FA Cup magic hit the County Ground, as Swindon Town came back from a goal down to beat Premiership side Wigan Athletic 2-1. An element of luck was required, but the victory was testament to how far Paolo Di Canio and his players have taken the club over the past months.
Initially, the match was short of much action and flow as Swindon looked scared of their Premiership counterparts. Wigan had also made nine changes from their previous match and for much of the match, it showed. Their philosophy remained much the same however, as the Latics had the lion’s share of possession.
A lack of possession isn’t an unfamiliar one for Town: only last month, Swindon had 39% possession in their 3-0 win over Morecambe. But this time, they were against players, who had more know-how going forward, with Di Santo’s movement particularly causing problems for the defence.
For the second time in three games, Swindon handed the opposition a head-start. Callum McManaman appeared to be heading down a blind alley as he had both Aden Flint and Paul Caddis for company. Unfortunately, Flint’s inexperience came to surface, as he chopped McManaman down to give away a penalty.
A capacity Stratton Bank’s attempts to put Ben Watson off seemingly worked, as the midfielder hit the post. However, the cheers around the ground soon turned to tears, as McManaman reacted first – albeit with a slight head start – to knocked home passed Wes Foderingham.
Being a goal down evidently loosen the shackles, as Town became more expressive in their play. Only five minutes after going behind, an equaliser was found. Alan Connell scored his third goal in as many games, as he headed beyond Ali Al-Habsi following a Matt Ritchie cross.
The first-half came to a close as the players went off to a loud appreciation. In spite of the three leagues separating the two sides, both sides seemed well-matched and limited one another to long-distance shots. Paolo Di Canio shuffled the pack at the break slighty, as Ronan Murray made way for the more experienced Paul Benson.
Second-half saw Swindon take more control in the match as they looked to complete the turnaround. Ritchie found himself unmarked in the box, as Benson set him upon a plate, but quite inexplicably, missed the target.
Many wondered if Swindon had blown their opportunity of reaching the fourth round with that miss. Then came a stroke of genius from Di Canio; off went Alan Connell and on came Lukas Magera. Connell had once more ran himself to the ground for the greater good of the team and was at times, found defending in his own box.
Magera hasn’t endeared himself to the Town faithful as of yet and has found himself substituted early-on more often than not recently. This match appeared to suit Magera perfectly, as he was able to support the midfield when Wigan had possession, while he used his strength to shield the ball.
Swindon’s attacking dominance got reward with less than 15 minutes left on the clock. Matt Ritchie’s long-distance shot was on target but would have been covered by Al-Habsi in the Wigan goal. However, his shot took a wicked deflection to allow Benson to score his first goal for the club. He may not have known much about it but his timing in finding his first goal was superb.
As Martinez politley pointed out, Benson was marginally offside. But the Spandiard also noted that Swindon were worthy winners in the contest and it’s not hard to agree.
With a goal advantage, Di Canio made another shrewd tactical substitution as Raffaele Di Vita made way, to be replaced by Alessandro Cibocchi. The left-back was utilised in midfield and fortunately, never took any throw-ins.
Wigan had a few throws of the dice, but ultimately, were unable to snatch a replay. Although, with survival currently looking beyond their reach, Roberto Martinez would have prefered the defeat.
A truely amazing afternoon at the County Ground and Paolo Di Canio has sealed his legendary status at SN1. A glamour tie was hoped for, but I for one, am not dishearted by an away to trip to either Nottingham Forest or Leicester. Either game is winnable and after being defeated by Crawley last season, I’m just delighted to remain in the competition.
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Tags: Alan Connell, Home, Lukas Magera, Matt Ritchie, Paul Benson, Wigan Athletic
VOTE: December goal of the month
Good goals were once more aplenty throughout December, but which one stands out?
Matt Ritchie once more found his shooting boots to drill home from the edge of the box in the FA Cup. Paul Caddis grabbed his first goals since February and both were spectactular – a shot that looked like a cross at Southend started our comeback, before a brilliant solo run with end product at Rovers. Or perhaps Alan Connell’s cool finish at Sixfields get your vote. No-one can surely knocked McCormack’s lung-busting run to bag the winner either.
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Tags: Alan Connell, Alan McCormack, Matt Ritchie, Paul Caddis
It was a tale of two halves, in term of fortunes at Sixfields, as Swindon bounced back from their Boxing Day defeat to secure a 2-1 victory to sign off 2011 in style.
