NICKY Ajose struck two goals in four minutes either side of the interval as Swindon Town signed off their season with a comfortable victory at home to Shrewsbury Town this afternoon.

Ajose broke the deadlock from the penalty spot just before stoppage time at the end of the first half at the County Ground and doubled the lead with a cool finish just three minutes after the restart.

Teenage substitute Jordan Young rounded off the scoring with a first senior goal in the dying minutes as Luke Williams’ side gave their supporters one final cheer after what has overall been a season to forget.

The goals took Ajose’s tally to 25 for the season in all competitions and sees him finish joint top of the League One scoring charts, with Swindon ending the campaign 15th in the table.

With neither side having anything to play for, it was not unsurprising that a drab first half was played out at the County Ground. Swindon looked the more composed and creative of the two teams but failed to fashion out any clear-cut chances.

The first genuine opportunity actually came the way of the Shrews after a quarter-of-an-hour when Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro looped a ball over the top to strike partner Andrew Mangan. The Town defence were caught flat-footed but Jamie Sendles-White recovered well to get in a strong block.

That seemed to kick-start the match into life as the hosts then had their best sight of goal shortly afterwards when Shrewsbury keeper Callum Burton spilled Jonathan Obika’s powerful drive but re-gathered just as Ajose looked to pounce.

However, the game swiftly drifted back into its meandering pace and it took until the dying stages of the half for either goal to really be threatened again. Michael Doughty was brought down by a crude Richie Wellens challenge 25 yards out and Anton Rodgers’s subsequent free-kick flew agonisingly wide.

Town did get the lead their play just about deserved just before first-half stoppage time when top scorer Ajose broke the deadlock from the penalty spot.

Rodgers pinged a long ball over the top to Obika and although Zak Whitbread won the challenge, he then clattered into the onrushing Nathan Thompson attempting to recover as the ball spun out wide. Referee Gavin Ward had no doubts in pointing to the spot where Ajose blasted a powerful effort into roof of the net, giving Burton no chance.

Swindon flew out of the traps in the second half and it took Ajose less than three minutes to double his side’s tally as well as his own.

It was actually the third decent effort that Town had after the break as first, Obika slipped in Doughty but Burton was off his line quickly to snuff out the chance before youngster Ellis Iandolo cracked an effort against the post.

The home side swiftly won the ball back and skipper Thompson found Ajose in the box and he turned and cracked a fine low effort under Burton to put Town two goals to the good.

Shrews boss Micky Mellon made three changes in an effort to turn the tide and one of those, Larnell Cole, should have reduced the deficit when he was sent in one-on-one with Will Henry just after the hour mark but the young Town stopper stayed big and pulls off a fine save.

That allowed Town to set off on a swift counter and there was another superb stop at the opposite as Burton got down brilliantly to tip a curling Doughty strike around the post.

The woodwork was the next to deny Town a third goal as Yaser Kasim saw a splendid 25-yard free-kick cannon off the post after Iandolo had been brought down.

Town finally did get a third goal their dominance deserved four minutes before the end when 16-year-old substitute Young notched his first senior goal.

James Brophy rounded off a fine individual display with a mazy run up the left, cutting the ball back to Young in the box and he curled a lovely low effort into the bottom corner with his left foot.

SWINDON TOWN: Henry, N Thompson (capt), Sendles-White (Evans 79), Turnbull, Brophy, Kasim, Rodgers, Doughty, Iandolo (Young 78), Ajose, Obika. Subs not used: Marshall, Calvin, Twine, Hylton, Cooke.

SHREWSBURY TOWN: Burton, Smith (Wallace 53) Hendry, Whitbread, Grimmer, Wesolowski, Wellens (Cole 53), Ogogo (capt), Sadler, Akpa Akpro, Mangan (Jones 59). Subs not used: Rowley, Grandison, Vassell, Clark.

Referee: Gavin Ward

Attendance: 8,012 (502)