Swindon’s 18-game hell

Thursday, 07/04/2011

by Michael Baker, Shoot's Swindon blogger

Swindon’s decline reached new lows this week as Town’s winless run stretched to 18 games, a time span of three months.

The Robins entered Saturday’s match on the back of an away defeat to Exeter despite promising performances at both Huddersfield and Brighton, with manager Paul Hart condemning the poor finishing in each of the three away tests.

Town huffed and puffed but couldn’t blow Hartlepool United’s house down, as the two sides’ League One encounter ended in a 1-1 draw at the County Ground.

After Evan Horwood had given the visitors a first-half lead following a poor piece of goalkeeping from Phil Smith, who inexplicably rolled the ball straight to the Pools' left-back’s feet, Town rallied to dominate the second period.

Hartlepool’s cause was not helped by the dismissal of Gary Liddle for a poor challenge on Paul Caddis, and Matt Ritchie capped a superb individual display with a goal – rising to head Caddis’ cross past Scott Flinders on 67 minutes.

From then on Swindon peppered the visitors’ area to no avail, as chances for Elliot Benyon, Calvin Andrew, Alassane N’Diaye, Ritchie and David Prutton all went begging and Town’s miserable winless run continued.

Meanwhile, Alan O’Brien’s Swindon Town career looks to be at an end after boss Paul Hart confirmed the Irish midfielder is unlikely to play for him this season.

The former Newcastle winger has struggled to force his way into the reckoning since joining Town back in July 2009, with a recurrent hamstring problem having played a part in his failure to hold down a prolonged run in the first team.

Town must now travel to a Brentford side looking to bounce back from their Johnstone Paint Trophy final defeat to Carlisle at Wembley last weekend.

The Bees are an altogether different proposition under Nicky Forster, offering fluid, attacking football and, with the former striker infamous with Swindon fans for his goalscoring prowess against them, the West London club should prove to stern test for a Town side desperate for three points.

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