ON-THE-WHISTLE MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town 0-0 Oldham Athletic

Swindon Town were held to a 0-0 draw by fellow relegation battlers Oldham Athletic at the County Ground.

Swindon made three changes from the side that lost 2-1 at Northampton in midweek with Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Rohan Ince and Brad Barry coming in for Fankaty Dabo, Dion Conroy (who dropped to the bench) and Raphael Branco who sat out the first of his two-game ban.

The hosts dominated the first half, having 17 shots on goal in total, with six of those efforts being on target.

Argubably none of the chances were better than their first one when, with the ball in the air, on-loan striker Nicky Ajose had a shot that was well saved by Oldham keeper Connor Ripley.

Two minutes later Town came close again. Jon Obika, whose hold-up play and distribution was top class all afternoon, offloaded the ball to Ajose who, again, saw a shot tipped away by Ripley - this time from a tight angle. 

Obika then fancied himself with a shot but, like Ajose, he was denied by an in-form Ripley who parried a long-ranger from the striker but latched onto the rebound.

Swindon kept pressing and that man Obika was involved again but he could only head an impressive lofted pass from Ben Gladwin wide of the post.

Oldham had a chance of their own in the 17th minute, although Peter Clarke could only nod a corner kick harmelessly past Lawrence Vigouroux's goal.

Gladwin and Ormonde-Ottewill had Swindon on the front foot again but the QPR loanee and the ex-Arsenal trainee could only manage shots that went wide and over respectively. 

Another good chance for the Robins came on the 28-minute mark but, yet again, Ripley was equal to anything Town could create. Ormonde-Ottewill had a low shot kept out impressively by the goalkeeper and the Latics defence recovered well to clear the rebound out of play.

Ormonde-Ottewill, who had one of his better games in the red of Swindon, was involved again soon after as he set up another Obika shot but this one was low and into the arms of Ripley.

With 10 minutes of the first half left, Gladwin became the latest to try and out-do Ripley, but the on-loan Middlesbrough goalkeeper was equal to that effort as well, palming it out and away from his goal. 

For the rest of the first half Swindon were limited to half chances with Obika and Charlie Colkett both unable to find the back of the net.

The second half was a much more even, and a much less interesting, affair with both sides failing to really get a good chance to prevent the match from finishing without a goal.

Four minutes into the second 45 Aaron Amadi-Holloway shrugged off Lloyd Jones and beared down on goal but captain Natham Thompson was there to clear the danger just in time.

With 25 minutes to go Swindon went close again but, on this occasion, Ajose could not convert a Brad Barry cross as his contact looped over the top of the crossbar.

Two minutes later Oldham charged down the right via Ryan McLaughlin but he could only find the side netting with his drilled shot.

Gladwin then shaved the post with a low long-range shot shortly before Clarke headed over for the away side.

Luke Norris, who was introduced as a second-half substitute for Obika, came close twice but with both his efforts - a curled shot from the edge of the box and a header, he too only managed efforts that went over the top of the goal.

Swindon came up with one last chance, in second half stoppage time, but Gladwin could only fire over from a turn-and-shot after being teed up by Johnny Goddard.

The result keeps Swindon in the relegation zone for the time being.

Swindon Town: Vigouroux, Barry, Thompson, Jones, Ormonde-Ottewill, Brophy (Goddard '68), Ince (Conroy '76), Colkett, Gladwin, Ajose, Obika (Norris '76)

Subs not used: Henry, Thomas, Rodgers, Kasim

Oldham Athletic: Ripley, Law, Wilson, O'Neill, Banks, Amadi-Holloway (Ngoo '82), Taylor, Hunt, Fane, Clarke, McLaughlin (Croft '81)

Subs not used: Kettings, Flynn, Erwin, Green, Obadeyi

Referee: Robert Lewis

Attendance: 6,773