MATCH REPORT: Swindon Town (1) v (4) MK Dons

SWINDON TOWN’s poor form continued as they were torn apart by MK Dons who ran out 1-4 winners at SN1. A brace from Cameron Jerome alongside goals from Daniel Harvie and Regan Poole condemned Swindon to yet another defeat, with Jack Payne’s stunning goal the only real positive for the hosts. Total Sport Swindon’s Rajan Hothi gives his match report.

Picture credit: Swindon Town FC

Swindon’s hero against Charlton last time out, Brett Pitman, was on the bench as Town opted for Tyler Smith up top as the lone striker with Swindon looking to build on their point against the Addicks.  

However, unlike their fast start against Charlton, Swindon were on the back foot from the off and conceded within three minutes. Dean Lewington’s cross was not dealt with by the Swindon defence, and despite Matej Kovar’s impressive stop from the first effort by Ben Gladwin, Cameron Jerome followed up and put the visitors ahead.  

While the visitors were controlling the play and enjoying plenty of possession, they were content with waiting for their chance to penetrate a Swindon side that were struggling to impose themselves on the game in the opening twenty minutes.  

The defensive woes looked set to continue as a Fryers and Baudry mix-up almost sent Daniel Harvie through on goal, but Town escaped as manager John Sheridan looked understandably baffled with his defence.  

Things got even worse for Swindon as a wonderful pass from ex-Town midfielder Ben Gladwin found Scott Fraser and the latter sent through Daniel Harvie who chipped Kovar delightfully to put MK 2-0 up, with the hosts looking vulnerable every time the visitors attacked.  

With Swindon looking void of ideas, they needed something special to get back into the contest and they got it via Jack Payne. A corner was only cleared into Payne’s path, and he unleashed a wonderful long-range strike which hit the underside of the bar to give Town a way back into the game. 

However, merely two minutes later, MK Dons restored their two-goal cushion courtesy of Jerome. Gladwin played in the veteran striker who made no mistake and tucked the ball past Kovar, despite the calls of offside from the Swindon bench.  

A triple change at half-time saw Brett Pitman, Jordan Stevens and Rob Hunt replace the trio of Tyler Smith, Anthony Grant and Akin Odimayo as John Sheridan searched for a way to get his side back into the encounter.  

However, the visitors were doing well to kill the game off, and Gladwin was looking a constant threat with his impressive array of passes opening gaps in the Town final third. 

The visitors could have had a penalty with 25 minutes remaining as Kovar was caught on the ball by substitute Joe Mason, before making a slide-tackle with the ball going out for a throw-in, but the visitors were adamant that Mason was felled by the Town ‘keeper.  

Swindon almost grabbed themselves a second courtesy of Payne, after Pitman’s shot was blocked, but Fisher made an impressive stop from close-range to keep Town at bay as Sheridan’s side started to apply pressure. 

However, the visitors then had a glorious chance to put themselves out of sight, as they charged through on a 4 v 2, but Regan Poole’s poor touch fell harmlessly into Kovar, as Swindon were let off the hook.  

Poole wasn’t so wasteful a few minutes later as a Daniel Harvie cross found the 22-year-old in the box, who headed home to put the game beyond doubt.  

Just when it looked like it could not get any worse for Town, a poor challenge from Rob Hunt on Poole saw the full-back sent-off with just five minutes remaining to sum up a bad night at the office for Sheridan’s side.