FOR THE second successive visit, Jonathan Obika rescued Swindon Town at Doncaster Rovers’ Keepmoat Stadium with a late goal.

Andy Williams had looked like he had come back to haunt his old side when he put Donny ahead from the spot with little over 10 minutes left.

The man who notched 22 goals for Swindon in their play-off final run last season scored from the spot and looked as if he had sent his former manager Mark Cooper further into the mire with a fourth straight defeat.

But with the clock showing 90 minutes, Obika rose to head home Yaser Kasim’s corner and once again play the hero in Yorkshire. This time the striker was in a slightly less garish kit than the purple number in which he won the game in back in March. He will care not a jot.

Town had taken the lead through Nicky Ajose early in the second half, but became increasingly nervy trying to protect their slender advantage.

So much so that Keshi Anderson was able to equalise as the visitors failed to clear their lines, although I am sure they will argue they were left unfairly short-handed at the back with Drissa Traore down holding his head near halfway.

Obika pegging back Williams’ penalty for a late point will go some way to averting Town’s poor form, but their defensive display in the second half will do little to placate fans’ fears over their team’s weaknesses at the back.

Despite succumbing to their second defeat in a row at home to Colchester United just two days previously, Cooper opted to only make to one change to the side. James Brophy was handed left wing-back duties in the absence of Wes Thomas.

Fabien Robert was unleashed as a number 10, behind Ajose who had an opportunity to operate as a lone frontman.

In the opening stages Swindon certainly had the better of the ball. Robert was given a licence to flit in between the lines of midfield and defence.

Even just in the first 15 minutes the Frenchman looked so much more natural than he did as wing-back against the U’s.

The home side grew into the game as the clock ticked towards 20 minutes and had a fantastic chance to take the lead after a communication error between Raphael Branco and Traore. The Brazilian won a defensive header, but the Ivorian also went for the same ball and the clearance fell to Richard Chaplow in plenty of space.

The Donny midfielder slid a clever reverse pass into the path of Anderson and it took a wonderfully-timed sliding tackle from Jordan Williams to stop the striker from scoring.

After dealing with the corner, Town went down the other end and fashioned a half-chance of their own. Good work from Brophy on the left created an opportunity for Henrik Ojamaa to shoot first time from 18 yards, but Andy Butler scrambled across and manage to block the Estonian’s effort.

Travelling Town fans would have been nervous at the sight of Williams in the Rovers’ starting XI. The former Swindon man may not have replicated his form from last season so far this term, but the away supporters know full well what he is capable of.

However, Swindon’s top scorer of last season did not take the best opportunity of the first half. James Coppinger tied Ojamaa and Louis Thompson in knots down the Donny left and picked out Williams with a near-perfect cross. The striker rose with purpose but could only send his header wide.

By this point Rovers were well on top. Chaplow and Richie Wellens were getting the better of the midfield battle, where Kasim only looked interested in working in possession. Far too often he let runners go in behind and had the hosts not been so profligate, Swindon could have been behind at the break.

In one instance where Kasim was AWOL from his post, Anderson and Andy Williams combined to create a shooting chance for Middleton from the edge of the box. Luckily for Town the wide man suffered a temporary loss of technique and fired his effort high and wide.

Williams went a lot closer as the half ticked towards it conclusion. Branco was booked for blocking the run of nippy Cedric Evina on the left channel and from Chaplow’s set-piece, Swindon only half-cleared. Williams lined up an effort on the edge of the box but saw it deflected and spin just a yard wide of Ty Belford’s right post.

Barely a minute after half time Williams’ miss became so much more costly for Rovers and Town took a direct route to opening the scoring. Ojamaa knocked a lofted straight pass over the Donny back-line and sent Ajose scampering after it. Reaching the ball ahead of Thorsten Stuckmann, the striker lifted his effort over the keeper into the unguarded net.

If that was sharp from Ajose, then his next opportunity barely two minutes later was not. Again played in behind the defence, this time cutting in from the left, Ajose could only place his effort straight at keeper as he tried to find the inside of the far post.

After that early flurry Town sat back on their lead and struggled to get out as they rushed their clearances. Too often the ball was pumped high towards Ajose and it came straight back.

Although Rovers created little more than half-chances it was too easy for them to build up pressure and when they did equalise it came as little surprise.

Traore was on the ground clutching his face after a clash with Williams. There did not look enough to send the Town man to the floor and in his absence Rovers profited.

Wellens switched the ball to the left and Williams found Anderson in space to curl his effort around a full-length Belford to equalise.

Within 10 minutes Donny had the lead as Town’s composure crumbled. Coppinger wriggled past a challenge to get into the box and was tripped by Traore. Williams stepped up to take it and sent Belford the wrong way to bag only his third Donny goal.

With the game nearing its conclusion, Town stole a point as Obika was afforded too much space to head home Kasim’s corner.

It was an improved performance going forward for Town, but they were somewhat fortunate to leave with a point.

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