Eyebrows were raised among supporters, on learning that both Aden Flint and Simon Ferry had been omitted from the starting line-up, with Joe Devera and Oliver Risser coming in. Callum Kennedy and Ronan Murray also came in after the loans of Liam Ridehalgh and Jake Jervis ended the previous week.
The absence of Flint at the back allowed Aidy Boothroyd to ploy his favoured long-ball tactics and Swindon eventually succumbed to pressure. Matt Ritchie made an honest but late attempt to nick the ball of Northampton’s Michael Jacobs, who converted the resulting penalty.
Ronan Murray had a couple of chances in quick succession but opportunities beyond that were non-existent. Unfortunately, the Murray-Magera partnership looked like one being tried out for the first time.
consequently, Lukas Magera was taken off at half-time, with Alan Connell coming on. It was the second consecutive match that the Czech had been taken off at the break, as once more, he failed to make an impact.
Before Swindon could go in search of an equaliser, Wes Foderingham showed why every Town fan wants him to sign on a permanent deal. The whole defence fell asleep, as Saido Berahino headed goal bound but Foderingham showed superb reflexes to keep his side in the match.
Minus Ferry, a creative outlet was lacking, so it was no real surprise to see him come on. Where the surprise did lay however, was Di Canio’s decision to bring off Jonathan Smith, as opposed to the underperforming Oliver Risser. The Namibian international rushed his play all too often, putting his team-mates under unnessarcary pressure.
Connell’s desire to chase down every lost caused troubled the Cobblers’ defence. His hard work received just rewards, as he latched onto a through ball from Ritchie, before wrong-footing a defender to slot home passed keeper Higgs.
Minutes later, Swindon had nearly turned it round, as Simon Ferry saw his close-range header go wide. A supporter near me said ‘If he had a decent haircut, that would have been a goal.’ Had he had a decent haircut, it probably wouldn’t have reached the ball.
Swindon looked to have blown any chance of three points when Risser saw red for an elbow. The correct decision, although the Northampton player who pushed Risser should have followed the midfielder down the tunnel.
A man up saw Northampton quest for their first win since October as with two minutes to go, Berahino find an opening as he eased past Paul Caddis but fortunately for Swindon, Berahino lacked composure and hit over.
Northampton paid the ultimate price for squandering their opportunity to win it as Swindon’s superior fitness paid dividends. Alan McCormack made a surging run from defence - with many Northampton players chasing shadows – before a delightful one-two with Raffaele De Vita to allow McCormack to score his first for Town in the dying moments to send the away crowd into raptures.
Paolo Di Canio – not to feel left out – made a lung-busting run from his dugout to join in celebrations. It’s not quite the done thing but it was definitely a ‘I was there’ moment and since, it has seen his popularity to soar, in Wiltshire at least. Di Canio knew he shouldn’t have done it but as well as being a manager, he is also a supporter and we all know how hard it is to hide emotions.
As it is so often, Swindon grabbed all three points the hard way but it was also a sign of the desire this team has. The club have left 2011 in far happier than they left 2010.
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Tags: Aden Flint, Alan Connell, Alan McCormack, Away, Northampton, Paolo Di Canio, Simon Ferry
10 worst moments of 2011
Swindon 1 Oxford 2: It’s safe to say this defeat hurt more than most in the last decade. The view of the sea of yellow and blue on the Stratton Bank celebrating their first win at the County Ground in 38 years is one I’d rather forget.
Leon Clarke’s tantrum: His actions following the defeat against Southampton were an alarming sight. Only two weeks previous, Clarke had signed and was poised for a key role within the team. Di Canio made the right call but it has the club money.
Charlie Austin and Sean Morrison depart: Swindon more ot less sealed relegation when Austin and Morrison moved on to Championship sides in January. Despite leaving midway through the season, the pair remained our first and third top scorers.
February: It was too difficult to choose just one match, having collected just one point. And that point was only savaged as a result of a 90th minute equaliser. Although being 3-0 down within 30 minutes at Leyton Orient just edged it.
Paul Hart’s reign: The departure of Danny Wilson brought the appointment of Hart and his reign was terrible from start-to-finish. His audacity to call the Town faithful poor supporters was the final straw, given the rubbish we had watched all season.
Bristol Rovers 3 Swindon 1: Rovers headed into the game without a win in three months but Swindon were in a charitable mood. Calamitous defending capped a shambolic team performance; the game I knew we were destined for relegation.
