10:45am Wednesday 10th March 2010
By Anthony Marshall
DANNY Wilson has rarely played the role of tinkerman since his arrival at Swindon 15 months ago, but the boss admitted he may have got it wrong with his double change at Milton Keynes Dons last night.
Captain Gordon Greer and 13-goal front man Charlie Austin were somewhat surprisingly dropped to the bench as Wilson looked for a response from Saturday’s humiliation at the hands of local rivals Bristol Rovers.
The duo’s replacements, Sean Morrison and Vincent Pericard, did little to impress – with Morrison at fault for Dons’ first goal – and were withdrawn early in the second half for Greer and Austin.
But by then the damage was done, with the hosts two up through Aaron Wilbraham and James Tunnicliffe, and more than happy to sit on their lead.
A stoppage time strike from Danny Ward raised little more than a smile among Town’s band of travelling supporters, for it was too little too late, and Wilson explained his selection decision.
“I keep saying that we’ve got a squad of players who are champing at the bit to play, and with the games coming up in the next few weeks, we will need everybody in peak form,” he told the Advertiser.
“Sean did well when he came in for his last game, and Vince was ready for a game. The two boys who were left out, we thought we would give them a little bit of a breather, because there is a lot of pressure on them all the time as a club captain and centre-forward.
“This is a game we thought we can go and see what we’re made of. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out that way.
“Maybe it was right or wrong to do it. In hindsight, you will turn round and say the result suggests we were possibly wrong. But at the same time I wouldn’t hesitate doing it again because I believe it is the right thing to do.”
If Town’s defensive change was intended to shore them up, it backfired spectacularly as they got off to the worst possible start with 65 seconds on the clock.
Luke Chadwick robbed Sean Morrison, sprinted away from Scott Cuthbert and, although his shot was saved by David Lucas, the loose ball fell straight into the path of Aaron Wilbraham, who tucked into the empty net.
Swindon’s first opportunity came on 10 minutes, when Jonathan Douglas fed Danny Ward and, after a mazy dribble, he forced Dons keeper Willy Gueret into a low save. But the hosts were soon back on top, with Chadwick’s cross finding Mark Carrington unmarked in the middle of the area, but the midfielder somehow failed to test Lucas.
In the 14th minute Town were almost back on level terms. Jon-Paul McGovern’s delivery from the right took a slight deflection off Dean Lewington and fell invitingly for Billy Paynter. The 22-goal top scorer met it on the volley, but saw his 15-yard effort crash against the cross bar and away with Gueret beaten.
The visitors were beginning to have more of the play and Alan Sheehan warmed Gueret’s palms from a free-kick before, straight up the other end, Jermaine Easter fired over having played a neat one-two with Carrington.
But Town were inches away from drawing level on 35 minutes when McGovern’s cross was only half cleared.
Jonathan Douglas, standing just outside the area, flicked the ball up for himself up before striking a low drive which beat Gueret, struck the inside of the upright, rolled back across the goalmouth and somehow stayed out. It was a miss that Swindon were left to rue two minutes later as the Dons doubled their lead.
Peter Leven’s corner was inch-perfect and defender James Tunnicliffe escaped him marker to head firmly past Lucas.
Having twice been denied by the woodwork in the first half, it wasn’t a case of third time lucky right on the stroke of half-time. Ward did well to get to the by-line, and his centre was met by Paynter a couple of yards out.
It seemed to take the striker by surprise, however, and under pressure from David McCracken, he managed to bundle the ball against the post and to safety.
Swindon started the second period brightly in a bid to get back in the game, but it was the Dons who again looked more clinical in the final third, with Mark Randall striking just wide five minutes in.
With 58 minutes played, Wilson took his first two throws of the dice by bringing on axed duo Greer and Austin at the expense of Morrison and Pericard. But they continued to lack the attacking spark and defensive solidity which has summed up their season so far.
Paynter headed wide Sheehan’s free-kick on 74 minutes, but clear cut chances were few and far between despite an abundance of possession.
Randall went close for Dons with a dipping strike from distance, and Lewington headed wide at the far post as they looked to put the contest to bed And the less said about a long range Kevin Amankwaah effort for Swindon with 10 minutes remaining, which troubled the scoreboard more than Gueret, the better.
Ward pulled one back in stoppage time with a rising strike which gave Gueret no chance, but it was Amankwaah’s effort which summed up Town’s night - promising situation, good position, but must do better.
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