Two points dropped, admits Swindon chief

BEN Garner saluted his Swindon side’s never-say-die attitude as they narrowly avoided a surprise home defeat with a dramatic injury-time leveller, writes Neil Goulding.

Garner, however, was frustrated that his side wasted the chance to register a first home League victory since the end of August.

The Robins were heading for their first defeat in a month until substitute Jonny Williams pounced at the death to extend their fine unbeaten League run to five.

“It’s definitely two points dropped,” admitted Garner. “But I have to give massive credit to the players for their response in the final ten or 15 minutes.

“They were excellent, banging on the door, trying to get that goal.

“That’s the last two (home) games now where we’ve been the dominant side, and we’ve picked up two points instead of the six it should have been.”

The hosts led via Ben Gladwin’s 37th-minute opener, a sweet halfvolley into the far left corner.

But Rochdale rallied after the restart and levelled just before the hour mark when George Broadbent rifled a shot inside the far right post. And it got even better for the visitors when Liam Kelly fired them ahead with a sweet low strike with 11 minutes remaining.

However, to their credit, the

SWINDON TOWN ............. 2 ROCHDALE ........................ 2

Robins dug deep and Williams gave the home supporters some cheer when he poked home with his late leveller.

“In the first half, we were very good and in control,” said Garner. “We should have had a second goal which would have put us in a better position.

“It was a blatant penalty missed again in the first half, which would have had a massive impact.

“Ellis Iandolo breaks into the box and the man is nowhere near the ball, he clearly takes him out.

“The referee is in a great position – how that’s not given, I don’t know. That would have had a big bearing on the game, because 2-0 at half-time makes a huge impact.

“From our perspective, we let them back into it, we need to be winning these games.”

Swindon: Ward, Hunt (Kesler 73), Odimayo (Williams 80), Conroy, Crichlow-Noble, Iandolo, Gladwin, Reed, Payne, McKirdy (Mitchell-Lawson 75), Simpson. Not Used: Wollacott, Baudry, Gilbert, East.

Booked: Mitchell-Lawson.

Goals: Gladwin 37, Williams 90.

Rochdale: Coleman, Graham, O’Connell, Dorsett, O’Keeffe, Broadbent (Kelly 68), Morley, Keohane, Grant (Odoh 69), Beesley, Cashman (White 90). Not Used: Lynch, McNulty, Taylor, Newby.

Booked: O’Connell.

Goals: Broadbent 57, Kelly 79.

Attendance: 9,310.

Referee: Simon Mather (Manchester).