MATCHDAY LIVE: Swindon vs Walsall

Full-time: Swindon 1 Walsall 2.

*insert expletives*

90- Gutting for Swindon. A corner seemed to be cleared, but dropped to Monthe beyond the defenders and he prodded it beyond Brynn.

Goal. Swindon 1 Walsall 2 (Monthe 90')

6 minutes added on.

85- OFF: Johnson

ON: James-Taylor

84- Town keep picking the wrong option. Williams has space outside the box, but tried an eye-of-the-needle pass which was not on to RHM, instead of finding Darcy. 1-1.

82- Possible penalty for Walsall not given as an unwise challenge on the edge of the box seemed to have brought Johnson down. The ref decided it wasn't enough contact. 1-1.

78- OFF: Shade

ON: Roberts

75- RHM is causing havoc. He kept alive a long cross to the back post, had an effort blocked, but won the ball back and exchanged passes with Williams before having another effort deflected away from goal. 1-1.

74- Gladwin got into a good position on the right, but took too long to get the ball over and it was charged down. 1-1.

71- OFF: Hutchinson, Gordon

ON: Maddox, Wilkinson

Going attacking as a big forward replace a wing-back.

70- Swindon are very much in the ascendancy here and need to use the momentum that is building. 1-1.

66- This half is a constant string of chances which should have been more. Ben Gladwin strode through the middle, RHM ran in behind, but the pass was too early and went through to the 'keeper. 1-1.

58- A really frustrating passage of play for Swindon. First Gladwin played a great ball to Lavinier, he managed to get beyond the defender, but his cross was deflected away.Then RHM made a clever run and had his shot blocked before a second hitting the arm of a defender from close range. The tempo is going up here. 1-1.

56- OFF: Iandolo, Wakeling

ON: Gladwin, Hepburn-Murphy

55- This half is a bit stop-start so far. Iandolo is presently down after stretching to get a loose ball. He gave away a free-kick for his troubles as a Walsall player divded for it with his head. 1-1.

51- Booking for MacDonald for a foul just inside the Swindon half. 1-1.

50- Swindon string together a lovely move, moving back to front before Williams and Lavinier play a quick one-two, and the shot gets blocked. 1-1.

47- Walsall nearly get in straight away as Tom Knowles plays a dangerous ball across the face of goal, but no Walsall players gets on the end of it. 1-1.

Ronan Darcy gets us back underway with it all to play for.

The players are back out for the second half.

Well that really got out of hand at the end there. Swindon started well, but as is tradition, didn't get enough (or any) shots off. Then Walsall started to get into the game without causing danger themselves. Swindon have done much more in games without scoring, but they did finally manage to fashion that chance.

They need to look to take more control of the play after half time and not allow Walsall the same space out wide.

Attendance got lost in the sudden craziness at the end, but it is 10240, with 465 away.

Half-time: Swindon 1 Walsall 1

45- So close. Reed hangs a corner up for FBT to attack. He got above the defender and forced a good save out of Evans. 1-1.

3 minutes added on.

45- On the stroke of half-time Swindon fail to clear a corner and Knowles is given space. His curling effort just sneaks in at the far post. 1-1.

Goal. Swindon 1 Walsall 1 (Knowles 45')

44- A few times Hutton has been caught too high up the pitch. This time Gordon found the space and played a great pass to Bennett. His shot from the edge of the box deflected behind for a corner. 1-0.

43- Great scenes there. Hayden White tried to steal yards on a throw-in three times before it was eventually switched back the other way. 1-0.

40- The goal seems to have woken Walsall up. They seem to have some extra energy now, but still not getting close to goal. 1-0.

39- Steve Mildenhall has just been booked for complaining about the ref making Williams wait ages to come back onto the pitch. 1-0.

37- Jonny Williams has just went off injured, but is fine to come back on. 1-0.

