MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (3) v (1) Grimsby Town

SWINDON TOWN produced an impressive free-flowing display to secure a hard-fought 3-1 win over Grimsby Town at the County Ground as they maintained their stranglehold on top spot in the League Two table. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report from the County Ground.

Quick-fire goals from Jerry Yates, Diallang Jaiyesimi, and a Luke Hendrie own-goal wrapped up all three points for Swindon Town. Grimsby’s James Henson scored a consolation headed goal as Richie Wellens’ side produced a dominant home performance. 

Richie Wellens demanded that his players avoided complacency against Ian Holloway’s Grimsby Town coming into today’s match.

Thankfully his players heralded their managers call as Swindon Town put three goals past Grimsby to stay top of League Two. 

Anthony Grant’s 2nd minute yellow card was the only significant piece of action in the opening stages of the match as both sides attempted to work one another out. 

Having not played for eleven days, Swindon appeared the rustier of the two teams with loose balls from the likes of Grant and Jaiyesimi far from the norm, although it wasn’t long before the league leaders found their rhythm. 

Pressing high from the off Grimsby initially managed to contain Swindon's attackers, but as the minutes ticked by, Town’s midfielders eventually found the required composure to unlock the Grimsby defence.

Lloyd Isgrove rattled the crossbar following brilliant work from Eoin Doyle in the 8th minute, whilst less than ten minutes later Michael Doughty watched his effort rebound off the upright after a mazing run through the heart of the Mariners defence nearly produced a deserved goal.  

Despite having little in terms of possession, Grimsby weren’t without their own chances and almost opened the scoring with Luke Waterfall’s header from close-range producing a reaction save from Benda as the German tipped the effort over the bar to deny him. 

Almost immediately the centre-back was then involved at the other end of the pitch maintaining sharp awareness inside his own box to make a crucial interception from a Rob Hunt cross as Doyle loomed at the back-post. 

For all of their dominance throughout the first-half Swindon just couldn’t find the goal needed to take the game away from Ian Holloway’s side, with Doughty again going close to scoring late in the first-half but with nothing to show for his efforts. 

Grimsby momentarily threatened with some good attacking play in the final ten minutes of the half but rarely tested Benda with the Swindon shot-stopper looking comfortable between the sticks. 

As half-time approached Swindon switched tactics with Wellens appearing to instruct his players to play diagonal long-balls in behind the Grimsby defence, but in testing conditions the home side failed to produce goalscoring opportunities with a lack of composure evidently lacking from their game. 

Set-piece efforts should’ve seen Swindon test Grimsby keeper James McKeown more often throughout the first-half but a series of poor deliveries from dead-ball situations allowed the visitors off the hook as the match remained goalless at half-time. 

Having spurned their chances in the first-half, Swindon quickly made amends scoring two goals within five minutes to take the game away from the visitors. 

Jerry Yates got on the end of a Eoin Doyle knock-down after brilliant work from Jaiyesimi on the right-wing to bundle home, scoring his 13th league goal of the season and put Swindon in front. 

Grimsby, however, failed to react and after restarting the game, Jaiyesimi almost immediately doubled the hosts lead, latching onto a cross from Yates with a looping header to the back-post that left McKeown scrambling. 

Quick-fire goals from the hosts had clearly taken the wind out of The Mariners sails but more misery was yet to be inflicted as defender Luke Hendrie failed to get out of the way of an Isgrove cross in the 57th minute with the ball bouncing off his knee and into his own goal to give Swindon a three-goal cushion.

Swindon could hardly believe their luck with three goals in less than twenty minutes creating breathing space between them and their opponents. But Grimsby showed spirit to get back into the match as striker James Henson headed past Benda from a corner in the 67th minute to reduce the deficit. 

Having established a comfortable lead, you could hardly blame the Swindon players for allowing an element of complacency to slip into their game but Wellens would’ve been frustrated by his attackers for failing to increase their lead after a host of chances went amiss. 

First, Doughty should’ve done better after he dragged his effort wide of the post in the 67th minute whilst under little pressure, before Jordan Lyden then blasted his shot into a defender when Swindon broke on the counter attack just moments later. 

Admiral Muskwe almost scored his first goal of the club in the 80th minute after coming on to replace Isgrove but McKeown was alert to make a smart save down to his left. 

As play entered the final ten minutes, Grimsby had admitted defeat but Swindon went for the jugular as Yates broke on the counter-attack with Woolery running through on goal and looking set to extend the hosts lead. But Yates was to slow with his delivery and by the time he played the ball, Woolery was offside. 

Doughty nearly got the goal that his performance deserved in the closing stages of play after firing a fierce shot goal-bound but Matthew Pollock did well to produce an impressive goal-line clearance. 

Seven minutes of added time created a few nerves around the County Ground in the final moments of play, but Swindon Town held on to secure a crucial three points in an impressive 3-1 win.