impose their own style on the match as .

Swindon attempted to play on the counter-attack with Jordan Stevens and his pace providing the out-ball for Swindon, whereas Oxford looked to try and pass through the heart of Swindon’s midfield with neat one-touch passing creating openings.

Having held his own in the defensive midfield position against Lincoln on Tuesday evening, Swindon manager John Sheridan looked to rely on the experienced Scotsman in this position again. 
 
 However Caddis’ poor touch in central midfield proved to be the catalyst for the opening goal as Taylor chipped over Kovar from close-range in the 14th minute to give Oxford the lead.

Swindon had looked arguably the more dangerous outfit before the opening goal and continued to threaten when going forward as they went on the hunt for an equaliser.

Operating as the playmaking number ten, Matt Smith tested Eastwood from range after being found unmarked by Stevens in the 20th minute. The keeper was up to the task though and cleared with a strong diving hand. It was a good shot from Smith but he had more time than he realised and perhaps could’ve done better.

Just four minutes later it was the Swindon keeper who was involved in the action as Liam Kelly forced a brilliant diving save from Kovar with his powerful shot tipped round the post for a corner that came to nothing.

The match proceeded in a similar tit-for-tat fashion for the remainder of the first-half with Oxford looking the better team in possession and Swindon suffering injuries to both Mathieu Baudry and Joel Grant as Rob Hunt and Jack Payne entered the fray.

Matty Taylor had a golden opportunity to bag his brace on the stroke of half-time after being found unmarked at Swindon’s back-post by a James Henry cross, however the strikers first-time effort was put wide and Swindon were let off the hook.

The final minutes off the half went by with neither side wanting to attack as the half-time whistle blew with Oxford one-nil up and Swindon wondering how to get back into the match.

In the lead and looking the more confident of the two outfits, Karl Robinson’s Oxford started the second-half on the front-foot as some neat passing around the edge of the Swindon box created openings in the Town defence.

One such passing move almost gave Oxford their second goal, but Grounds positioned himself well to block Jordan Obita’s goal-bound shot in the 52nd minute as Swindon cleared their lines.

Swindon bounced back to enjoy a positive spell of possession that ended with Jack Payne’s effort blocked off the line in the 54th minute after the attacker cut in from the left-wing, but Swindon were energetic in their approach as just the single goal separated the two sides.

With team’s allowing five substitutions under the new EFL rules, Sheridan looked to add to his attack, bringing on both Diallang Jaiyesimi and defender Tom Broadbent, with the latter being asked to play out of position as a second striker. Jordan Stevens and Paul Caddis departed the match.

Karl Robinson responded with his own substitutions moments later as Mark Sykes, Olamide Shodipo, and Dan Agyei made their way onto the pitch.

Playing on the left-wing, Jaiyesimi gave Swindon a different point of attack as his marauding dribbles in from the left-wing caused right-back Sam Long a host of different problems as the visitors looked for a way through.

Oxford decided to try and protect their lead banking men behind the ball, but Swindon got their breakthrough in the 83rd minute as Tom Broadbent reacted first inside the Oxford box to latch onto M Smith’s blocked shot and poke past Eastwood.

Swindon had got back into the match through the unlikeliest of heroes. Tom Broadbent wasn’t given a squad number at the start of the season but has made his way back into the squad and bagged a goal in the biggest match of them all.

Swindon could’ve easily rested on their laurels and look to protect a much-needed league point, but Sheridan instructed his players to attack and in the first minute of stoppage time Tyler Smith wrote himself into Swindon Town folklore as he latched onto a long ball to scuff the ball into the back of the net and give Swindon the lead for the first time in the game.

Elation in the Swindon dugout, misery in the Oxford as Karl Robinson watched on struggling to work out how this game had turned on its head. Swindon held on despite a barrage of long balls into their box to take all three points in this action-packed South-West derby.