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What a start!Coca-Cola League One
RESULT: Swindon Town 2 Nottingham Forest 1
Swindon Scorers: J Perch (og) 35, I Breckin (og) 82
Forest scorer: L Chambers 63
High flying Nottingham Forest failed to rain on Maurice Malpas's parade as the new Town manager.
The Swindon boss, who only took over on Tuesday, inspiring his players to what many described as their best home performance of the season.
A much deserved 2-1 win in front of 10,000 fans that Town amazingly managed to secure without actually putting the ball in the net – relying on two own goals to take the points.
In game played in atrocious conditions on a deteriorating County Ground Town it was Town who dominated from the opening whistle. The midfield of Peacock and McGovern running the show, with strikers Paynter and Sturrock causing all sorts of problems for the Forest defence.
Pressure that finally paid dividends in the 35 minute, when a Jon-Paul McGovern free kick was turned into his own net by defender James Perch.
A goal that was just desserts for a Swindon side who were making their opponents look anything but title contenders.
Equaliser
The second-half began much the same way as the first, with the home side totally in control.
However, against the run of play Forest snatched an equaliser in the 63rd minute with their first attempt on target – Luke Chambers heading home an Aaron Davies corner.
Even this set-back didn't seem to knock the home side as they went immediately up the other end and Blair Sturrock was denied in the most bizarre of fashion as his shot looked to be heading into the bottom corner – only for it to get stuck in the mud and stop agonisingly short of the line. The home fans disappointment was heightened by Forest substitute Julian Bennett who taunted the Town End only for it to be spotted by the Fourth Official, who duly informed the Referee and a yellow card was shown.
Minutes later his yellow card was out again as a mass brawl broke out following a nasty looking tackle from Grant Holt on the outstanding Miguel Comminges. Both players were booked, Holt for the tackle and Comminges for his reaction afterwards. The increasingly impressive Blair Sturrock was replaced with 11 minutes to go by new loan signing Moses Ashikodi – whose impact was almost immediate. The pacey striker released McGovern down the right, whose cross was once again diverted into his own net, this time by the helpless Ian Breckin.
Again, this was no more than the home side deserved and it proved decisive. Forest unable to re-group in time, apart from a late effort that Brezovan safely hung onto.
The lifts Swindon into 11th place in the table with two games in hand on a number of sides above them.
Swindon are now unbeaten in seven games and will visit Barnet on Tuesday night full of confidence and looking to advance into the fourth round of the F.A. Cup – to face either local rivals Bristol Rovers of Premiership side Fulham. The League One Table:
1 Swansea 24 25 50
2 Carlisle 25 14 45 ------------------------ 3 Nottm Forest 25 22 44 4 Doncaster 26 15 44 5 Leeds 27 26 43 6 Leyton Orient 27 -2 43 ------------------------- 7 Walsall 27 10 42 8 Southend 26 2 37 9 Tranmere 27 1 37 10 Yeovil 27 -3 37 11 Swindon 25 3 35 12 Brighton 25 3 35 13 Oldham 25 2 33 14 Northampton 27 -7 32 15 Huddersfield 26 -16 31 16 Bristol Rovers 24 -1 30 17 Hartlepool 26 -2 30 18 Gillingham 25 -11 30 19 Crewe 26 -15 28 20 Cheltenham 25 -14 27 --------------------------- 21 Millwall 25 -11 26 22 Luton 25 -2 23 23 Port Vale 27 -18 20 24 Bournemouth 26 -21 20 NEXT GAME:
Barnet (a)
Tuesday 22 January 2008, 7.45pm
F.A. Cup Third Round Replay |
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