Swindon 0 Yeovil 1: Both teams headed into the game in dreadful form but a home win was expected. Instead, Michael Rose pressed the self-destruct button with a reckless challenge, which rightly saw red, allowing Yeovil to grab all three points.
Terrible loans: In a bid to fill vacant positions, first Wilson, then Hart turned to the loan market but it didn’t go to plan. Mike Grella sulked, Jon Obika was lazy – even compared to the no-hopes we already had – and Alassane N’Daiye was just a bit rubbish.
Relegation: It had been coming for months but that fact did little to soften the blow. A season containing just nine wins and 13 goals after Charlie Austin’s departure in January saw the sink ship without trace of a fight.
Plymouth 1-0: The toothless performance at relegation rivals had left supporters even more frustrated. A verbal spat between Scott Cuthbert – among others – and fans occured post-match.
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Tags: Bristol Rovers, Charlie Austin, Leon Clarke, Paul Hart, Plymouth
Swindon bounced back from Paolo Di Canio’s post-match interview bashing in style, as they saw off Morecambe with a 3-0 victory. Morecambe had only lost one away this season, while Swindon had the solitary defeat at the County Ground, so a closer-match affair was anticipated.
Paolo Di Canio made two routine changes, as Liam Ridehalgh and Matt Ritchie replaced Alessandro Cibocchi and Lander Gabilondo respectively. It’s his forward selection that always raises debate, as he persevered with Lukas Magera, while Mehdi Kerrouche made way for loanee Jake Jervis.
The visitors may have been heading into the game without a win in five, but first-half they also showed why they headed into the games only two places below Swindon. The Shrimpers ended the game with a staggering 61%, but their short and often sideways passing in their own half did little to trouble a patient Swindon team.
While their patience to wait for possession worked in their favour, their patience while in possession was a downfall in Swindon’s play first-half. Morecambe were a hard-working side and consequently, Swindon’s attacking play was all too slow, as they often took a pass too much or ran a yard too far to trouble an organised back line.
With the tip-tap football not working, Town became more direct in their play and eventually got just rewards. The ball worked its’ way into the path of Liam Ridehalgh, who provided an excellent cross for his fellow loanee Jake Jervis to nod home from 12 yards.
Uncharacteristic careless defending from Alan McCormack allowed Andy Parrish to past him, who provided a pin-point pass for Danny Carlton, but the striker’s shot wasn’t enough to see Wes Foderingham concede his first goal at the County Ground.
Swindon provided a killer punch to Morecambe’s fight back in stoppage time, as Raffaele De Vita doubled the lead. Good link-up play between Paul Caddis and Matt Ritchie, before the latter provided an in swinging cross for De Vita to scramble home his first league goal since October.
An average first-half performance, but somehow, Swindon headed into the break 2-0. Lukas Magera in particular disappointed, as he appeared disinterested and so obviously lacking in confidence. Magera made it back for the second half, but dropped his long sleeves in favour of a short-sleeve top; Paolo Di Canio’s words the most likely reason for the change.
His performance never improved after the break and as a result, Ronan Murray replaced him ten minutes into the second half. Magera’s exit from the field of play was the quickest he had run all match and Di Canio’s frustration was very much evident.
The addition of Murray pushed Town forward, as both Jervis and Magera had a tendency to drop deep into the midfield area. Jervis’ decision to take hold of possession in his own half, when Ridehalgh was close, rather than advance forward caused Di Canio’s frustration to flare.
Morecambe’s forward play looked dead in the water, but Swindon had chances to make it three. Liam Ridehalgh hit from distance, while Aden Flint really should have scored when he got on the end of a Raffaele De Vita corner, but his shot went harmlessly wide.
With the victory wrapped up, entertainment came from handbags between the two benches, which temporarily stopped play. Morecambe’s assistant manager Ken McKenna was sent to the stands as a consequence of his involvement.
Shortly after it was 3-0, as Murray capitalised on his fresh legs to run the full length of the pitch. The ball reached the feet of Matt Ritchie, who was able to cross to Murray, who in turn slotted home his first league goal for Swindon.
Fixtures are set to quickly mount up and Di Canio rightly used his full quota of substitutions. Simon Ferry and Raffaele De Vita received a well-earnt rest as Oliver Risser and Lander Gabilondo replaced the duo with ten minutes remaining.
