LOUIS Thompson’s dramatic late winner propelled Swindon Town to within a point of the League One play-offs as Sheffield United were beaten 2-1 at the County Ground.

Thompson came off the bench to net his first professional goal to see off Nigel Clough’s side after Michael Doyle had cancelled out Miles Storey’s 18th minute opener.

Town manager Mark Cooper made two changes to the side which beat Tranmere Rovers 2-1 at Prenton Park on Tuesday night. Troy Archibald-Henville returned to the starting line-up in place of Raphael Branco and Lee Cox found himself on the pitch from the first whistle of a Swindon match for the first time since February 21, 2012, as Massimo Luongo missed out with a sore calf.

After a quiet opening quarter of an hour, Town took the lead in the 18th minute. Ben Gladwin picked out the run of Storey with an excellent throughball and the young striker scored for the second match in a row with a delicious finish, high to Mark Howard’s right.

The visitors were woeful in the first half but enjoyed two glorious chances to level the tie in the 36th minute. Firstly, Wes Foderingham saved well from Connor Coady low to his left and then got up high to his right to keep out John Brayford’s header when the centre-back was left unmarked at the subsequent corner.

After the break Sheffield United improved and, as Town sat further and further back, the away side equalised in the 59th minute. Stefan Scougall and Kieron Freeman combined down the right to see up Doyle for a simple tap-in at the back post.

Foderingham made another sensational stop to prevent Coady from prodding home for the Blades in the final minute of the regular 90 and it proved crucial, as Swindon counter-attacked and Nathan Byrne fed Thompson to scrambled the ball beyond Howard.