MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (1) Tranmere Rovers (1)

Jacob Wakeling ended his goal drought to help Swindon extend their unbeaten run to five matches as they drew at home to Tranmere Rovers. Total Sport’s Joe Acklam reports on the League Two fixture.

Josh Hawkes punished a sloppy Swindon start with a well taken goal, before Jacob Wakeling got Swindon level with his first goal in eight games.

Swindon were improved after half-time and managed to control the game better, but failed to breach a resilient Tranmere rear guard, who managed to resist intense pressure towards the end of the game.

The draw meant that Swindon have now not lost in five League Two games and move above Barrow in the table following their defeat.

Scott Lindsey made three changes to the side that had been thrashed against Stockport County in the FA Cup, as Ben Gladwin and Frazer Blake-Tracy were recalled and Cian Harries was given his first league start of the season.

Swindon made a sloppy start and Tranmere soon punished them as the ball got away from Saidou Khan in midfield, allowing Tranmere to slide the galloping Josh Hawkes in behind and he clinically finished.

Half way through the first half Tranmere could have made it two when Khan was caught trying to dribble through midfield, leading to the visitors countering quickly and a big block from Harries prevented Sol Brynn having to deal with a fierce drive from Elliott Nevitt.

The chances kept coming from the away side as Ellis Iandolo and Blake-Tracy both left a loose ball and Kieron Morris nipped in and slid the ball to Chris Merrie on the edge of the area, who fired over the top.

After a poor opening half hour Swindon managed to strike back as Remeao Hutton got beyond his marker down the right and drilled the ball across the face of goal where Jacob Wakeling arrived to level the scores.

Five minutes later Gladwin floated a wonderful cross to the far post from a free-kick where Blake-Tracy seemed to be in the perfect position, but the ball bounced under his foot.

In first-half stoppage time Swindon could have grabbed another when Khan turned well on the edge of his box and after he was fouled Ronan Darcy picked up the loose ball and swept it wide for Luke Jephcott and his ball into Wakeling was well defended by Dynel Simeu.

There were a flurry of chances at both ends early in the second half as first Hutton couldn’t quite pick out Ronan Darcy with a cross before Kane Hemmings went up the other end and shot over the top from a tight angle.

Khan went close after 58 minutes when Hutton played the ball back to him in space 25 yards out and he let fly, his low drive went just wide of the near post.

Swindon troubled again as Ross Doohan elected not to come out of his area for a ball over the top that Wakeling ran onto and bore down on goal, but failed to find a Swindon player.

Swindon thought they had won it with eight minutes remaining as Hutton played an inch perfect ball into Wakeling and he took it down and put it beyond Doohan, but the linesman had already raised his flag.

Doohan saved Tranmere with five minutes left as Louis Reed hit a fabulous free-kick from 25 yards that dipped under the crossbar and seemed destined for the net, only for the ‘keeper to claw it away.

Jordan Turnbull was sent off in second-half stoppage time as he left Luke Jephcott in a heap as the pair challenged for the ball to the left of the box.