THE FULL REPORT: Making it safe

After weeks of looking over their shoulder as their winless run stretched to a nine games, Kasim’s second-half winner against Chesterfield finally put any lingering doubts to bed.

The Iraq international midfielder reportedly came agonisingly close to a move to a Premier League move in January, only for it to fail to come to fruition.

Kasim has previously spoken of his desire to try to cut his teeth at a higher level again, having come through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur before arriving at Town in 2013 via a three-year stay at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Swindon head coach Luke Williams has also talked gushingly about Kasim’s ability in the recent past and is sure he has what it takes to survive should he make a move up the pyramid.

Kasim has given Town three years’ excellent service but it looks increasingly unlikely that he will remain with the club beyond the end of the season, when his contract runs out.

Should he move on, then his role in making sure of Town’s safety this season should not be underestimated.

For more than two months, there has been a big hole in the heart of the Swindon side, with their loss of form coinciding with Kasim sitting things out with a lengthy knee injury.

It is no coincidence that Williams’ men turned in their best display for some time in midweek at Walsall on the occasion of Kasim’s first start following his return to fitness.

He bossed the midfield at the Bescot Stadium and went one better at the County Ground on Saturday, coming up with the match-winner against Chesterfield to prevent Town’s winless run stretching into double figures and guaranteeing they would beat the drop in the process.

Raphael Branco goes close in Town’s first attack of the game

Town boss Williams named an unchanged XI from the side that had drawn so impressively at the promotion-chasing Saddlers on Tuesday night.

Jake Kean remained between the sticks and although there has yet to be any official confirmation of his loan being extended, he is understood to be available for Swindon for the remainder of the season.

Lee Marshall was named amongst the substitutes after undergoing a trial at Championship side Sheffield Wednesday last week, replacing Jordan Young in the only alteration to the matchday 18 from the midweek trip to the Bescot.

There was no place in the squad for any of Drissa Traore, Jeremy Balmy or Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, despite the trio being available for selection again following a suspension for their off-the-field conduct.

The home side had a good chance to break the deadlock inside two minutes when Raphael Branco found himself in an unfamiliar position in the box.

Bradley Barry stormed up the right and fed Jonathan Obika, whose low cross picked out Branco, but the Brazilian defender’s shot cannoned off Nicky Ajose and went wide.

Town were almost the masters of their own downfall shortly afterwards when a short pass from Louis Thompson was pounced on by Jay O’Shea, who drove into the box but saw his shot turned over by Kean.

Barry continued to look a handful down the right for Town and another cross was deflected out for a corner, with the subsequent set-piece making its way to Louis Thompson in the box, but his low strike was hooked off the line by Spireites skipper Gary Liddle.

Michael Doughty then saw a shot deflected narrowly wide before the visitors had their best chance midway through the first half.

Lee Novak met a near-post cross from Gboly Ariyibi but Swindon stopper Kean stayed big and the effort flicked off his leg, onto the post and wide.

However, Kean was then caught out as he came to meet the following corner but Sam Hird headed over the unguarded net, with the home keeper stranded in no-man’s land.

Jonathan Obika is beaten by the gloved hands of goalkeeper Tommy Lee

Chesterfield custodian Tommy Lee then pulled off his most notable save of the opening period when he flung himself to his left to tip wide Doughty’s 30-yard drive.

The visitors were then forced to do without their most potent goal threat as Novak’s day was cut short after 25 minutes, the striker limping off through injury after twice needing treatment earlier on. He was replaced by Jamal Campbell-Ryce.

The pace of the game then slowed for the remainder of the half but the new man almost made an impact in the first of six additional minutes, with his looping cross looking set to find Ollie Banks in the box but James Brophy got in a crucial intervention to force a corner and keep Town level at the break.

Town flew out of the blocks in the second half and rained efforts in on the Spireites’ goal.

First, Brophy saw an effort blocked and Obika had a shot on the turn deflected wide, while Kasim was denied by a Drew Talbot challenge after skipping into box following a short corner.

Only the woodwork prevented the home side breaking the deadlock seven minutes after the restart when Doughty let fly with a wonderful 30-yard strike.

His effort beat the diving Lee but hit the inside of the post and spun all the way across goal and wide for a goal-kick.

Swindon produced another fine attack soon afterwards, which started with some lovely Brophy trickery on the left and ended with Branco being tripped on the edge of the box. Ajose stepped up to take the free-kick and whipped it agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

Midfielder Doughty looked the most likely source of goal for Town and had two more good efforts in quick succession, the first of which was smothered by Lee and the second went just wide.

Goalkeeper Jake Kean and Luke Williams link up at the final whistle

Town’s chance of victory appeared to be slipping away when they wasted the best chance of the match 15 minutes from time.

Another Doughty shot bounced in front of Lee, who spilled the ball up in the air, but Obika could not react quickly enough and put the rebound over the top with the keeper prostrate on the ground.

However, thankfully Town were not made to pay for that miss for too long and they finally broke the Spireites’ resistance a minute later.

Kasim collected the ball on the left, cut inside and curled a delightful shot around Lee and into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Town could have pulled further clear in the closing stages when Ajose fed Obika in the box but the striker took too long to pull the trigger and the visitors recovered.

Chesterfield’s race was run two minutes from time when they were reduced to 10 men as Raglan collected a second booking for a foul on Louis Thompson and the hosts saw out the remainder of the contest with ease.