NICKY Ajose’s brace helped Swindon Town make it back-to-back League One wins for the first time this season as they turned in their best performance of the campaign at Chesterfield this afternoon.

New boss Martin Ling continues to oversee a renaissance of the Town side, securing a third win from his four league games in charge as Swindon triumphed on the road for the first time since September 5.

Early goals from Ajose and Louis Thompson put the visitors in cruise control in miserable conditions at the Proact Stadium, with the latter following up his midweek winner over Walsall.

Jon Obika extended the cushion in the opening exchanges of the second half before Ajose struck again in the dying stages to complete the rout.

Ajose gave Town a dream start to the contest, putting them ahead from their first meaningful attack. The visitors got forward with purpose as Ben Gladwin fed Brad Barry on the right and the full-back sent in a low cross to the lunging Ajose, who was able to divert home at the back post.

Having set up the visitors’ opener, Barry was then to the fore in his own box. Rai Simons robbed Jordan Turnbull of the ball on the right before picking out Lee Novak in space but Barry made a crucial intervention to keep him at bay.

Town heeded the warning and swiftly doubled their lead in ruthless fashion through midweek match-winner Thompson. Ajose this time turned provider, drifting out wide before cutting the ball back to Thompson, whose drilled shot on the angle squirmed under Spireites keeper Tommy Lee and into the net.

Chesterfield then began to grow into the contest but had to wait until the final 10 minutes of the half before they really started to threaten.

Dan Jones had a glorious chance to cut the deficit but volleyed wide from close range. Liam O'Neil raced forward and his floated ball from the right picked out the run of opposite full-back Jones but he could not get his effort on target on the angle.

Gboly Ariyini then gave the visiting defence the slip only for him to be unnerved by a last-gasp lunge from Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, forcing him to shoot over.

And Town were again fortunate to survive to the break unscathed as Jay O’Shea rattled the crossbar with a superb strike from 25 yards in the final minute of the half.

Ling sent his troops out fired up after the break and an equally fast start saw them move 3-0 to the good. Gladwin fed Obika on the edge of the box, and the striker side-stepped the lunge of Charlie before firing a precise finish past Lee low into the bottom corner.

The visitors then looked like moving further clear shortly afterwards as Ajose bore down on goal only for Raglan to get in a despairing lunge to deny the Town striker a shooting change.

Keeper Lawrence Vigouroux had enjoyed a relatively quiet afternoon up to that point but had to be at his best on the hour mark to keep his clean sheet intact. The Liverpool loanee pulled of a magnificent save to deny Gboly Ariyibi, who connected with a low ball into the six-yard box only to see Vigouroux fling himself in the way of the shot.

Town then made a mess of a glorious chance to make it 4-0 as Ajose raced clear to feed strike partner Obika in the box. He had a clear sight of goal with only keeper Lee to beat but opted to play the ball back to Ajose, who only had the narrowest of angles to shoot from and could not get his effort on target.

However, Ajose was able to grab Swindon’s fourth 10 minutes from time after Fabien Robert weaved his way forward from midway inside the Chesterfield half. The home defence could not get near him and ne rolled the ball to Ajose in the box, who calmly fired past Lee for his second goal.

Town had further chances before the final whistle, with Obika denied by the on-rushing Lee and Gladwin rattling the post from distance but it mattered little in what was an excellent afternoon for the visitors.

CHESTERFIELD: Lee, O’Neil, Raglan, Evatt, Jones (Herd 52), Banks, O’Shea, Morsy (capt), Ariybi, Simons, Novak (Dieserauvwe 51). Subs not used: Chapman, Hird, Gardner, Ebanks-Blake, Wood.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux, Barry, El-Abd (capt), Turnbull, Ormonde-Ottewill (Brophy 82), Rodgers, L Thompson (Iandolo 78), Robert (Balmy 86), Gladwin, Obika, Ajose. Subs not used: Belford, Ojamaa, Stewart, Hylton.

Goals: Ajose 3, 80, L Thompson 14, Obika 48

Referee: Darren Bond

Attendance: 5,540 (255 away)