MATCHDAY LIVE: Swindon vs Plymouth Argyle

Full-time: Swindon were much better second-half, but it was not enough. At least we are now out and can care even less about this.

GOAL! Hepburn-Murphy is off the mark!!!!!

Swindon 1 Plymouth 3

Four minutes added on

88- As I said, the game is stretched and Hardie found space on the counter and tucked it into the corner.

Swindon 0 Plymouth 3 (Hardie 88')

87- Top save from Brynn. Whittaker has been very impressive since coming on and ghosted inside and fired a shot at the far corner, but Brynn got across well.

85- I have spent the whole game thinking about this and it has finally clicked. Roberts tucks his hands into his thermal top-thing and he looks a lot like Timo Werner. I hope he knows the offside rule and how to finish, unlike Werner.

83- OFF: Sam Cosgrove

ON: Freddie Issaka

82- OFF: Reece Devine

ON: Harvey Fox

82- This game has become very stretched. Not one for fans of footballing structure but plenty of shots.

81- Despite several defenders trying to knock him off the ball. Whittaker drives through midfield and has a shot but straight down Brynn's throat.

80- This is really beginning to take the Michael. Aguiar crosses from the right and it skips over RHM to Roberts, who wasn't expecting it, and he can't quite scramble an effort on goal.

78- Heroic defending. Sam Cosgrove look set to make it 3 but Brennan got back and made a fabulous recovery challenge timed to perfection.

78- Another opening for RHM. He couldn't quite wriggle past a defender who went to ground, and then checked back but skied the shot over

74- This could have been a very memorable debut for RHM. Hutton receives the ball out wide and drives it to him at the near post, but his effort flicks up and hits him in the face and goes behind. You feel a sharper version of him would have a hat-trick.

71- OFF: Jordan Houghton, Brandon Pursall

ON: Nigel Lonwijk, Matt Butcher

Butcher was once a hero of these parts on an FM save I did with Swindon before being sold to Jeonbuk for £4 mil when he wanted a big contract upon promotion to the Premier League.

70- A lovely free-kick routine from Plymouth saw Jordan Houghton get the ball on the top of the box and his well hit strike needed a deflection to take it over.

67- Formationally Swindon are also in an interesting set-up. It looks like a 2314 in possession with the full-backs pushed up like wingers and Dabre playing off of RHM and Roberts.

66- Dworzak is now the holder for Swindon and he looks at home very quickly. He instantly dropped between the CBs and spread the ball wide. It is useful for Town to have someone comfortable in that role.

65- Morgan Whittaker is almost instantly booked after catching Saidou Khan.

64- Changes for both sides as Dworzak replaces Iandolo for Swindon and Ryan Hardie and Morgan Whittaker are on for Danny Mayor and Will Jenkins-Davies.

62- He's at it again. Once again RHM runs in behind and beats the defender in behind, but the bounce in unkind and he tries a bicycle kick from outside the box and it drops just over the bar. I like Hepburn-Murphy.

61- Roberts and RHM are going to have some fun with this Plymouth high line.

60- That could have been RHM's first goal with his first touch. A lovely ball was clipped over the top which Roberts left for the substitute, he shot first time from a tight angle but it was pushed behind for a corner.

58- OFF: Tyrese Shade

ON: Rushian Hepburn-Murphy

A change you feel that was pre-ordained.

57- If Swindon don't score in this half it will be a miracle. They look so much more up for it and keep getting into promising areas, just need to finish.

55- How on earth did that not go in? After a long spell of possession, O Fenomeno brought out the skill show again and got down the right, his shot was parried and two Swindon strikers tried to prod it in on the line, but Burton somehow recovered.

54- Dabre always has a lot of hustle, but struggles to make anything of it. He burst through the middle there, but when it came to getting a pass off he delayed and was then crowded out. 0-2.

50- O Fenomeno is back. Shade received the ball on the right, made a quick double move that sent Wilson for a packet of biscuits and cut it across for Dabre, who couldn't get a shot off. Aguiar and Dabre then both had the ball on the top of the box but nothing came of it.

47- That could have been something. Aguiar looked to have stolen a march on the defenders but couldn't bring the ball down. Swindon shuffled the ball wide and whipped it in for Roberts who took a touch beyond his marker, but pulled his shot across goal.

45- Will Jenkins-Davies gets us back underway.

The players are back out for the second-half. Let's hope that shooting towards the Town End works its usual magic, or possibly not as do we really want to progress in this?

