SWINDON Town had the fight taken right out them as a calamitous first half ended their FA Cup challenge against a manful and hardworking Cheltenham Town, with the home side taking the tie 5-0.

Town started in complete control as they looked to end their Whaddon Road hoodoo, dominating proceedings, even after Byron Harrison’s route one opener.

Nathan Thompson was at fault for that as he got stuck under the ball but his greater sin was to come ten minutes later as he apparently denied Terry Gornell a goal-scoring opportunity and saw red. It might have been harsh but it was also a stupid foul.

Gornell added to the misery in the Swinon dugout as he doubled the League One side’s lead before half-time, poking home from a corner routine.

Further second half goals from Harrison and then a Matt Richards’ volley meant history repeated itself as Town got shellacked in the first round for the second year running.

The afternoon was summed up by Cheltenham’s sixth, Raphael Branco, on as a sub, weakly chesting back to Wes Foderingham allowing Harrison back between for his third open goal of the game.

Michael Smith sat out a game for the first time in a month, allowing mid-week hero Andy Williams to start. Nathan Byrne also returned on the right hand-side and Branco was included on the bench.

Swindon set out their stall early on and spent the first five minutes camped out in the home side’s half. The League Two team appeared to lack the resources to apply the same sort of pressure some of Town’s recent opponents. Then disaster struck as Cheltenham scored a goal straight from the FA Cup upset playbook.

Trevor Carson punted a long kick straight down the middle and Town’s defence let it bounce. Nathan Thompson got himself trapped underneath it and his header bobbled off his head. Harrison was straight in behind him and he bundled past Foderingham and had the simplest of open goals to score into.

It was as basic a goal as you’re ever likely to see and Charles Reap would have been proud to see it in action, Mark Cooper probably less so.

Town were not rocked by the goal and fell back into their passing rhythm seamlessly, almost pretending as if their hosts’ goal never happened.

Then a combination of recklessness and some questionable decision making contrived to make Swindon’s job even harder. The ball was knocked past Nathan Thompson towards the corner with Terry Gornell after it. The Town skipper grabbed out brought down Gornell, who made the most of it. Thompson saw red.

Whether Thompson was denying a goal-scoring opportunity is open to debate, Cooper’s feelings on the decision were plain to see as he raged from the technical area.

Cheltenham continued to be the antithesis of all things Swindon Town, all direct play and set-pieces. It was from one of those that they doubled their lead. Initial good work from Rafa De Vita released Craig Braham-Barrett, his cross came through to Lee Vaughan who forced Foderingham to tip behind.

Cheltenham’s second go at the set-piece was nodded back across the face of goal by Harrison, allowing Gornell to poke home from less than a yard.

The goal broke Swindon’s spirit for the remainder of the half, as they barely created anything barring a couple of shots from distance and struggled to play their football against a buoyant home side.

After the break Cooper shuffled his formation. Gone were the three at the back, as Louis Thompson returned into the midfield three, Harry Toffolo and Byrne now operating as full-backs.

Cheltenham picked off Town’s shape change almost immediately. Exploiting the space left behind an advanced Byrne, Braham-Barrett mugged off Jack Stephens at the byline and drew Foderingham out of position. The full-back’s smart reverse pass left Harrison with another simple tap-in for his second and Cheltenham’s third.

Town were blunt and everything the home side did was coming off on their rare ventures forward. Next Steve Elliot was to hit the post from a corner and when that effort was only half cleared it came to Matt Richards, he let fly and saw his looped a volley go in from a good 25 yards.

Cheltenham could have had more, returning defender Branco came on from the bench and almost contrived to present the League One side with a fifth. Grappling with John Marquis he slipped and left the striker one-on-one but with only Foderingham to beat the striker put his shot harmlessly wide.

Town were almost equal in terms of shots and possession but after Nathan Thompson’s red card the home side had a clear lead in will and desire, Town gave up.

That feeling was compounded by Branco’s next mistake. Attempting to chest the ball back to Foderingham he failed to pay attention to Harrison on his shoulder, the striker nipping between defender and goalkeeper to score hit hat-trick and cap a woeful afternoon for Town.