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Ward saves Swindon... but his reward could be the axe
BY GRAHAM THOMAS
LEWIS WARD has admitted his reward for playing one of the games of his life could be the axe for Saturday’s home match against Rochdale.
The Swindon keeper dived to turn away a penalty in stoppage time, and made a string of wonderful saves against one of his former clubs, as the Robins moved into the automatic promotion places.
One stop, to deny Rovers’ Josh March, was reminiscent of Gordon Banks’ save against Pele at the 1970 World Cup (right). Ward was only making his
League debut for Swindon because regular keeper Jojo Wollacott was on international duty with Ghana, and he said: “I have had to bide my time.
“If I have to go back on to the bench on Saturday, I won’t be sour. That professionalism is essential if we are going to get to where we want to be.
“We have to support each other.”
Ward’s stoic attitude might have been developed during a career that has seen him passed among 10 clubs at the age of just 24.
One of those was Forest Green, where he spent a loan spell, two years ago. He said: “Forest Green will always be a place I look forward to coming back to. It felt nice to do well. That was up there with my best performances.”
While Ward was busy denying his old team-mates, Harry McKirdy and Tyreece Simpson scored the second-half goals that ended Rovers’ ninehour stint without conceding. The Green Army still top the League Two table but Swindon boast just one defeat in their last nine games. That is some achievement for head coach Ben Garner, who took over a club with no money and a threadbare squad in the summer. “We had seven signed players 10 days before the start of the season,” added Ward, who arrived on a free from Exeter.
“There was a lot of uncertainly but I think we are strong, still building, and we can still hit higher gears.”
Forest Green used their pitchside advertising to highlight the climate crisis in front of live TV cameras.
Owner Dale Vince said: “Some people might not like what they are seeing, but these are not adverts, just facts.”
Rovers boss Rob Edwards said: “I can’t complain. I’ve challenged the players to go on another unbeaten run, and give me a reaction like they did when we lost our only other game, 2-0 at home to Port Vale.”