Sport · Swindon
Swindon Town secure victory against nine-man Rotherham at the County Ground
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Swindon Town extended their unbeaten run to four games after a hard-fought 2-1 victory against a depleted Rotherham United side.
Swindon Town enjoyed a productive afternoon at the Nigel Eady County Ground on Halloween, securing a 2-1 win over a Rotherham United side that finished the match with nine men. The result continues Swindon's recent positive form, with the club now unbeaten in four matches.
The match was heavily influenced by disciplinary issues, with Rotherham's Jili Buyabu dismissed after just six minutes for an elbow on Jack Thomson. Despite the numerical advantage, Swindon found the visitors difficult to break down during the first half. The deadlock was eventually broken in stoppage time before the interval when Thomson fired a shot from 30 yards out, which took a deflection to beat goalkeeper Julian Eyestone.
Swindon manager Ian Holloway had made two changes to his starting line-up, bringing in Stephan Negru following illness and handing Billy Kirkman a start in place of the injured Sam Inwood. The home side struggled to find a breakthrough against a disciplined defensive structure for much of the first period, though the introduction of Joseph Hungbo offered increased attacking threat.
In the second half, Swindon managed the game with increased caution as they held their lead. The contest remained in the balance until the 77th minute when a last-man challenge by Dominic Iorfa on Matty Virtue resulted in a second red card for the visitors. Rotherham manager Alex Bruce was also sent off following his protestations regarding the decision. Hungbo capitalised on the resulting free kick, curling the ball into the top corner to extend Swindon's lead.
Rotherham substitute Denzel Hall scored a late consolation goal after a rare error by Swindon goalkeeper Connor Ripley, but the home side held firm to claim all three points. The match was attended by 7,515 spectators, including 406 visiting fans.
Match Facts
Swindon Town: Ripley, Clark, Negru, Ball, Nichols, Snowdon, Drinan, Virtue, Thomson, Butler, Kirkman.
Rotherham United: Eyestone, Rafferty, Austerfield, Ngwenya, Mullin, Hall, Fitzgerald, Nemane, Buyabu, Iorfa, Cover.
Attendance: 7,515
Source: Swindon Advertiser — Sport · View original