As Mark Cooper’s side look forward to a tough challenge at Bramall Lane next weekend, we take a look back to a rare success in Sheffield – at Hillsborough almost 40 years ago.

In January 1976 both Town and Wednesday were embroiled in a bottom of the table scrap.

Swindon arrived in the steel city with a record of only one league win on the road all season, with just one point taken from their last eight trips.

Their hosts had not won in Division Three in their last ten attempts and that would be reflected in a meagre attendance of 8,342.

Former Owls’ manager Danny Williams was forced to make one change from the side that had gained a narrow 2-1 home victory over Port Vale a week earlier, when centre-half Frank Burrows failed a late fitness test on an ankle.

But there was good news for the travelling fans when the ex-Wednesday favourite Colin Prophett was available after having been absent with a pelvic problem since September.

Town could have gone a goal down midway through the opening half when keeper Jim Barron was beaten by Wednesday’s Rodger Wylde.

The ball cannoned off the underside of the crossbar and appeared to have crossed the line.

But referee Bert Newsome was unmoved by the home side’s appeals and just eight minutes later they went behind.

Alan Thompson lost possession when challenged by Dave Syrett and Will Dixon seized the opportunity to take aim from 20 yards and fire wide of Barry Watling.

And the former youth product Syrett celebrated his 20th birthday earlier in the week by grabbing a second for Town four minutes after the interval.

A Trevor Anderson drive was pushed on to a post by the debutant keeper, but the alert Syrett was on hand to net from the rebound.

Both clubs enjoyed marginally improved form – gaining 21 points from their remaining 21 games – and on the final day they both managed to escape the drop zone, by just a single point!