An entertaining performance it wasn’t, but more importantly it was an effective one. A solid spine to the team is a vital component and Paolo Di Canio has certainly formed this. The pairing of Simon Ferry and Jonathan Smith in midfield ring similarities to that of the Ferry-Douglas partnership that was so integral to our play-off finish two seasons previous.
Pre-season Di Canio stated he would have the strongest centre-back pairing in the league and he is right. But, instead of Joe Devera and Alberto Comazzi, it is Aden Flint and Alan McCormack that are responsible for the meanest defence in the league.
Ronan Murray’s performance and goal is likely to see him rewarded with a start over the festive period, as Lukas Magera is poor and the story behind Mehdi Kerrouche’s drop in form and popularity with Di Canio continues to remain a mystery.
Jason Price pushing Town captain Paul Caddis over allowed home supporters to jump up in anger to keep themselves warm, before the referee blew time on an unusually forgettable 3-0 win.
Filed under: League Two, Match Review | Leave a Comment
Tags: Home, Jake Jervis, Jonathan Smith, Lukas Magera, Morecambe, Paul Caddis, Raffaele De Vita, Ronan Murray
Prior to the game, given our poor form at the Memorial Ground, many Swindon fans would have taken a point. But, having surrendered the lead two minutes from time, the 1-1 result felt more like a defeat.
Paolo Di Canio was forced into a few selection dilemmas after Matt Ritchie picked up his fifth booking at Southend, while Alan Connell and Liam Ridehalgh were ruled out. Raffaele De Vita took Ritchie’s spot, while Simon Ferry recovered from flu in time to replace Oliver Risser. The strike force got an overhaul, as Lukas Magera and Mehdi Kerrouche came in for Jake Jervis and Alan Connell.
Swindon immediately put themselves on the back foot, as Matt Harrold breezed through the defence but fortunately, Wes Foderingham was more alert than his defence. Harrold appealed for a foul by Aden Flint, but the referee turned down any claims; that tussle started a match long battle between the pair.
Lander Gabilondo should have scored his first Swindon goal, after Mehdi Kerrouche provided a pin-point cross from the right. The Spaniard made himself space and Town were ready to jump, but, he inexplicably hit wide from a few yards out.
The game had a typical derby-day feel to it, as both teams struggled to with any flowing play, with the referee’s whistle is regular use. Chris Zebroski’s frustration of being caught offside got the better of him, as he pushed Paul Caddis over and consequently received a yellow.
Bristol Rovers looked more up for it first-half, as they had the lion’s share of chances, but it was the visitors who broke the deadlock. Paul Caddis dazzled the opposition, as he made a storming run from his own half to the Rovers’ box to shoot beyond the reach of Scott Bevan.
Kerrouche returned for the first time since being substituted in the first-half versus Colchester and appeared hungrier, as he chased down every lost cause. However, Magera was a disappointment, as he failed to utilise his height or strength to hold up play in the Rovers half.
In spite of this, it was Kerrouche who came off shortly into the second half, with Jervis coming on to replace him. The on-loan appeared to bring the best out of Magera, as he won more headers and had more intent going forward.
Gabilondo missed yet another golden opportunity, after Simon Ferry provided a through ball into his path, but the winger was at full stretch and Scott Bevan was able to collect with ease. That was Gabilondo’s last contribution, as he was replaced by the fresh legs of Etienne Esajas.
Swindon were sitting deeper and deeper, as they invited pressure from Bristol Rovers. Alessandro Cibocchi did not help this, as he had an astonishing four foul throws throughout the game. Questions have to be raised as to Callum Kennedy was not prefered, especially after his superb performance versus Huddersfield.
This problem was only increased when Lukas Magera was replaced by a midfielder Oliver Risser, with Jervis designated as a lone striker. Two minutes from time, Rovers finally unlocked the Town defence, when Danny Woodwards was left unmarked to head home from a Craig Stanley cross.
Of course, surrendering the three points so late into the game is a bitter pill to swallow, but given our recent record at Bristol Rovers, it was a point gained, rather than two dropped.
Paolo Di Canio was evidentially less impressed. His post-match interview had more swear words than a Gordan Ramsey cookery programme. To a certain extent, he did have a point, although he never approached in the best way. Paul Caddis, Simon Ferry and Aden Flint in particular impressed, but were let down by the likes of Alessandro Cibocchi, Lukas Magera and Etienne Esajas.