Turning to the bench Hepburn-Murphy is the only one who looks primed to change things, but based on Devine and Iandolo it would be best not to expect too much from players returning from injury.

Fair to say that wasn't the best. Without Reed in the team (as happened last year) the midfield loses structure and goes a bit missing. Khan, Iandolo, and Aguiar have had reasonable individual moments but need to give Brennan and Clayton more help in progressing the ball. Hutton and Roberts have looked the best for Town so far, Hutton is the danger man and Roberts has given Plymouth something to think about.

Half-time Swindon 0 Plymouth 2

Well, we don't care about the PJT anyway.

45- Booking for Cosgrove for a foul on Khan.

45- Ricky Aguiar can strike a ball. He whips in a free-kick and it arcs beautifully in but just evades Tom Clayton coming in at the far post.

Two minutes added on.

44- First sight of that cut inside from Roberts. Khan drives through midfield and gets the ball out to Roberts. He comes in onto his left and looks to shoot, but it gets blocked.

42- Off the line! Shade gets in down the side and cuts it back for Dabre to shoot and a Plymouth defender gets back to clear it off the line.

40- Saidou Khan for dragging back a player on the counter.

40- One thing I have liked about this half is that Morgan Roberts has been constantly looking to run in behind. He has not always received a pass, but he is always looking for the opportunity to stretch Plymouth and unsettle their defenders.

39- Reece Devine's return to action has not been ideal. He just looks like he lacks sharpness as his touch and positioning haven't been great and his weight of pass lacking.

37- It would make for a telling screenshot on why Swindon have lacked tempo so far if you looked at it when Swindon have the ball with their defenders. The forward options are stood 30 yards away and have been all night. They have been lacking movement and an easy plan of how to progress the ball.

35- It might be because there is no noise when Plymouth do things in this game, but those two goals felt very strange and like they were about to be ruled out for some reason. Swindon have been lackluster so far and Hutton is the only real outlet.

33- Top save. Swindon couldn't quite find space on the edge of the area before Aguiar prodded the ball to Iandolo who fired a shot at the corner, but Burton got across well to deny him. 0-2.

A quick fire double then out of very little. The ball looped in from the left and found halls who headed back across goal and it dropped into the far corner. Plymouth have been clinical.

Swindon 0 Plymouth 2 (Oscar Halls '30)

Very strange goal. A shot from the top of the box ricocheted and found Jenkin-Davies free in the box and he slotted it into the far corner.

Swindon 0 Plymouth 1 (Jenkins-Davies '28)

26- I feel as though Swindon have been too desperate to get forward. The two 8s are playing very high and is stunting build-up as the defenders have very few options to pass forward because of the large gap between defense and attack.

25- Pretty horrendous free-kick from Jenkins-Davies, skied it and hit the middle of the Town End sign very cleanly.

24- Ellis Iandolo enters the book after his sliding challenge on Jenkins-Davies. Free-kick in a good area for Plymouth.

21- Plymouth have now got a bit of a grip on this game. Swindon are pressing energetically from the front but without much success, most of the bounces fall to Plymouth players.

19- Good chance for Plymouth. A clipped ball finds Jack Endacott free at the back post and Devine has to get across well to block his header. Guess what? Another corner to Plymouth.

17- Now they have another one.

16- Plymouth just had four corners in a row and did nothing with any of them. As you were.

14- Brennan is down and not looking too good. He challenged for a header with Cosgrove and has taken a while to get back up.

13- Very prolonged stop for a Plymouth defender to tie his shoelaces. Year Three football at its finest.

12- The Swindon front three are looking to play very narrow so far and match up one versus one with the Plymouth back three. It will be interesting to see who wins those individual duals.

10- Swindon have had most of the possession in the opening ten minutes, but whenever they turn the ball over Plymouth have been able to play through the thirds fairly quickly. No real danger, but it still feels like Swindon struggle in transitions.

8- Sam Cosgrove gets the first shot on target, although Swindon were never in any danger. He ran down the left and shot across goal, but a deflection took all the sting out of it and made it a comfortable save.

6- Hutton once again proves very dynamic on the right. He received the ball, ran straight past his man and clipped in a ball so good even Dabre could head it, unfortunately it went over the bar.

4- Some lovely pointing going on from the defenders. Not an experienced head in sight but they are all communicating with those around them.

3- First opening from Swindon as Iandolo and Aguiar combine before switching out to Hutton, his cross is headed away.

3- You have to ask yourself why Clayton has tried to hit two long balls in the first three minutes to out two wingers, who on top of each other's shoulders couldn't challenge for a header.

