Swindon 0-1 Bromley: Match Report by STFC Correspondent Alfie Howlett

Swindon found themselves at the wrong end of a late match-winning own goal on Monday, ending their faint play-off hopes.

Will Wright could only watch as the ball trickled off his boot and into the net in the 88th minute. It came on a frustrating afternoon for Swindon in which they hit the woodwork and saw Kabongo Tshimanga miss a penalty.

Town arrived at The County Ground on Easter Monday following a second half of the season resurrection. A 4-0 away win at promotion-chasing Grimsby on Good Friday certainly had the team in great spirits. 

Bromley were the visitors, who had enjoyed a fine debut season in the EFL, sitting just a point and a place off Swindon. Ryan Delaney, Nnamdi Ofoborh, and George Cox came into the team for Clarke, Kirkman, and Nichols.

Bromley had the first sniff of the contest with Omar Sowunmi, who netted in the reverse fixture, powering over a header from a corner. Swindon orchestrated their first opening of the contest with 12 minutes on the clock. Joel Cotterill found Gavin Kilkenny inside the box, who then neatly turned and fired a low effort which was matched by Grant Smith in goal.

On the stroke of the half-hour mark Kabongo Tshimanga was denied as Town cranked up the pressure. A loose ball found its way through to Tshimanga who swivelled and fired straight at the frame of Smith from point blank range. Then, at the other end, Connor Ripley was on hand to deny Danny Imray with an equally good save.

Two minutes shy of half time Paul Glatzel won a penalty, offering Swindon a chance to go into break a goal to the good. Town’s cool penalty taker, Kabongo Tshimanga, stepped up and was too cool for his own good as his tame, stuttering penalty was gobbled up by Smith. It was a real opportunity fluffed by Swindon. They would go into the break level in what had been a rather subdued contest.

The second half got underway with Omar Sowunmi still causing issues with his height from corners. The centre half came the closest to goal in the 55th minute when his looping header clattered off the bar. 

On the hour mark Connor Ripley was on hand once again to save from the charging Imray on the right flank. At the other end of the pitch Grant Smith acrobatically tipped over a Tom Nichols volleyed effort. League Two’s top scorer Michael Cheek almost turned the ball into his own net with a near spectacular own goal as he defended a corner on to his own cross bar.

In the 77th minute Harry Smith was denied the opener following a close-range header which Grant Smith the keeper reacted well to.

Substitute Joe Westley gave the woodwork a workout when he smashed a loose ball against the near post inside the box. But Danny Imray forced what would prove to be a winner in the 88th minute. The full back dazzled his way to the byline and fired a ball across the face of goal which was turned into his own net by Wright. It gave Bromley a famous victory over Swindon in their debut football league campaign. 

As for Swindon, it was their first league defeat at the County Ground in 2025.