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Tags: Alessandro Cibocchi, Away, Bristol Rovers, Lander Gabilondo, Paolo Di Canio, Paul Caddis, Wes Foderingham
Swindon Town continued their rich vein of form as they beat Aldershot 2-0 to extend their unbeaten run to eleven games. Prior to the match, it had been described as a must win, with the leading pack also in form.
Jonathan Smith returned in place of Oliver Risser, whose error led to AFC Wimbledon’s goal a week previous. Raffaele De Vita also moved up top, as Lander Gabilondo started in place of Alan Connell.
Swindon went onto the front foot immediately, as Matt Ritchie advanced, but shot over from an acute, where a cross was perhaps, the better option.
The Shots back guard remained resilient and Alan McCormack, seemingly frustrated, took things into his own hands, advanced from defence, before finally being fouled in the final third. Jake Jervis took the resulting free-kick, although it was a tame shot, which easily reached the hands of Jamie Young.
Raffaele De Vita squandered the best chance of the first-half, as he latched onto an accurate pass, which left him one-on-one with the keeper, but uncharacteristically poor control from De Vita meant the opportunity went to waste.
A goalless half, where Swindon were just unable to find an opening, a repeat of the stalemate versus Bradford looked a possibility. In a bid to address the issue, Ronan Murray came on for his debut, replacing Gabilondo, who struggled to make an impact and off the pace. The substitution resulted in De Vita reverting to left-wing.
It was, however, the result of good play down the right that broke the deadlock. An advancing run gave Paul Cadis time and space to deliver a cross, beyond the reach of the Aldershot defence and into the path of Jake Jervis, who was left with the simplest of finishes.
Aldershot looked to have equalised through Rankine, but he was adjudged to have fouled and Swindon were awarded a free-kick. Instantly, Swindon were on the attack with Liam Ridehalgh, who was not to be outdone by Caddis, fizzed a testing ball into the box, with Jervis, once again, the intended target, but his presence forced an own goal from defender Darren Jones.
Jake Jervis was on the wrong end of a strong challenge and as a result, he was forced his premature exit, with Lukas Magera – returning from injury himself – replacing the on-loan striker. With the win all but sealed, Di Canio tightened the locks, bringing on Alessandro Cibocchi, in place of De Vita.
Swindon had a chance to make it three with the last kick of the game, when they were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. It was the late substitutes, who fought for the free-kick, with Lukas Magera coming out the top, but his shot was only good enough to force, what would have been a corner.
In the lead-up to the game, Matt Ritchie had been much of the transfer conversation, but had there been any scouts at the match, it’s likely they wouldn’t have been impressed. All to often, he tried to make things happen alone, when Caddis had overlapped into a better position, in ample space.
All-in-all, an average first-half performance from Swindon appeared to alter Aldershot’s philosophy, as they looked for the win. This, ultimately worked against the Shots, as they neglected their defensive duties. With only the one home game throughout December, it’s now a true test to our improved away form.
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Tags: Aldershot, Home, Jake Jervis, Matt Ritchie, Paul Caddis
VOTE: November goal of the month
This season is beginning to turn into quite a memorable one, not least with some of the spectactular goals on viewing, so as a result, Lee Peacock’s Fur Coat has now introduced Swindon Town’s very own goal of the month and the winner is decided by the fans.
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Tags: Lukas Magera, Mehdi Kerrouche, November, Oliver Risser, Raffaele De Vita, Simon Ferry
Following a mediocre start to the season, Swindon Town have really started to show just why, they were placed among the favourites for promotion pre-season. They are in the midst of a nine match unbeaten run, which has seen them climb the table, as well as progress in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and FA Cup.
Could Paolo Di Canio’s desire to take every competition seriously jeopardise Swindon’s promotion aspirations?
Wins versus AFC Wimbledon and Huddersfield in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy and FA Cup respectively have rewarded Swindon with a long weekend break in Essex. Swindon face Colchester in the FA Cup before the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie versus Southend a few days later.
Those two additional fixtures mean Swindon play six times in December – with Morecambe the solitary match at the County Ground. Furthermore, should Swindon reach Wembley, they will be another game each month until March.
Paolo Di Canio has not only assembled a strong starting XI, but also a strong squad and the three wins last week are evidence of this. Lander Gabilondo provided the assist for Lukas Magera to score his first Swindon goal at Vale Park, while Alan Connell, Oliver Risser and Callum Kennedy all made a massive contribution to the memorable win against Huddersfield.
