SWINDON Town set off home from the seaside whistling a happy tune after a man from across the channel struck the decisive blow to seal their second victory of the season.

Frenchman Fabien Robert provided the necessary second-half breakthrough – his third goal in three outings – to see Mark Cooper’s men edge out newly-promoted Southend United at Roots Hall.

A low strike from Nathan Byrne called Southend’s highly-rated stopper Daniel Bentley into early action but Town suffered a blow with less than ten minutes on the clock as skipper Nathan Thompson hobbled off injured, appearing to clutch his groin as he left the field of play.

With 13 minutes on the clock, the Shrimpers threatened as David Worrall cut onto his right foot and whipped a cross in from the left flank.

Former Republic of Ireland international Noel Hunt connected with a glancing header but couldn’t quite direct the effort on target.

That sparked a brief period of sustained pressure from the home side but Town keeper Lawrence Vigouroux twice commandingly came to the fore for the visitors, catching a Jack Payne cross with authority and rushing off his line to expertly beat Hunt to the ball.

But once Southend were finished turning the screw, the contest reached a momentary impasse, with neither team able to muster up a clear-cut opportunity, right up until Hunt found space and curled an effort narrowly wide of the near post.

Up the other end, even though Byrne comically slipped on the ball during a fine piece of build-up play, the move still ended with Robert stroking not far wide of the mark.

But in truth, the match began to wilt in the sweltering heat and limped towards half-time as the two teams went into the break at level-pegging.

The hosts did manage to crank up the temperature inside the first minute of the second period, with a deflection off the foot of Raphael Branco rolling kindly into the path of Hunt, but Vigouroux was just about equal to the Southend man’s attempt.

Four minutes later, United should have been ahead when ex-Town man Michael Timlin robbed Drissa Traore of the ball and played it out to Worrall, whose cross was headed back into the danger zone by Hunt.

Payne’s timing was perfect as he arrived at the edge of the box but the Shrimpers man dragged his strike wide when he should really have punished Swindon.

Just past the hour mark, Hunt failed to get a decent connection on Ben Coker’s teasing low cross and that let-off sparked Town to rush up the other end of Roots Hall to take the lead.

Byrne’s clever through ball teed up Robert in the area and the French midfielder confidently lifted the ball over the onrushing Bentley and into the net to grab his third goal in as many games.

Winger Byrne came close to doubling Town’s advantage in a heartbeat when he broke on the counter-attack and battled past Luke Prosser, only to drag his strike wide of the mark.

A long throw from Adam Leonard almost paid dividends for the Essex men in the 73rd minute, with defender Adam Barrett rising above everyone and almost finding the net with a towering header.

Shrimpers substitute Myles Weston must have thought he’d levelled things up ten minutes from time when he headed goalwards from a promising position but Vigouroux pulled off a superb save to tip away the United man’s effort.

The hosts threw everything into snatching an equaliser at the death, with Joe Piggott drawing a fine acrobatic save from Vigouroux whilst full-back Coker drilled an effort just over the bar.

Goalie Bentley even went up to add extra attacking impetus for an added-time corner kick but Town were the big fish on the day as they held on for a hard-fought three points.

SWINDON TOWN: Lawrence Vigoroux, Nathan Thompson (Drissa Traore 10), Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Fabien Robert, Jordan Williams, Jordan Turnbull, Yaser Kasim, Michael Smith (Miles Storey 85), Nathan Byrne, Anton Rodgers (Kevin Stewart 68), Raphael Branco.

Subs not used: Tyrell Belford, James Brophy, Lee Marhsall, Bradley Barry.

Referee: Andy Woolmer

Attendance: 5839