MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town 1-3 Gillingham

SWINDON TOWN failed to end their losing streak as Gillingham embarrassed the Robins at the Country Ground with three goals in ten minutes during the second-half securing all three points for the Gills. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report from SN1.

Brett Pitman put Swindon on their way to recording their 8th home win of the season as his 40th minute strike put the home side in control. However, a monumental ten minute collapse saw Vadaine Oliver score a brace, before Kyle Dempsey’s 67th minute free-kick earned victory for the visitors.

Scott Twine tried his luck from range in the opening minute after Thomas O’Connor was deemed to have handled the ball 10 yards inside his own half with the eventual shot well wide of the goal. 

Gillingham playmaker Jordan Graham began to string passes together around the edge of Swindon’s box that resulted in an eventual shot coming into the box that Dominic Thompson did well too clear.

An acrobatic attempt from Twine earned Swindon their first shot on target in the 13th minute after he rose highest to meet Joel Grant’s cross with Bonham saving the resulting effort comfortably. 

Tom Broadbent attempted to mount attacks with long balls forward up to Pitman, however he lacked accuracy in his passing as Gillingham were happy to let Swindon have the ball in their own half.

Jordon Garrick proved to be Swindon’s most dangerous player during the first-half as he got the better of Connor Ogilvie down the right-wing on countless occasions but poor decision making in the final third wasted promising chances for the hosts. 

Gillingham had looked a shadow of the side that has managed to climb to just four points outside the League One playoff zone as they lacked quality in attack areas with Swindon’s defence relatively untested bar a long-range header from Stuart O’Keefe in the 36th minute that was easily collected by Trueman. 

A match where chances were few and far between eventually burst into life just five minutes before half-time as striker Brett Pitman kept his cool to control Jordan Lyden’s pass inside the Gills box before stabbing the ball past Bonham to score his 9th goal of the season and give Swindon the lead.

Swindon had been the better team throughout the first-half, rarely looking troubled, however a lack of concentration immediately after the game restarted saw Olly Lee fire a powerful shot goal wards that Thompson somehow managed to block as Town held onto their lead. 

Steve Evans’ side started the better of the second half and some good play around the edge of Swindon’s box saw Graham’s cross nearly find the head of Oliver but for a key interception from Broadbent.

Broadbent was again called into action just ten minutes later as he denied Ogilvie from close-range, however a titanic Swindon collapse was just on the horizon as three goals in eleven minutes turned this game on its head.

Jack Tucker’s free-kick delivery from just inside the Swindon half saw Ogilvie head back across goal, with substitute John Akin’s header rattling the bar as the ball fell to Vadaine Oliver who headed into an open-net. 

Four minutes later, Oliver bagged his brace after a misplaced pass from Thompson in his own half fell to the striker who skipped past the onrushing Trueman to score from a tight-angle in off the post and put the visitors in control. 

Kyle Dempsey rounded off a disastrous period of play for Swindon as his 67th minute free-kick from the edge of the box took a deflection to wrong-foot Trueman and nestle in the bottom corner. 

John Sheridan’s five substitutions in the 77th minute did little to spark a comeback with Pitman’s miss in the closing stages of the match the only notable threat on goal from the home side.

Gillingham’s glut of goals embarrassed Swindon at their own stomping ground and based on this performance their could be little argument that the Robins will be able to avoid relegation this season unless something changes soon.