A squad that possesses both quality and quantity is an obvious advantage in trying to fight on all corners. Matt Ritchie has started all 21 games this season and has recently suffered a dip in form in comparison to his high standards. The performances of Lander Gabilondo and Etienne Esajas should encourage Di Canio to rest his key player.
While the club is financially sound, revenue that goes hand in hand with progression in the cups is something no club at this level can turn down. That said, being crowned Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is even less lucrative that you may think. John Nixon – Manager Director at Carlisle United – recently announced the win at Wembley netted the club around £100,000, once expenses such as bonuses had been paid.
Swindon need to play another three games in order to reach Wembley and when you learn the income wouldn’t have even covered the fee for Alan Connell, the reward hardly seems worthy of the gamble. Revenue in the FA Cup can be greater, but again, you have to hang around a while to receive this, as the Premiership and Championship sides come in at the third round. Then, of course, you need some lady luck to draw a Manchester United or Chelsea.
And when you come down this far, success is somewhat of a rarity and unlike the FA Cup, Swindon have a real chance of picking up the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy. Furthermore, in recent seasons, both Swansea and Southampton have won the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy that proved to be a catalyst for their promotions beyond League One.
Paolo Di Canio built quite a squad and what with no reserve team this season, additional fixtures in the cup may actually be of benefit to the players waiting in the wings. Promotion is paramount - that’s obvious. But, there is no evidence as of now, that progression in the cups is having detrimental effect in the league. Quite the opposite in fact.
After all, the win at Exeter in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy kick-started this impressive unbeaten run.
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Tags: Matt Ritchie, Paolo Di Canio, Promotion
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- Match review- Swindon Town Wigan Athletic
- VOTE: December goal of the month
- Match review- Northampton Town vs Swindon Town
- 10 top moments of 2011
- 10 worst moments of 2011
- Match review- Swindon Town vs Morecambe
- Match review- Bristol Rovers vs Swindon Town
- Match review- Swindon Town vs Aldershot Town
- VOTE: November goal of the month
- Could progression in the cups jeopardise promotion?
- Match review- Swindon Town vs Huddersfield Town
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10 top moments of 2011
Paolo Di Canio’s appointment: He’s made errors but is getting better and better. His no-nonsense approach combined with his undoubted passion makes him a popular figure around these parts. He’s brought the good times back to SN1.
Swindon 4 Huddersfield 1: Wow, what a game and what a result. Coming from behind to score past a team flying in League One was memorable. A supreme performance by all but in particular, Simon Ferry impressed with two assists and a goal to boot.
Foderingham’s record: Phil Smith’s injury and Mattia Lanzano’s ability meant a new keeper was essential. But who knew he would be this good. Five clean sheets in his first five games and only conceded six in 14 games.
Swindon 3 Crewe 0: A convincing win over Crewe ended eight long and enduring months without a home win. An Oliver Risser volley and an over-excited Paolo Di Canio sliding across the grass among the highlights.
Bristol City 0 Swindon 1 : Having lost to Oxford only three days earlier, morale among fans was at an all-time low. However, a shock away victory at Ashton Gate in the League Cup lifted the mood and Raffaele De Vita became an instant cult hero.
Crawley 0 Swindon 3: Having been knocked out of the FA Cup a year previous, revenge was in order, Their fat, obnoxious manager attempted to stir pre-match, but Di Canio won on and off the pitch. It also gave Swindon their first away points of the season.
Matt Ritchie’s goal vs Gillingham: A scrappy game, which had 0-0 written all over it until a peice of individual brilliance. A 30-yard screamer with 10 minutes to go against promotion rivals isn’t far short of perfect.
Swindon 3 Rotherham 2: Our game post Leon Clarke gate happened to be on Sky. Sub Alan Connell was inspirational as he bagged a brace to turn the game around. Matt Ritchie’s goal had also already given players an opportunity to show their support for Di Canio.
Johnstone’s Paint Trophy: It may only be the paint pot but with Wembley on the horizon, we’re all starting to get excited. A League One scalp, an Oliver Risser beauty, a Paul Caddis rocket and Phil Smith’s heorics the highlights thus far.
Charlton 2 Swindon 4: In hindsight, the win papered over the severe cracks that appeared last season but at the time, it was a brilliant win. Having only one away win all season, it looked an unlikely one. Charlie Austin and Sean Morrison scored their last goals for Swindon.
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Tags: FA Cup, Matt Ritchie, Paolo Di Canio, Wes Foderingham