THE WEATHER might have been bitter but there were plenty of hearts warmed by Swindon Town’s latest impressive away win, a 4-1 success at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium.

With no handy local derby available Mark Cooper and his side had to settle for a trip to the Midlands but got their reward as a second-half blizzard saw they away side add three goals before the hour and coast their way home.

Michael Smith, the scorer of Town’s second minute opener created two for his strike partner Andy Williams with Massimo Luongo scoring the other.

Tom Bradshaw had given the Saddlers parity after Smith’s first but Walsall had no answer after Luongo put Town ahead again barely a minute after the restart.

Four goals, with only one in reply was an ideal return for Cooper, after the flat performance on the weekend prior to Christmas in defeat to Doncaster. Though Town’s promotion rivals also won it was key to show an improved performance and take three points to keep up the pace.

Cooper made two changes to the side that were so insipid in defeat at home to Doncaster Rovers. Raphael Branco, new contract freshly minted came into the backline as Yaser Kasim dropped to the bench and Jack Stephens moved back into the holding midfield role. Up top Smith replaced Jonathan Obika, with the former Tottenham man without a goal in December.

Town and Smith could not have asked for a more perfect start to the game. With virtually their first attack the visitors found themselves in the lead.

Luongo turned away from his man on the right-hand side and delivered a clipped cross for Smith, who was only loosely marked, the Geordie made easy work of placing his side-foot volley past O'Donnell in the Saddlers' goal to give Town a prized advantage.

Town settled into their rhythm well on the ball, making the most of the greasy surface to play their stuff but Walsall looked dangerous on the break with Jordan Cook, Anthony Forde and Romaine Sawyers flitting around behind Bradshaw.

It was a combination of three of those four that brought Walsall back into the game. Sawyers, drew Nathan Thompson out of position to challenge for a header, the ball fell into midfield and was fed into the path of Forde, Jordan Turnbull was with him but his slid clearance only came to Bradshaw who cooly placed home.

Town were certainly not having it all their way with the Saddlers showing more adventure than is custom in the face of Cooper’s side. There were chances at both ends as both side’s attacking set-up left space in to play in. Ben Gladwin for Town and Cook for Walsall both having opportunities to hit the target in the opening half hour, both failed to do so.

Luongo, looking more himself after a week off against Donny, was at the fore, combining well with Byrne down the right and looking like the man most capable of creating a second for Town.

Despite a series of corners and threatening crosses coming in from either side Town were unable to regain the lead before the break.

In fact it was Walsall’s Forde who came closest to adding another goal, curling a free-kick inches wide of Wes Foderingham’s right post from a good 25 yards.

As a half of football though it was at least worth the journey for those travelling from Wiltshire, or even further.

No sooner was the second half underway and Town had the lead again. Byrne led a break up the pitch from A Walsall corner and played a sideways pass into the path of Luongo who steadied himself and fired past O'Donnell to make it 2-1.

As the snow swirled around a freezing Bescot the home fans were starting to feel the bite as Andy Williams added a third before the 50-minute mark. Smith won a battle with James Chambers and put through an off-balance Williams, Town’s elder statesman chopped his feet and with his first touch lifted a delicious little dink over O’Donnell as the keeper came out.

Walsall were collapsing and could do little about it as Williams added his second and Town’s fourth before the hour. Smith again the creator for his strike partner, measuring a perfect cross across the box for Williams to clip home with a delicate touch.

After the fourth it was much like the final throes at Notts County, Swindon clearly in control but happy to see the game out with the points in the Christmas stocking. The only element that could have threatened the win was the weather. A heavy snow storm making it tough to pick the Town players in their white kit. By the end their end there were plenty of pretty patterns across the pitch where the Robins passes had been zipped across the surface, it looked like a tactician whiteboard.