All up in the air as Town find themselves bottom

6:20am Monday 6th September 2010

By Anthony Marshall

THERE is no need for any heading practice at the training ground this week after Swindon faced a near-constant aerial bombardment at Brunton Park.

But Charlie Austin will be wishing he had kept his in front of goal as Town were forced to return from Cumbria with a solitary point.

Carlisle peppered the visitors’ penalty area with set piece after set piece, racking up 18 corners during an incessant afternoon’s work.

But each one was repelled with a confidence and assurance that has been lacking in Swindon’s rearguard recently.

It was only when it came to the other end of the pitch, however, that Danny Wilson’s side were unusually not firing on all cylinders.

Austin, normally so prolific inside the penalty area, was the chief culprit as he took the gloss off a fine individual display by spurning a number of good goalscoring opportunities.

The worst of which came late on as the 21-year-old raced through one-on-one before skying his effort clear over the bar, but Wilson refused to blame his young protégé for picking up only point instead of three.

“Yes, we are going to get chances and yes, in normal circumstances Charlie would take them,” said the boss.

“But we’re not going to be critical. On another day he would bury those. Maybe he had a little bit too much time to think about it. Was that a problem? I don’t know.

“They were good chances and Charlie is going to be disappointed, but we’re not disappointed with him because he gets in great areas. He will (let the miss get to him), because that’s what strikers do. They are disappointed when they don’t take opportunities.

“He will be disappointed, but he will get over it soon and be champing away to make up for it next week.”

A tame first half did not spark into life until the 18th minute, when Carlisle midfielder Francois Zoko wrestled his way past Kevin Amankwaah on the edge of the area, only for the Swindon full-back to redeem himself with a timely intervention as Zoko pulled the trigger.

The visitors slowly took a grip on proceedings and Michael Timlin’s superb ball sent Austin clear of the defence, but he surprisingly dragged his effort well off target.

They continued to press though and when Jon-Paul McGovern let fly with a volley from the edge of the box after Vincent Pericard headed into his path, it looked like the breakthrough.

But the flowing move which was worthy of a goal ended with McGovern’s strike flying inches past the upright.

It was after the break when Swindon really began to gain the upper hand on proceedings, although Carlisle briefly threatened through debuatant Lubo Michalik’s header.

With every corner soaked up and dealt with, the confidence was visibly rising in those in red and white, and Vincent Pericard and Austin both should have done better when afforded a couple of yards of space inside the box.

It was on 67 minutes when the opener should have arrived. Jon-Paul McGovern delivered a deep chipped cross which looked for a split-second to be heading straight in.

That must have been the thought on Austin’s mind too as the youngster chose to not make contact and watched in horror as it sailed the wrong side of the far post.

Substitute David Ball was soon to get in on the act as well. The lively Manchester City loanee - brought on in place of former Carlisle favourite Vincent Pericard - latched onto Austin’s flicked header and lobbed home keeper Adam Collin.

But while his effort was accurate, it lacked power and Michalik recovered to hook clear.

With both teams desperately searching for the winner, the game opened up and with it came Austin’s horror moment.

With the game entering stoppage time, Alan Sheehan lofted a delivery into the feet of Ball, whose flick caught out the Carlisle defence.

Austin was away with just Collin to beat but somehow managed to blaze over the bar and sum up a frustrating afternoon.

“As the game went on I thought we took control of it, and you could see that by the chances and our interplay,” said Wilson.

“Maybe the problem was that we didn’t have that little bit of quality right at the end.”