MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (3) v (2) Carlisle United

SWINDON TOWN had to come from behind as goals from Jerry Yates, Zeki Fryers, and Kaiyne Woolery earned Richie Wellens his first League Two home win of the season. Total Sport Swindon’s Ryan Walker gives his match report live from the County Ground.

The first home game of the season. The emotions, the hope, expectations, and promise of everything that the club embodies. The weeks of pre-seasons and friendlies finally over and now the fanbase get to see the finished product of a busy summer period. Swindon Town got their season off to a flying start with a two-nil away win over Scunthorpe United last weekend, and in blustery testing conditions, Richie Wellens watched as his side made it back-to-back league wins. 

 

Carlisle were the first team Wellens came up against after taking over the reigns at Swindon Town back in November 2018, and after suffering a heavy four-nil home defeat against the Cumbrians last time out, the STFC manager wanted his players to produce a match winning-performance to banish old memories.

 

Thankfully, the Robins produced a dominant display to upset the record and earn Wellens his first victory against the Cumbrian outfit.

 

Swindon made an imposing start to the match with the Robins players finding space well down both wings early on as Michael Doughty’s 4th minute shot from the edge of the box clipped the crossbar after the playmaker found space well for himself during the opening exchanges. 

 

Town pressed high from the get-go and enjoyed much of the possession during the first twenty minutes, as Swindon’s pacy attack caused problems for the Cumbrians defence with both Woolery and Isgrove enjoying plenty of the ball in attacking areas. 

 

Swindon should’ve been ahead after fifteen minutes with chances for Yates and Woolery spurned. But a lack of goal threat from the away side saw Swindon’s defensive duo of club captain Dion Conroy and Mathieu Baudry easily deal with Carlisle’s centre-forward Olufela Olomola, who struggled to get the any of the ball in the initial twenty-minutes. 

 

Having been penned back into their own penalty area for large parts of the first half, Carlisle had to wait until the 23rd minute for a sight at goal as Jack Bridge’s half-volley from the centre of the Swindon box was well saved by Mcormick. 

 

Town continued to push on, and two gilt-edged chances in quick session for the hosts should’ve resulted in Swindon taking the lead. 

 

Firstly, Yates found himself in a surprise one-on-one situation with the keeper in the 28th minute after being played onside by a bouncing ball off a Carlisle defender, only for the striker to send his shot high and wide. Whilst Keshi Anderson’s close-range effort just a minute later was on-target but weak and failed to trouble Collin. 

 

Chances towards the end of the first half again saw Swindon break quickly as Yates burst over the halfway line driving forwards, eventually squaring the ball to Anderson who passed to Woolery on the left with the 24-year-olds eventual shot not doing enough to get the better of the Carlisle shot stopper. 

 

Carlisle hung on towards the end of the first half with the scoreline still goalless at halftime as Swindon were made to rue missed chances. 

 

Town emerged for the second half with their tails aloft after a controlled first-half performance saw United restricted of opportunities. But confidence appeared to have turned into complacency as a solo run down the left touchline by McKirdy saw the winger skip past both Hunt and Baudry before cutting the ball back for Olomola who tapped in from six-six-yards out to give Carlisle the lead. 

 

Swindon responded well though and finally found the breakthrough as Jerry Yates scrambled the ball over the line whilst lying on the floor amongst a crowd of players in the 56th minute to make the game level once again. 

 

Poor defending from the away side allowed Town back into the game, and it was Wellens’ side who pushed on, looking the more threatening of the two teams. 

 

Continuing to play open and expansive football, Town overran the midfield with Carlisle reduced to playing within their own half as Swindon attacked in numbers. 

 

Testing the Carlisle keeper from range, Town won their seventh corner of the game in the 70th minute as Zeki Fryers rose highest amongst those in the box to head past Collin, scoring only the second goal of his career to give Swindon the lead. 

 

Having failed to keep their lead intact, frustration crept into the Carlisle players game with loose passes often conceding possession and rash challenges the eventual outcome. Canice Carroll made his re-introduction to the County Ground after being brought on by Steven Pressley in the 58th minute but found himself heading for an early bath after being shown a straight red card for a two-footed challenge on Lyden in the 82nd minute. 

 

A goal down and now down to ten men saw Swindon push on with ease as Kaiyne Woolery finally got the goal he had been searching for in the 89th minute, slotting the ball past Collin with ease after being put through one on one with the keeper. 

 

Carlisle’s Mohammed Sagaf pulled a goal back late in the second half but it counted for little as Swindon ran out eventual winners with a positive performance keeping the club’s 100% record to the start of the season in tact.