33- Out of absolutely nowhere Swindon take the lead. Darcy breaks away down the right, with Iandolo unmarked in the middle. He picks him out and his first effort is well saved by Evans, but it came back to Town's number 3 and his effort dribbled over the line.

GOAL! Swindon 1 (Iandolo 33') Walsall 0

26- As expected Walsall are starting to apply more pressure. They look as inept in the final third as Swindon, but Town are not making nearly enough of their counters. 0-0.

22- More good attacking from Swindon as Darcy runs cross field and drops the ball to Iandolo, he plays a wicked ball in but no one in green attacked it. 0-0.

20- Frustrating that Swindon have been well on top, but haven't forced Owen Evans to make any saves. They just had a 3v2 on the counter, but Darcy got his feet muddled up and the attack stalled. I think I have seen this film before, and I didn't like the ending. 0-0.

18- Walsall free-kick flicks off the chest of Reed and to the feet of prime-marksman Danny Johnson. Thankfully he blazes it over the top. 0-0.

16- I don't want to jinx things, but Walsall have really struggled to keep the ball so far. I would guess their pass completion to be close to 50%. Away goal incoming. 0-0.

12- They have definitely seen something in the analysis about Walsall struggling with balls behind the defence. Three or four times Town have looked to play in behind early. No success so far, but something to keep an eye on. 0-0.

11- The Town End had got off to a good start, but after Walsall had their first attack of the game they have decided to go silent. 0-0.

7- Looks like the pressing is continuing. Green shirts swarming all over Walsall whenever they get it. 0-0.

5- Not bad this. Lavinier found Darcy in midfield, he turned and drove towards the edge of the box and he had the option to pass or shoot, he tried to slide in Shade but overhit the pass.

2- Swindon have had two openings already. The first a long ball from FBT, which nearly set Wakeling in behind, and the second Shade skinned Monthe, and knocked the ball to Darcy, but it was put behind for a corner. 0-0.

Walsall get us started.

Here come the players.

In a real day for comebacks, Andy Williams is on the bench for Walsall (one of five strikers in their match day squad) and ball car has made a heroic return to the pre-match theatrics.

In case you weren't aware, Charlie Austin is at today's match and the "Return of the King" banner has itself returned for an unlikely comeback. What could all of this possibly mean?

The Swindon finishing looks dialed in today. The first five in the line in the shooting drill all put the ball straight in the corner. In the unlikely event that any of them take a shot this afternoon, it looks like it should be a good one.

Sol Brynn is currently practicing his kicking and Copland getting a ball back to him, and smashed it straight at Harrison Minturn. Truly great stuff.

Today both teams will be taking part in the No Home Kit campaign for homelessness, so Swindon will be in their green third shirt and Walsall wearing their white away kit.

Utter scenery at the Stadium of Light.

Walsall games proved to be a lot of fun for Swindon last season, with an aggregate score of 10-1 across the three fixtures, of which one set up the FA Cup third round tie against Man City. It looks to be a far tougher test this time around, as the Saddlers haven't lost since the middle of October against Mansfield.

Walsall shape that I have worked out (they are unchanged):

Evans

Monthe Daniels White

Gordon Earing Kinsella Bennett

Hutchinson

Knowles Johnson

Walsall XI:

Evans, White, Gordon, Daniels, Monthe, Kinsella, Knowles, Earing, Hutchinson, Bennett, Johnson

Subs: Wilkinson, Williams, Comley, James-Taylor, Maddox, McEntee, Allen

Swindon Town XI:

Brynn; Hutton, MacDonald, Blake-Tracy, Lavinier; Darcy, Reed, Iandolo; Shade, Wakeling, Williams

Subs: Copland, Gladwin, Adeloye, Hepburn-Murphy, Khan, Minturn, Roberts

Merry Christmas everyone. Boxing Day is the best day of the festive season because of the football and hopefully it will be a treat this afternoon. In-form Walsall are in town having not played since 2nd December, making the in-form bit of that slightly dubious. Line-ups to follow.