SWINDON Town squandered a two goal lead as they finished the game with nine men in their 2-2 draw with Rochdale.

Jonathan Obika gave the visitors the perfect start in the second minute before Will Henry, on debut, saved a penalty from Ian Henderson.

Nathan Thompson had given Town a two goal cushion in first half injury time but Jamie Allen replied less than a minute later to halve the deficit.

When Louis Thompson saw red for a second yellow card after 58 minutes, Dale had their tails up and their pressure told when Matt Lund equalised in the 67th minute.

Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill saw red for a kick out on Grant Holt in the 88th minute but Swindon were able to hold on for the point.

Swindon made three changes to the side that beat Chesterfield a week prior as goalkeeper Henry was handed his debut.

Ormonde-Ottewill was making his first start since being suspended by the club, while Anton Rodgers came in to replace Yaser Kasim, who was in the matchday squad.

Luke Williams was unable to name a recognised goalkeeper on the bench but there was a first place for first-year scholar Scott Twine.

It took Town less than two minutes to break the deadlock when Ormonde-Ottewill, playing at right back, drove at the heart of the Rochdale defence before playing in Obika who gained his composure before slotting the ball under the body of on-rushing Josh Lillis.

Henry showed some early nerves and Rochdale almost capitalised in the sixth minute when Nathaniel Mendez-Laing rounded the on-rushing goalkeeper but his angle was made tight and he was unable to find a route to goal as Swindon eventually got the men back to snuff out the danger.

Henry was then handed his moment to shine when Nathan Thompson took a loose touch in the box and Ian Henderson got in front of the Town defender before taking a tumble.

The Rochdale forward picked himself up to take responsibility of the spot kick but Henry got down low to his left and was able to touch the ball onto the post before it was hurried away from danger.

The hosts continued to grow into the game and it was Henry again who was on hand to deny Joe Bunney at the back post in the 27th minute when it looked like a certain goal.

It was Lillis at the other end who was then forced to pull off some acrobatics as he denied Anton Rodgers’ free-kick that looked destined for the top corner.

Henry was pulled into another stop before the break when a Donal McDermott free-kick looped over everyone in the box but the Town youngster kept his eye on the ball all the way to deny Dale.

Swindon doubled their advantage in stoppage time when a Michael Doughty free-kick was headed into the top corner by Nathan Thompson.

However, Rochdale struck back immediately as Allen let rip from 30 yards out to find the top corner – a shot Henry could do little about.

The second half started at a slower pace but it turned when Louis Thompson saw his second yellow card of the game for a foul on Andy Cannon on the edge of the box and was given his marching orders.

It took nine minutes for Rochdale to make the man advantage tell as substitute Lund was left unmarked at the back post and he was able to dive low to meet a cross from the right and find the net off the post.

Nicky Ajose saw a free-kick from 30 yards out skim the post of Lillis but when Ormonde-Ottewill saw a straight red for a kick-out on Holt on the floor challenge for Swindon was made even worse.

However, the nine men were able to dig deep and restricted the number of chances the hosts had in the six minutes of added time and held out for a point.

SWINDON TOWN: Henry, Ormonde-Ottewill, Branco, N Thompson, Turnbull, Brophy, Rodgers Sendles-White 83’), L Thompson, Doughty, Ajose, Obika

Unused subs: Iandolo, Cooke, Evans, Young, Balmy, Twine

Referee: Mr S Duncan

Attendance: 2,806