Cobblers denied by brilliance of Taylor
PHIL BROWN wants his Swindon side to find their clinical edge after they fought back to earn a point against Northampton.
The Robins fell behind to a goal from John-Joe O’Toole before Matt Taylor rescued his side with a perfectly placed free-kick.
Brown watched his Swindon outfit miss a number of glaring opportunities in the first-half and stressed the importance of taking the lead.
He said: “I thought the first goal was going to be important today.
“When they got it I thought they’ve got something to hold onto here.
“I thought the response to them scoring was outstanding.
“The two best chances of the game fell to James Dunne and Marc Richards and the keeper’s pulled of two brave saves, but six-yard box chances should be in the back of the net.”
The home side should have broken the deadlock after just seven minutes when Dunne had his close range shot saved by David Cornell.
Swindon came close to taking the lead again as clever link up play eventually saw Cornell deny Richards with another save.
Northampton had to wait until the 22nd minute before their first real opportunity fell to Sam Hoskins, who broke free before seeing his shot parried against the post.
The visitors came alive after the break and almost went ahead through Andy Williams, only for Swindon’s Taylor to deny him a chance from six yards out.
However, they didn’t have to wait long for their goal, which came in the 58th minute when O’Toole volleyed in from a Hoskins cross.
But Swindon responded in emphatic fashion after Taylor curled his free kick into the top corner from 25 yards out. Northampton manager Keith Curle has been in the role less than a week and has already found signs of promise in his side.
Curle said: “It’s a point earned. It’s only five or six days in, but I said to the players after the game we are enjoying working with them.
“That’s down to their attention to detail. Their willingness to accept the challenges that we are putting front of them.
“Two games undefeated, it is pleasing.”