SWINDON Town head coach Luke Williams said hard work was the difference as his side secured a surprise 3-0 victory over in-form Rochdale.

Going into the game, Rochdale had won seven on the bounce, while Town had not won in four at home in the league and had not scored in 351 minutes of football.

However, it was Town who lifted themselves up the League One table and Williams said it was no more than his team deserved after a difficult period.

“I’m just really pleased for the players because I think they deserved that,” he told the local media.

“Hard work and concentration, I think was the key.

“Two clean sheets. We were coming to grips with things at Wimbledon and I think we went a step further this game against an extremely good team so I am very impressed with the players.

“They are a very good team and you could see that. I don’t think they played below par, I think our players were just very good and made it difficult for them.”

The deadlock was broken by an unlikely source as full-back Darnell Furlong swivelled in the box to fire home before Nathan Delfouneso finally got his league tally off the mark to give Town a two-goal advantage at the break.

Lawrence Vigouroux kept the advantage moments after the restart as he denied Ian Henderson from the penalty spot before Nathan Thompson added the finishing touch with 10 minutes remaining, after Joe Bunney had seen red for the visitors.

“He has been involved in goals this season and assists already,” commented Williams on Furlong’s opener.

“He has shown defensively that he is fantastic and all the time he is adding to his game because he is very driven and it was like a real striker’s goal.

“(Nathan Delfouneso) has made that run a lot and he has not been found enough.

“It is a balance between risk and reward for the players, not wanting to force too much and turn the ball over.

“The timing was spot on, the run was excellent and it got a well-deserved goal.

“(Nathan Thompson’s) performance warrants him taking (the last goal) because he puts himself on the line for every single action.

“However slight the contact is, I am sure he should claim it.”