MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (2) v (1) Walsall

SWINDON TOWN ran out 2-1 winners against strugglers Walsall to record their third straight win to move into the automatic promotion places. Total Sport Swindon's Rajan Hothi gives his report after the win.

Following back-to-back wins against Stevenage and Crawley, Town won their third game in a row thanks to goals from Eoin Doyle and Diallang Jaiyesimi. Rory Gaffney pulled a goal back to the visitors, but it wasn't enough for the Saddlers. 

Swindon made one change from the side that ran riot at Crawley last time out, as Keshi Anderson replaced the injured Lloyd Isgrove.

The first chance of the game fell to the visitors after three minutes. Dan Scarr was unmarked from a corner but spurned his chance to open the deadlock, and the Saddlers would rue this miss as Town opened the scoring just a minute later.

A well-worked move down the left saw Jerry Yates and Anderson combine well and the latter's pass across the face of goal found Eoin Doyle who was left with a tap-in to score in his fifth game in a row.

Walsall did look threatening despite going a goal down and almost restored parity after 15 minutes. Steven Benda was called into action to prevent Elijah Adebayo from levelling.

Swindon haven't had much luck with injuries this season, and their torrid luck continued as Anderson was forced off with an injury after 17 minutes. Jordan Lyden replaced him as Town set-up in a 4-3-3. 

Both sides were struggling to create any clear-cut openings, but it was Walsall who were looking the more dangerous.

Cameron Pring's cross found Rory Gaffney, who should've scored from close-range, but a poor touch from the Walsall striker let Town off the hook. 

Swindon went into the half-time interval 1-0 up, however, Wellens' side were nowhere near their best in the first-half. A fantastic team move was enough to see Town lead at the break, but the Saddlers were still very much in it and the hosts needed a second.

It took just a minute for that second goal to come in the second-half. Diallang Jaiyesimi pressed the Walsall back-line well and won the ball, before cutting inside and seeing his strike take a slight deflection past Jack Rose in the Walsall net to put Swindon 2-0 up. 

Just as it looked like Town would go on and grab a few more, Walsall pulled one back after 53 minutes courtesy of Gaffney.

Benda came out to claim a free-kick, but Gaffney was on hand to head home before the Town 'keeper could get there to give the visitors a lifeline. 

The ascendancy was with Walsall who were starting to dominate possession as they looked for an equaliser, and Kaiyne Woolery came on for Jaiyesimi as Town looked to take advantage of tired Walsall legs on the break.

Swindon had a big chance to kill the game off with ten minutes left. Doyle's ball found Lyden, who was unchallenged in the box, but the Australian could only volley over from close-range. 

Walsall looked to have grabbed a last-minute equaliser, but a heroic Benda save saw Town hold on for a crucial 2-1 win. 

Wellens' men make the short journey to Cheltenham for their FA Cup first-round meeting next week as they look to win their first game at Whaddon Road.