MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (0) Crewe Alexandra (1)

Swindon Town had an extremely frustrating afternoon in front of goal as they failed to take their chances in a 1-0 defeat at home against Crewe Alexandra. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam reports on the League Two clash.

Daniel Agyei gave Crewe the lead at half-time when he emphatically converted his penalty following a needless foul by Ronan Darcy.

Swindon did practically everything but score in the second half as chance after chance was passed up as Crewe defended for their lives.

A first loss in six sees them drop down to seventh in the table, managing to stay in the play-off places on account of defeats for Mansfield Town and Salford City.

Scott Lindsey opted for the exact same squad which had featured against Tranmere Rovers seven days earlier and stuck with the 352 formation.

Swindon started quickly and within three minutes had threatened twice, two crosses from the right gave Jacob Wakeling and Luke Jephcott sights at goal, but neither managed to truly test Arthur Okonkwo.

Town continued to be on top in the early stages, after 16 minutes Remeao Hutton accelerated beyond his full-back and flashed a low ball into the back post towards Wakeling, only for the diving Luke Offord to turn it behind in the nick of time.

Despite this early domination, Crewe took a surprise lead after Darcy went to ground in the corner of the box and brought down Lachlan Brook giving away a penalty, which Agyei neatly dispatched.

The goal deflated Swindon and Crewe found some joy on the counter attack, after 34 minutes Swindon were forced to make several blocks in a row as Agyei and Basalla Sambou both had efforts from the edge of the box.

They managed to refind their footing towards the end of the half and with three minutes remaining in the opening period, Swindon worked the ball from left to right and Hutton delivered the ball into Wakeling, but it was nudged as far as Jephcott and his shot was turned behind.

Swindon started the second half quickly and on 50 minutes Ellis Iandolo had two chances to give them the lead as his first shot hit Okonkwo and it bounced back to him, but he failed to keep his effort down.

The chances kept coming as Iandolo played the ball low into Jephcott and from six yards out a Crewe defender came from nowhere to block his shot.

Agyei had a chance for a second after the hour mark in one of Crewe’s rare escapades forward, Joel Tabiner looped in a cross that the striker got ahead of Ciaran Brennan to win, but failed to get it on target.

You really started to wonder what Swindon had to do to score when Ben Gladwin marched down the right and played a cross straight onto the head of Jephcott and his firm header slammed against the face of the bar.

With time running out Swindon continued to push and Hutton raced past Rodney McDonald and stood the ball up for Wakeling to attack, but his header went just over the top.