2- Saidou Khan is the one playing in the holding role for Swindon. That might become relevant in the nightmarish scenario in which Louis Reed gets injured. I shudder at the thought.

1- The first thing Roberts has been asked to do in a Swindon shirt was collect a high ball from Clayton on his head. He was unsuccessful.

1- Tyrese Shade gets us underway, as predicted he is up front.

Plymouth are wearing their slightly strange third kit this season, which looks like a Frankenstein's monster creation out of three different shirts. It does not work.

Good News! The ball will being delivered by a toy car today. Makes the whole thing worth it.

Also, the players have just walked out.

For those who have been unable to keep up with how Swindon's group has gone through one match the standings are thus:

Crystal Palace 3pts

Plymouth 2pts

Bristol Rovers 1pt

Swindon 0pts

I hope you guys are all excited for some shameless O Fenomeno propaganda this evening, as if he plays even remotely well I will be all over it again.

Given the injury to Angus MacDonald, this could be a big night for Ciaran Brennan. He started the season in favour, but dropped out of it after his concussion but he has a chance tonight. Clayton seems pretty certain of his place now, so if the Sheffield Wednesday loanee can striker up a partnership with him then he could find his way into the league xi.

Looking at the Swindon youth players warm-up, it would appear that long shorts have become fashionable. After Grealish brought short socks into vogue, I am not sure who the person leading the way for this move is, but it appears to be a thing. Alternatively, that is just the smallest size available to them and I have just wasted your time.

This is what I think of whenever I hear "the Pilgrims" for Plymouth, which usually people don't say but it has to go in my copy as a second mention. It is not relevant, but will give you a look at what I think about when I am writing stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEOEBrdnQq4

On the Swindon bench, Josh Keyes is a new name to me, so I have looked into him and he seems to be a central midfielder and has been in the academy since under-9s.

Also, I have now looked into the Plymouth line-up and have been confronted with something of a conundrum. The Pilgrims generally like to play 343 under Steven Schumacher, but this line-up looks like a 433 by what I could glean from Google. It could mean that Houghton is dropping into the back three, but I shall keep an eye on the warm-ups and see if it reveals anything.

As an extra incentive for people to read these match day live blogs, I will give all of you a free scoop that was not reported from yesterday's press conference.

Scott Lindsey likes to wear baseball caps in training, I know, crazy. I bet you are fist-pumping reading this now as that tidbit has certainly made it worth it.

Rich and I were speaking on the Loathed Strangers last night and we think that Tyrese "O Fenomeno" Shade is the only player to have featured in every game so far this season. Given that this is a chance to rest players, it is certainly interesting that he is playing again. I expect him to be through the middle, so this will be interesting to see how he does in the centre of a front three and clearly shows that his fitness levels are pretty high.

On Brann, what does it say about him at this moment in time that they chose to stick with Brynn? Lindsey talks a lot ahead of Trophy games about winning and clearly they think Brann is some way short of being ready as he surely would have played today. We know they are looking for a goalkeeper still and presumably as soon as that happens we will see Brann go out on loan and get experience.

I must say, even after being told this would be a stronger side tonight, I am surprised by Scott Lindsey's line-up. I thought Brann would be a guarantee at least.

Plymouth Argyle XI (not in order of position):

Callum Burton, Jordan Houghton, James Wilson, Danny Mayor, Sam Cosgrove, Adam Randell, Brendan Galloway, Brandon Pursall, Oscar Halls, Will Jenkins-Davies

Subs: Matt Butcher, Ryan Hardie, Bali Mumba, Morgan Whittaker, Nigel Lonwick, Zac Baker, Freddie Issaka

Bit of a surprise to see Brann on the bench then.

Swindon Town XI:

Sol Brynn; Remeao Hutton, Ciaran Brennan, Tom Clayton, Reece Devine; Saidou Khan, Ricky Aguiar, Ellis Iandolo; Morgan Roberts, Tyrese Shade, Mo Dabre

Subs: Rushian Hepburn-Murphy, Conor Brann, Anton Dworzak, Sonny Hart, Harvey Fox, Abu Kanu, Josh Keyes

We were told yesterday that the starting 11 this evening will be all professionals, so we are expecting a pretty strong line-up this evening (by the standards of the EFL Trophy). We also know that Rushian Hepburn-Murphy will be coming on for the final half an hour.

Good evening everyone, following two league wins Swindon are turning their attentions back to the EFL Trophy with the visit of Plymouth Argyle. Teams will be out soon.