Shaun Reynolds' Full Report as Swindon Town earn a 1-1 draw at home to Milton Keynes Dons

Dominance in the second half paid dividends for Phil Brown’s men as tactical changes on the hour mark transformed Town’s latest contest – in which they trailed the visiting side for virtually 90 minutes.

The game followed a similar pattern to Swindon’s 1-1 draw at Forest Green Rovers just a week earlier.

While Town will perhaps reflect on the day as a point gained rather than two dropped, the game could have swung either way as a series of chances for both teams went begging through a mixture of resolute defending and world class goalkeeping.

The result thrilled the County Ground faithful for a third time in as many home games this season, especially after Town were denied three penalty calls amid their period of dominance.

Boss Brown made no changes from the side that earned a point at the New Lawn against Forest Green last weekend, with a 4-3-3 formation adopted.

It did not take long – four minutes in fact – for Paul Tisdale’s Dons side to take the lead when a corner on the right was converted by Joe Walsh.

Walsh escaped his marker inside the penalty area to volley home Dean Lewington’s in-swinger, leaving goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux rooted to his goal line.

Town’s top scorer, Michael Doughty, almost bagged an equaliser straight from kick-off when his accurate header following Jermaine McGlashan’s tee-up was tipped over, although Doughty was later flagged for offside.

A lapse in concentration from Town centre-back pair Olly Lancashire and Sid Nelson gifted the visitors a chance to double their lead on 19 minutes.

Lancashire chased Kieran Agard down the left, while Nelson lost Alex Gilbey, who made a storming solo run into the penalty area. Fortunately, Agard’s cross was low, allowing Nelson to put the ball out for a corner.

Stevan Alzate then rescued a mix-up at the back before feeding the ball to Marc Richards, whose flick found a sprinting Keshi Anderson.

Anderson’s effort was blocked though, before being gathered by Lee Nicholls in the Dons goal.

Hesitation from Callum Brittain when contesting a header with Anderson with 10 minutes left in the opening half led to Doughty being fouled on the edge of Dons’ penalty area.

Doughty stepped up to take the free-kick himself, but his effort was placed fractionally over the Milton Keynes crossbar.

Town had a golden opportunity to equalise with one minute remaining in the first half following an accurate pass from Matt Taylor inside the Swindon half in the direction of McGlashan.

McGlashan switched play to Anderson on the left, who in turn picked out Richards on the penalty spot. Richards’ effort beat keeper Nicholls, but went wide of the goalkeeper’s left post.

It proved Town’s last chance of the half as Tisdale’s troops entered the tunnel a goal ahead.

The visitors were quickly out of the blocks at the start of the second half, namely Jordan Houghton.

Houghton was unchallenged from 30 yards out before unleashing a powerful drive that crashed off the underside of Vigouroux’s crossbar before Town regained possession from the rebound.

Houghton’s exceptional effort was followed up by Jordan Moore-Taylor’s drive from 20 yards, which forced Vigouroux into making a diving save to his left – pushing the ball behind for a corner.

Dons’ efforts were followed by a relatively weak strike from Martin Smith, who tried his luck from range after Richards’ dangerous header back into play following a Taylor cross that was cleared.

Milton Keynes were then presented with the best chance of the half on 56 minutes when Alex Gilbey made a run into the box before flashing a cross across the face of goal, which Robbie Simpson couldn’t quite reach with half of Vigouroux’s goal gaping in front of him.

Swindon were then denied what many fans considered to be a penalty when Alzate was fouled while running parallel with the edge of the Dons 18-yard box.

Town were again denied a penalty shout when Adebayo’s effort struck Brittain before being deflected behind for a corner, which the visitors cleared.

Vigouroux made a second spectacular save on 71 minutes when Dean Lewington’s accurate free-kick from the edge of the box was tipped behind for a corner.

Amid Town’s dominance, Lewington almost doubled Dons’ lead with 10 minutes remaining when his top-corner bound header from a corner was punched wide by Vigouroux, his third key save of the half.

A third penalty claim was turned down by referee Trevor Kettle, despite substitute Ellis Iandolo’s cross from the left striking Baily Cargill on the wrist.

Anderson was then foulded while making a bursting run in the direction of the Dons box, although Taylor’s subsequent free-kick was comfortably blocked.

The late surge resulted in Town eventually grabbing a goal, though, as Adebayo latched onto a loose ball to earn the hosts a deserved point.