By Swindon Town FC Correspondent Alfie Howlett
Ian Holloway celebrated his 1000th game in management with a win as Swindon toppled his former team Grimsby.
A brace from Kabongo Tshimanga and an Ollie Clarke strike ensured that Swindon put breathing space between themselves and the drop zone before Christmas.
Ian Holloway made six changes to the 11 that lost at Bradford; Wright, Hall, Cox, Clarke, Cotterill, and Tshimanga all came into the side. Visitors Grimsby arrived having punched above all expectations to date, as they sat inside the playoffs. However, The Mariners hadn’t won at SN1 since 2018.
Swindon got off to the perfect start, just three minutes in, when Kabongo Tshimanga latched on to a Harry Smith header to burst into the box and tee up the arriving Ollie Clarke. It was a well worked goal from Town to give them the perfect start.
It could’ve been even more perfect had Harry Smith not been denied by the post a minute later. A driving Gavin Kilkenny run resulted in the midfielder dragging a cross from the right wing into the box. Despite it being behind Smith, the striker did well to claim and turn, but not well enough to apply the finish from close range.
Swindon were very much worth their lead after 15 minutes in what had been a brilliant start. Their only complaint would be the fact that it had only brought one goal. Having had a handful of half chances and the woodwork rattled, Swindon’s dominance hadn’t entirely been rewarded.
Grimsby’s Lewis Cass offered a warning when he crept in unmarked from a free kick, only to head over from point blank range.
With the game drifting, for the first time in a while, life felt comfortable at The County Ground. Ollie Clarke came close to doubling the advantage when his cross-cum-shot trickled just wide of the far post after half an hour. Should Harry Smith have been a little bit more on his toes, he could easily have scored.
It mattered not, as Swindon eventually did rightfully find their second, before half time, courtesy of Kabongo Tshimanga. A Town free kick caused pin ball in the box, before finding its way through to Tshimanga who needed no invitation to smash home for his fourth of the season.
It meant that Ian Holloway walked down the tunnel, for the 1000th time, at the break with his side just 45 minutes away from beating his former club.
The icing was very almost put on top of the cake after only a minute in the second half. Smith and Tshimanga continued their good link up when the first found the latter on the edge of the box, from there Tshimanga’s low right footed attempt hit the post and scurried away from danger.
Again, the icing was cruelly put on hold when Town missed their sixth penalty of the season in the 52nd minute. Joel Cotterill won it when his shot from range was handled inside the box. And Will Wright missed it when he blazed horribly wide from 12 yards. In the season of giving, had Swindon just gifted Grimsby a lifeline?
The answer was no, Kabongo Tshimanga put the game beyond all doubt on the stroke of the hour mark. Ollie Clarke’s well weighted through ball saw Tshimanga take it in his stride and fire home with a firm left footed strike inside the box. It was a really high-level goal all round.
Joel Cotterill could’ve made it four when Tshimanga turned provider to set him up inside the box. But Cotterill could only shank his shot wide from point blank range. Instead, the next goal would go the way of the visitors. Experienced marksman Danny Rose showed Town how to score from the spot as he sent Barden the wrong way to reduce the deficit with 17 minutes still to go.
Despite a handful of the traditional Swindon closing stages nerves, Town successfully negotiated the final exchanges to give manager Ian Holloway a very happy 1000th game in management.
A brace from Kabongo Tshimanga and an Ollie Clarke strike ensured that Swindon put breathing space between themselves and the drop zone before Christmas.
Ian Holloway made six changes to the 11 that lost at Bradford; Wright, Hall, Cox, Clarke, Cotterill, and Tshimanga all came into the side. Visitors Grimsby arrived having punched above all expectations to date, as they sat inside the playoffs. However, The Mariners hadn’t won at SN1 since 2018.
Swindon got off to the perfect start, just three minutes in, when Kabongo Tshimanga latched on to a Harry Smith header to burst into the box and tee up the arriving Ollie Clarke. It was a well worked goal from Town to give them the perfect start.
It could’ve been even more perfect had Harry Smith not been denied by the post a minute later. A driving Gavin Kilkenny run resulted in the midfielder dragging a cross from the right wing into the box. Despite it being behind Smith, the striker did well to claim and turn, but not well enough to apply the finish from close range.
Swindon were very much worth their lead after 15 minutes in what had been a brilliant start. Their only complaint would be the fact that it had only brought one goal. Having had a handful of half chances and the woodwork rattled, Swindon’s dominance hadn’t entirely been rewarded.
Grimsby’s Lewis Cass offered a warning when he crept in unmarked from a free kick, only to head over from point blank range.
With the game drifting, for the first time in a while, life felt comfortable at The County Ground. Ollie Clarke came close to doubling the advantage when his cross-cum-shot trickled just wide of the far post after half an hour. Should Harry Smith have been a little bit more on his toes, he could easily have scored.
It mattered not, as Swindon eventually did rightfully find their second, before half time, courtesy of Kabongo Tshimanga. A Town free kick caused pin ball in the box, before finding its way through to Tshimanga who needed no invitation to smash home for his fourth of the season.
It meant that Ian Holloway walked down the tunnel, for the 1000th time, at the break with his side just 45 minutes away from beating his former club.
The icing was very almost put on top of the cake after only a minute in the second half. Smith and Tshimanga continued their good link up when the first found the latter on the edge of the box, from there Tshimanga’s low right footed attempt hit the post and scurried away from danger.
Again, the icing was cruelly put on hold when Town missed their sixth penalty of the season in the 52nd minute. Joel Cotterill won it when his shot from range was handled inside the box. And Will Wright missed it when he blazed horribly wide from 12 yards. In the season of giving, had Swindon just gifted Grimsby a lifeline?
The answer was no, Kabongo Tshimanga put the game beyond all doubt on the stroke of the hour mark. Ollie Clarke’s well weighted through ball saw Tshimanga take it in his stride and fire home with a firm left footed strike inside the box. It was a really high-level goal all round.
Joel Cotterill could’ve made it four when Tshimanga turned provider to set him up inside the box. But Cotterill could only shank his shot wide from point blank range. Instead, the next goal would go the way of the visitors. Experienced marksman Danny Rose showed Town how to score from the spot as he sent Barden the wrong way to reduce the deficit with 17 minutes still to go.
Despite a handful of the traditional Swindon closing stages nerves, Town successfully negotiated the final exchanges to give manager Ian Holloway a very happy 1000th game in management.
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