Robins rue ‘diabolical second-half defending’

JOHN Sheridan felt Swindon produced a good first-half show, but didn’t deserve anything from an “embarrassing” second-half display.

Dion Charles had given the hosts an 11th-minute lead, before Brett Pitman restored parity.

Colby Bishop’s effort before the halftime break, though, proved to be the winner for Stanley.

“I am disappointed we ended up losing,” said Sheridan.

“It was a slow start and we went 1-0 down, a poor goal to concede, but got back into it with a good goal. It was a cracking freekick from Twiney and I do not know how it didn’t go in and that could have been a big goal for us.

“We should have gone in 2-1 up, but then it’s diabolical defending for the second goal and instead we go in 2-1 down.

“The second half, we didn’t turn up, we didn’t do the simple things or make the right decisions and it was embarrassing. There was no quality throughout the side.”

Stanley went ahead in the 11th minute when a cross from Sean McConville was headed back across goal by Bishop and Charles headed home from close in.

Swindon equalised after 30 minutes when Akin Odimayo played a long ball forward which Pitman latched onto, before lobbing goalkeeper Toby Savin.

Two minutes later, the Robins almost took the lead when Scott Twine’s 20-yard free-kick crashed against the crossbar and bounced down on the line and out.

The Reds scored what turned out to be the winning goal after 44 minutes when a McConville corner found Bishop at the far post and he headed home his 10th goal of the season.

Twine was denied an equaliser by Savin in the 86th minute, while Stanley’s Matt Butcher blasted a strike against the crossbar in injury time.

Stanley boss John Coleman said: “I am pleased for the lads, they got the rewards for their efforts. They worked hard as we had a lot carrying knocks.

“It was an entertaining game in difficult conditions and both teams played some good football.

“Games hinge on little moments and that spot of brilliance from Savin from the free-kick kept us in the game as that would have made it 2-1 to them.

“We have played better and lost and we had to find a way of winning and today we did that.”