SWINDON Town brought their run of 12 games without a win to an end as two second half goals in the space of five minutes secured a 2-1 win over Scunthorpe United in Martin Ling’s first home game in charge.

Raphael Branco was the unlikely candidate to get Swindon on track when he popped up in the box in the 55th minute to fires home before Nicky Ajose calmly placed the ball home on the hour-mark.

Jordan Clark pulled a goal back for the Iron in the 74th minute but Swindon were able to see a nervy 15 minute period out to record their first home success since the opening day of the season.

Martin Ling made three changes to the side that lost to Rochdale last weekend for his first home game in charge.

Ben Gladwin, Drissa Traore and Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill all coming in to replace, Yaser Kasim and Louis Thompson, both on international duty, with Henrik Ojamaa also dropping to the bench.

As promised, Jonathan Obika and Nicky Ajose played up front together and Ling went for three at the back with, Ormonde-Ottewill and Brad Barry playing as wing-backs.

Swindon, who were without a win in 12 going into the game, were desperate for the first goal of the tie, however it came, and it nearly got handed to them on a plate when mix up between Joe Anyon, in the Scunthorpe goal, and Niall Canavan on the edge of the box in the third minute nearly fell kindly for Obika to capitalise.

As in previous games, Swindon struggled moving forward with any kind of purpose until Gladwin took the responsibility by himself with a driving run and after he was hauled down on the edge of the box Anton Rodgers went within a whisker of putting the home side in front from the resulting free-kick.

The game failed to spark into life with neither side capable of creating any chances of any real meaning, until a few minutes before the break.

In the 37th minute, with loud shouts from the crowd to get the ball into the box, Rodgers obliged from a corner and David Mirfin directed the ball back towards his own goal before it was eventually scrambled clear.

It was another corner from Rodgers that created Town with another just moments before the interval when, this time taken short, he found Gladwin on the edge of the box whose shot was well blocked.

Scunthorpe broke immediately and Barry did well to twice deny Paddy Madden finding the decisive ball when left two-on-one, before making his way down the other end and seeing his headed effort just go wide on the stroke of half-time.

After the break Madden tested Lawrence Vigouroux in the Town goal immediately with a looping half-volley that the Swindon stopper had to see over his bar.

The game entered back into its first half lull for the following 10 minutes before Branco was able to five the home fans something to cheer about.

In the 55th minute Barry won a free-kick on the right, which is whipped into the box by Gladwin.

Obika got a head to it before Adam El-Abd knocked it down into the danger area and, with Scunthorpe failing to clear, Branco was there to fire home on the edge of the six-yard-box.

Town suddenly found some confidence and it wasn’t long before they were able to double their advantage in the 60th minute.

Gladwin found the ball in space and with Ajose making the run off him the midfielder picked him out before the forward to a touch to compose himself and then calmly slot beyond Joe Anyon.

Mark Robins responded immediately in putting on Darius Henderson and Luke Williams for Kevin Van Veen and Tommy Rowe.

The move had the desired effect as they duo both tested Vigouroux, with the latter forcing the Town stopper into a fine save in the 74th minute.

From the resulting corner, Gary McSheffrey was able to pick out Clarke free in the box who headed home for the visitors.

The former Coventry man thought he has hauled his side back level with five minutes to go as his free-kick from the right tattled the frame of Vigouroux’s goal.

However, Town were able to hold on and secure their first win since Crewe Alexandra away in September.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux, Barry, Branco, El-Abd, Turnbull, Ormonde-Ottewill, Rodgers, Traore, Gladwin (Robert 80’), Ajose, Obika (Thomas 75’)

Unused subs: Belford, Brophy, Iandolo, Ojamaa, Hylton 

SCUNTHORPE UNITED: Anyon, Clarke, Mirfin, Canavan, Wiseman, McAllister (Adelakun 90’), King, Rowe (Williams 65’), McSheffrey, Madden, van Veen (Henderson 61’).

Unused subs: Ledger, Goode, Boyce, Sutton

Attendance: 6,957 (320)

Referee: Iain Williamson