MATCH REPORT: SWINDON TOWN 1-1 NORTHAMPTON TOWN

SWINDON TOWN failed to get back to winning ways as they drew 1-1 against Northampton Town at The County Ground. TotalSport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report following the action.

Second half goals from John-Joe O’Toole and Matty Taylor weren’t enough to make the difference as each side took their share of the spoils after a frantic and entertaining ninety minutes of football.

Two goal-scoring chances for each side within the games opening ten minutes set the precedent for what would be an electric first half with both teams searching to bounce back from disappointing mid-week results. 

Northampton’s Andy Williams hit a Sam Hoskins ball across Swindon’s box first time but his shot went just off target in the opening minute of play. 

Whilst an immediate reaction at the other end saw Richards go close with an acrobatic effort in the 5th minute before James Dunne hit his close-range shot from inside the six-yard area straight at the keeper just a minute later.

After a frantic opening, Swindon attempted to keep possession and find their footing as Phil Brown’s squad looked to earn the victory against an opposition who have only won one game all season, whilst Northampton implemented their game plan of long balls and counter-attacking football. 

Captain Olly Lancashire partnering Luke Woolfenden at centre-back dealt with the aerial threat well, whilst Swindon’s new formation of 4-4-2 continued to create openings. 

Jermaine McGlashan operating on the right-wing started off a Swindon attack in the 22nd minute which should have resulted in the game’s opening goal.

Isolating Northampton’s captain David Buchanan down the right-hand side, McGlashan’s low cross into the box found Alzate who produced a brilliant back-heel to the unmarked Richards but for Cornell to produce a stunning save down to his left.

Immediately straight down at the other end, a long ball from the visitors bounced over Lancashire, and Hoskins, who has only scored one goal all season, found himself one-on-one with McCormick as the Town keeper got low to stop the shot going in at his near post. 

With the clock running on in the first half, Keith Curle’s Northampton put bodies behind the line to frustrate Swindon’s attackers as the visitors looked happy to defend for a draw.  

Town limited of opportunities took to shooting from range as the game progressed; Matty Taylor’s 35-yard shot in the 43rd minute went high over the bar to conclude a goalless first half of football at The County Ground.   

Play resumed following the break and Swindon carried on from where they left off. Town continued to push on for an opener with Adebayo frequently finding space on the wing but quality lacked in the final third as chance-by-chance went amiss. 

With bodies behind the ball Northampton defended well. But it was their counter-attacking football that looked the most dangerous. Kevin Van Veen, top scorer for the visitors this season, was introduced into the fray in the 58th minute and Northampton took the lead just seconds later.

Winning a corner, the tenth of the match so far, Hoskins delivered a brilliant ball across the box, with midfielder John-Joe O’Toole rising highest to bury his header past McCormick. 

A goal out of nothing for the visitors appeared to have reversed the roles in a match that Swindon were dominating.  High on confidence, Northampton pushed on for a second with Swindon all out of position at the back only for poor finishing to deny the visitors a second goal. 

Seeking to avoid a second straight defeat, Phil Brown made his first substitutions of the match in the 63rd minute as Anderson and Twine came on to replace McGlashan and the ineffective Anderson. 

The replacements made an immediate impact. Anderson running straight at Northampton’s backline unsettled the defence and winning a free-kick in the 73rd minute as Swindon got their equaliser.

Matty Taylor, poor with delivery all game, stepped up to the dead-ball situation 30 yards out, striking his shot over the wall into the top left of Cornell’s goal to send the crowd wild. 

The equaliser made for a frantic conclusion to what had been an exciting end-to-end match. Northampton keen to get their second win of the season used set-piece situations well as the Town defence was put under pressure.  However, Swindon, equal to the threat of the visitors used their pace on the wings well as Anderson and Alzate created openings with shots going just off-target. 

A frustrating end to the game saw both sets of attackers limited of opportunities with each teams defences holding their own against an onslaught of attacks as the game ended in a 1-1 draw as both sides took their share of the points.