MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (0) v (1) Newport County

Swindon Town were frustrated once again by poor finishing as they dropped points in the third straight game with a 1-0 home defeat to Newport. Total Sport Swindon’s Joe Acklam gives his match report from the County Ground below.

Newport snatched the win right at the death as Conroy couldn’t clear Finn Azaz’s low ball into the area as JoJo Wollacott was caught in no mans land.

Jonny Williams, Louie Barry, and Josh Davison all had presentable chances but failed to find the back of the net, despite largely dominating proceedings.

Wins for Sutton and Salford moved Swindon down to 11th and four points off of the play-off places with six games remaining.

Ben Garner reacted to taking one point from matches against Crawley and Rochdale by making one change and restoring Louis Reed to the starting 11 following his return from suspension.

Both sides were understandably trying to feel their way into the clash early on given their poor recent form, neither managed to test the goalkeeper in the first fifteen minutes, but Newport had the best chances as Lewis Collins and Mickey Demetriou both lashed wide from the edge of the box.

Joe Day was the first of the two goalkeepers truly called into action as Ellis Iandolo drove forwards and passed square to Jack Payne, he thought about passing to Louie Barry but came back onto his stronger foot and forced Day to beat the ball to safety.

Iandolo again troubled the Newport defenders as he nutmegged two before driving the ball low to Barry, who tried to turn but couldn’t and the ball was worked back to Reed on the edge of the box, who failed to keep his shot down.

Williams perhaps should have given Swindon the lead when Barry’s first-time cross found the Welsh international at the back post, but his half volley was well saved.

After forty minutes Swindon thought they had gone one up when Iandolo whipped the ball in from deep was perfect for Davison and he found the back of the net, but he was offside.

Swindon were really starting to ramp it up at the end of the first half as Barry twice had opportunities to test the Newport goal but failed to hit the target on both occasions, and right before the whistle a glancing header from Williams looped agonizingly wide.

The second half also got off to a slow start before just after the hour mark Payne tried his luck from the corner of the box and Davison following in couldn’t quite latch on to the ball.

This time the game did not catch fire and the next real moment of significance came after 72 minutes as sloppy play from Swindon gave space to substitute Dom Telford on the edge of the box but Jojo Wollacott got down well to palm it away.

Right as all 22 players seemed to have settled for a draw, in the 89th minute a hopeful long ball down the side let Finn Azaz in and he rounded Wollacott, and pulled it across where Dion Conroy could only scramble the ball into his own net with Telford lurking behind.