MATCH REPORT: SWINDON TOWN 1-0 NEWPORT COUNTY

SWINDON TOWN beat Newport County one-nil in the Checkatrade Trophy as Michael Doughty’s 75th-minute penalty goal was enough to give Swindon all three points at The County Ground. TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report following the action.

A quiet opening to the match reflective of the crowd saw both teams struggle to find an opening as possession was frequently interchanged. Swindon searching for a victory to keep their hopes alive in the tournament, registered the first chance of the game in the 14th minute. 

Jermaine McGlashan, returning to Swindon’s starting XI after being dropped against Morecambe, played a delicate through ball to Keshi Anderson who pressed down on goal but dragged his resulting shot horribly wide. 

The action momentarily picked up following Swindon’s chance as the visitors looked to open the scoring in their first match of this year’s trophy tournament.  Newport manager Michael Flynn clearly setting his team up to work the ball down Swindon’s flanks saw his team nearly rewarded with the games opening goal in the 15th minute. 

Cameron Pring isolated Town’s Kyle Knoyle down the right-hand side before beating the right back for pace, working his way into the box only to blast his shot well wide of the goal. 

Possession continued to switch between the two teams, but it was Newport who appeared more confident on the ball, creating quick passing moves only to lack the desired goal-threatening quality in the final third. 

Swindon attempting to play on the counter-attack tried to find openings down the wing with Anderson and Adebayo looking like Town’s most likely danger men. But Phil Brown was left frustrated as a lack of creativity from his Robins squad starved his team of chances. 

The remainder of the first half played out like the start of the match, dull, drab and lacking energy. No shots on target in the opening half summed up the match at the end of the first half. And as the half-time whistle blew, both Swindon and Newport left the pitch hoping for more when play resumed.

Half-time team talks appeared to have momentarily fired up both sides as the second half action got underway. Swindon was presented with an enticing set-piece chance a minute after the whistle kicked off the second half as Ellis Iandolo was hacked down by Charlie Cooper on the edge of Newport’s box. 

James Dunne would take the set-piece but his drilled shot fired into the wall and went out for a corner that came to nothing. 

Swindon continued to push for an opener and the home side looked set to get the games first shot on goal in the 58th minute as James Dunne looks set to fire on target as McGlashan played a lovely cutback only for Butler to take the ball off his toes at the last moment.

With both managers judging to have seen enough, double substitutions were made by both sides in the 59th and 60th minutes with Phil Brown introducing Scott Twine and Michael Doughty as Town sought to take the lead. 

A lack of shots had left both goalkeepers relatively untested throughout the match. Antoine Semenyo looked to change this and twice tried his luck from long range in the 72nd minute but his efforts went well off-target.

The matched edged ever nearer it’s closing stages and with the final whistle looming Elijah Adebayo won Swindon a penalty after being pulled down in the box by Scot Bennett in the 75th minute. Michael Doughty, Town’s top scorer this season, stepped up to the spot and chipped his shot straight down the middle to score for Swindon and give Town the lead. 

The goal appeared to have sunk the spirits of Newport’s players and Swindon dominated possession for the remainder of the match. Michael Doughty provided quality in the final third but the attacker's penalty was enough to wrap up the points as Swindon Town secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory.