Predator Toney is cursed by Williams
LUKE WILLIAMS lamented the ‘two points dropped’ by his Swindon side, slamming the ‘naivety’ that allowed Ivan Toney to snare a draw for tenman Shrewsbury.
Swindon left themselves short at the back to give the impressive Toney the chance to cancel out Johnny Goddard’s early goal, much to Williams’ frustration.
“We didn’t manage the game well enough and it feels like we've lost two points,” he said.
“We pressed the ball well and got ourselves in front but started making sloppy unforced errors.
“To concede just before halftime was very naïve. Everyone went up for a corner and we left ourselves light at the back.
“It’s about getting the balance right but the players are learning. “It does take time for young players to develop their game and it’s up to me to help them recognise dangerous situations.
“But when you score first you hope you can go on and win so the result is disappointing.”
Swindon snatched a ninth-minute lead when Shrewsbury’s defence allowed Goddard to head Darnell Furlong’s cross beyond Jayson Leutwiler.
Jim O’Brien headed over at the other end and Shrewsbury equalised when Dodds played in Toney, who poked the ball home just before the break.
Olly Lancashire’s 55th-minute volley was saved when he met O’Brien’s free-kick.
Robins substitute Luke Norris blazed over after creating space on the edge of the Shrewsbury box 20 minutes later and AJ LeitchSmith saw his close-range effort denied by the legs of Lawrence Vigouroux.
Gary Deegan saw red just three minutes from time but Swindon couldn’t capitalise with Sean Murray wasting his 20-yard free-kick at the death.
Shrews manager Micky Mellon praised his own side’s fighting spirit as they clawed their way back into the game and they stayed strong after Deegan received his marching orders for a second yellow card. “We never really got close enough to give ourselves a chance in the first-half,” Mellon said.
“After the break we worked more as a unit and made it more difficult for Swindon but we didn’t keep the ball as well as we should have.
“I was disappointed that we went down to ten men but the credit must go to the lads who kept battling away.
“We’ve picked up another point and we are fighting hard all the time.
“But we know we have to improve and be more of a threat.”