TEN-MEN Swindon showed real spirit as they fought back from 2-0 down to earn a point at home to Leyton Orient, as they head into the play-offs without a win in five.

However Andy Williams will take confidence going into the end of season show-down after netting for the first time since the beginning of March from the penalty spot to secure the point, with Anton Rodgers scoring a delightful free-kick  on the hour mark.

Orient found themselves two goals to the good courtesy of strikes from Dean Cox and Chris Dagnall either side of the break after Tyrell Belford had seen red for bringing Dagnall down in the 19th minute.

There was nothing on the game for Swindon, with Town fans probably more interested on the goings on at Bramall Lane where Sheffield United were confirmed as Town’s play-off opposition with a 1-1 draw with Chesterfield.

As expected, it was another weakened side from Mark Cooper as he continues to plan for the play-offs.

There were nine changes to the side that limped to a 1-1 draw with Colchester on Tuesday night.

Harry Agombar and Josh Cooke were handed their full debuts as Tyrell Belford, John Swift, Jack Barthram, Rodgers, Raphael Branco, Will Randall and Sam Ricketts all started.

Unlike Tuesday night Swindon survived the opening minute without conceding but it wasn’t long before Town fans had their hearts in their mouths as Jay Simpson stung the palms of Tyrell Belford in the second minute.

Proceedings got worse for Swindon in the 19th minute when Chris Dagnall, who appeared to be offside, was played in behind the Swindon back line and, with only the keeper to beat, Tyrell Belford could only bring the forward down and Dean Whitestone had no choice but to show the stopper red.

As a result Cooke’s debut was curtailed as he was replaced by Tyrell Belford’s brother Cameron, his first appearance since April 2013, and his first action of the game was to deny Lloyd James from the penalty spot to the delight of the Swindon fans, who cheered his every touch after.

The reprieve for Swindon was short lived as, with the extra man, Orient started to impress themselves more on the game, often catching Swindon’s poor offside trap out with balls over the top.

The breakthrough came for the visitors, who needed a win to stay in the division, when Branco was caught needlessly in possession midway in his own half and with only Cameron Belford to beat Cox calmly side footed the ball home.

Orient doubled their lead less than two minutes after the break to all but put the contest to bed.

Cameron Belford pulled off a fine save to deny Jay Simpson but the ball was not cleared properly and Dagnall was on hand to score his first goal in eleven games.

The game was threatening to get out of hand when Cox saw and effort rattle off the crossbar just a minute later but a moment of brilliance form Rodgers gave Swindon a life-line.

Swift earned a soft looking free-kick on the edge of the box as he ran into Baudry in the 60th minute.

The Chelsea loanee took the resulting free-kick short and, with the free-kick too close to goal to get the ball up and down in time, Rodgers opted to flick the ball up for himself and on the volley found the top corner.

Ten-men Swindon pulled the game back level with five minutes to go when Ricketts made a rare jaunt forward and was adjudged to have been hauled to the ground by a sliding tackle from Luke O’Neill.

Williams, who had not scored since the 3-0 win over Notts County stepped up and blasted his penalty to give Cisak no chance.

Both sides had chances to snatch a late win but had to settle for a point each as Orient crashed out of League One.

SWINDON TOWN: T Belford, Branco, Ricketts (C), Turnbull (Stephens 45’), Barthram, Agombar (Marshall 63’), Rodgers, Swift, Randall, Williams, Cooke (C Belford 19’)

Unused subs: Jones, T Smith, Barker, M Smith

 LEYTON ORIENT: Cisak, Omozusi (Lowry 55’), Baudry, Cox (Cuthbert 81’), James, Clarke, Wright, Bartley, Dagnall, O’Neill, Simpson(McAnuff  74’)

Unused subs: Woods, Mooney, Batt, Hedges

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 8,609 (1,131)