Match report: Swindon Town 1 - 2 Northampton Town

A match report from Swindon Link's STFC correspondent Alfie Howlett.

A last gasp Mitch Pinnock winner was enough to hand Northampton all three points as Swindon's nine-league-game unbeaten record went up in smoke.

The hosts had taken the lead on the hour mark as Jonny Williams put Town ahead. However, six minutes later a Ben Fox header from a Pinnock free kick leveled the contest. Then, two minutes from time, Pinnock completed the comeback as he converted from close range.

Swindon entered the meeting in a rich vein of form thanks to three consecutive victories in the league. Scott Lindsey named two changes from the side which conquered Grimsby the previous weekend. Louis Reed returned for the suspended Saidou Khan and, fresh from international duty, Jonny Williams replaced Tryrese Shade.

The visitors, Northampton, sat second in the table however, they travelled to Wiltshire without Sam Hoskins. The leading scorer in the EFL was ruled out of the contest through illness.

Northampton started the match on the front foot as they forced an early corner inside the first minute. On six minutes, the leading scorers from set plays in the division nearly took the lead from another corner.

A Sam Sherring header at the front post narrowly evaded a man rushing in at the back stick. Ten minutes later, a loose Frazer Blake-Tracey ball broke to Louis Appere who failed to punish as Sol Brynn smothered his heavy touch.

The game was incredibly even with both sides making mistakes. Despite this, neither team had the quality to capitalise on their opposition's errors. Just past the half hour mark Ryan Hayes let fly from long range as Brynn comfortably held his curling effort.

Then, a minute later, Jacob Wakeling burst through the defence only to have the ball poked away for a corner. As the half time whistle blew my note "it can only get better" perfectly summarised the first 45 minutes.

The first opportunity of the second half fell the way of The Robins. On 50 minutes, Remeao Hutton cut the ball back to Jonny Williams in the penalty area. However, with the goal gaping the Welshman failed to get a clean cut connection. Eight minutes later, The Cobblers would miss their own guilt edged opportunity. A Ben Fox cross found Marc Leonard who fired over from close range.

That miss would be made to look costly when Jonny Williams opened the scoring on the hour mark. A Jacob Wakeling layoff inside the box afforded Williams with plenty of room to precisely slot the ball past Burge from close proximity.

However, just six minutes later, the visitors snapped back. A curling Mitch Pinnock free kick delicately found the head of Ben Fox who arrowed his header past the helpless Brynn.

With Swindon becoming increasingly sloppy in a poor contest the momentum swung Northampton's way, and in the 88th minute they took the lead. A pin point Ben Fox cross from the right wing found Mitch Pinnock who made no mistake tapping in from close range.

In the dying embers, Swindon came close to finding an equaliser. An Ellis Iandolo corner found an unmarked Ciaran Brennan who could only shave the post with his header. It finished 2-1 to the visitors as Swindon slipped to tenth in the standings.

The Robins will get straight back to league action as they take on Newport at The County Ground on Tuesday night - 4 October.