Fleetwood Town 0 Swindon Town 2: Simon Grayson's players come up short against strugglers

Fleetwood Town’s six-match unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt as Swindon Town eased to a well-earned win at Highbury.
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The visitors, who had been on an awful run of form heading into the weekend, deserved victory as they reignited their survival battle.

Fleetwood boss Simon Grayson had stuck with the same starting XI from Tuesday’s win against Ipswich Town.

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Loanee Janoi Donacien was back on the bench after he was ineligible to face his parent club in midweek, while Callum Camps was also named as a substitute with Josh Morris and Mark Duffy dropping out of the 18.

Fleetwood Town's Shayden Morris runs at the Swindon Town defence Picture: Stephen Buckley/PRiME Media Images LimitedFleetwood Town's Shayden Morris runs at the Swindon Town defence Picture: Stephen Buckley/PRiME Media Images Limited
Fleetwood Town's Shayden Morris runs at the Swindon Town defence Picture: Stephen Buckley/PRiME Media Images Limited

The game began in cagey fashion before Swindon took the lead in the fifth minute.

Scott Twine bagged the first goal Town had conceded in five matches, turning inside Callum Connolly before tucking a low effort past Alex Cairns from 12 yards.

It was a stunning early blow for Grayson’s men, who came close to a swift response when Connolly headed narrowly wide from Dan Batty’s corner.

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Swindon’s tails were still up, however, and after 15 minutes the hosts had James Hill to thank as he got in the way of Jack Payne’s goalbound strike.

Payne threatened again minutes later when he lashed an effort into the side-netting.

The home side threatened with another set-piece in the 38th minute, Hill heading Danny Andrew’s inswinging corner wide of Lee Camp’s goal.

Swindon almost went two clear just before the interval when Matty Palmer’s arrowing strike fizzed inches off target.

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Into the second half and the woodwork saved Swindon seven minutes after the restart.

After the hosts had made an impressive and more purposeful start to the second period, Kyle Vassell played in Ged Garner, only for his poked effort to strike the base of a post.

It was starting to look like it might not be Fleetwood’s day, an impression confirmed when Twine struck again on the hour mark.

He pounced clinically on a rebound after Payne’s powerful shot was blocked into his path by Jordan Rossiter.

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With a mountain to climb, Town almost halved the deficit in the 74th minute when Andrew’s deflected shot flicked over the crossbar.

Wes Burns was also denied by Camp but this had most definitely been Swindon’s day.

Fleetwood Town: Cairns, Hill, Connolly, Holgate (Camps 61), Burns, Finley (Morris 61), Rossiter, Batty, Andrew, Vassell, Garner. Subs not used: Coleman, Saunders, Donacien, Biggins, Rydel.

Swindon Town: Camp, Iandolo, Odimayo, A Grant, Caddis, Twine, Payne, Missilou (Lyden, 69, Garrick 82), Palmer, Thompson, Pitman. Subs not used: Matthews, Smith, J Grant, Curran, Hope.

Referee: Graham Salisbury.

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