SWINDON Town were beaten by a late Sam Winnall goal as Luke Williams suffered his first defeat in charge of the club.

The Barnsley striker netted his ninth goal in six league games as he was on hand three minutes before the end of time to turn home a cross from substitute Josh Scowen to secure a 1-0 win for the Tykes.

Swindon and Barnsley went into the game having scored 19 between them in their last 3 games but neither side were able to take control of a contest that lacked any real quality.

Williams made a change to the formation, moving to three at the back to accommodate for returning skipper Nathan Thompson.

Anton Rodgers was the man to be sacrificed as he dropped to the bench alongside Jermaine Hylton, who was back in the squad after recovering from bruised shin.

The opening exchanges between the two sides were very cagey with neither side able to get their foot on the ball and take command of the contest.

The first clear-cut chance of the game came in the 15th minute when a Town corner was cleared by Conor Hourihane and Lloyd Isgrove broke with pace before Marley Watkins was denied by the legs of Lawrence Vigouroux.

Midfielder Michael Doughty, who had signed an extension to his loan stay until the end of the season the same morning, had a faint shout for a penalty waved away in the 21st minute by Tim Robinson.

Nicky Ajose had the best chance for the hosts in the first half as he was played through by Fabien Robert, but he was denied by the leg of Adam Davies as he tried to round the Barnsley stopper.

Hourihane was gifted a chance in the dying seconds of the half to give Barnsley a half-time lead but he saw his effort in the box fired straight at Vigouroux’s legs.

With Town forced to replace Bradley Barry for James Brophy at the break, Barnsley started the second half in the same vein as they ended the first and it was Hourihane again who the ball fell to in the Town box but Vigouroux was on hand to deny him before Sam Winnall headed wide.

In the 54th minute, Jonathan Obika, who had been kept largely quiet in the first half controlled the ball beautifully on the edge of the box before turning and firing a good effort at the Barnsley goal, with Davies at full stretch to turn the ball behind.

Just after the hour-mark Winnall was played in over the top by Watkins, but Thompson did well to get back and block the shot.

In the 68th minute Lee Johnson rolled the dice and swapped Ash Fletcher for Scowen and it nearly had the desired effect as Scowen was found at the back post from a George Williams cross but the Barnsley player saw his effort go over the bar.

With 13 minutes to go Williams introduced Michael Smith for his first appearance since coming on as a substitute for Barnsley at the beginning of the month, along with Jeremy Balmy.

However, it was Barnsley who stole the contest at the death when Scowen put in an out-swinging ball from the right that wasn’t dealt with by Town’s defence and Winnall was on hand to fire past a hapless Vigouroux.

Doughty had a chance right at the death but saw his effort from close range blocked by Balmy as Swindon fell to a first defeat in four.