THE FULL REPORT: Town shrug off penalty setback without the help of Lady Luck

When you’re scrapping for your lives at the wrong end of the table, beset by injuries to key personnel and desperately in need of a morale-boosting win, you just need a fortuitous rub of the green.

When confidence is on short supply within the camp – and even less so amidst a long-suffering fanbase – it seems more and more likely that only a generous favour from Lady Luck will be what turns the tide, rather than a moment of genuine inspiration from one of your players.

However, Swindon Town just aren’t getting that at the moment.

A week earlier, they suffered a fourth straight home league defeat when they were beaten by a comical late own goal against Bolton Wanderers.

At AFC Wimbledon on Saturday, there was very nearly an equally farcical moment that condemned then.

When Dons striker Tom Elliott landed in a crumpled heap on the floor in the Swindon box just before the half-hour mark at Kingsmeadow, it seemed to encapsulate the season Luke Williams’ side are having in a nutshell.

Although Conor Thomas’ lunge for the ball as Elliott turned towards goal was ill-advised, it was equally obvious that the stand-in Town defender had made no contact with his man whatsoever.

Obvious to everyone, it seemed, other than the one person who counted, as referee John Busby swiftly pointed to the spot to give the home side a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in what was an overall uninspiring encounter.

Nathan Thompson maintains his concentration as he gets a head on the ball

To his credit, Elliott sheepishly – but immediately – apologised to Thomas and stated post-match that he had lost his footing as he turned to shoot, falling to the floor as a result.

That was little comfort at the time for Town, though, who faced the prospect of going 1-0 down in a game that they had so far not deserved to be behind in.

Thankfully, justice was done as goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux – possibly the shining light in a forgettable Town season so far – capped another excellent personal display with a stunning penalty save.

How Vigouroux managed to put the injustice to one side and keep a cool head is a mystery but he did so brilliantly to turn Lyle Taylor’s low strike from 12 yards around his right-hand post.

Although Town were unable to build on their goalkeeper’s heroics and fashion a winner of their own, they did at least hang on for a worthy draw to make it three in a row unbeaten away from home, as well as an uplifting clean sheet too.

They may still be languishing towards the bottom of the table and just a single point above the relegation zone but maybe a result like this – and the adversity that was overcome to secure it – will be exactly what Swindon need to turn things around after all.

Williams unveiled an unfamiliar Plan B at Kingsmeadow as he switched his preferred 3-5-2 formation for a 4-2-3-1, making three changes in personnel too.

That was somewhat forced on the Town boss, who was without three central defenders for the trip to South West London. Raphael Branco began his suspension following a red card against Bolton a week earlier while Lloyd Jones failed to recover from a hip injury and stayed on the sidelines alongside Jamie Sendles-White.

Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill – the scorer of the late own goal that condemned Swindon to defeat against the Trotters – was not in the 18 at all, with Luke Norris the other man to miss out from last weekend, dropping to the bench as Nathan Delfouneso was sent out as a lone striker.

James Brophy came into the side at left back, with Anton Rodgers and youngster Ellis Iandolo also brought in. Rodgers was one of two deep-lying midfielders, with Iandolo in a more advanced trio behind Delfouneso.

The Town bench calmly watch on as Darnell Furlong takes flight

As Town adapted to their new system it was perhaps no surprise that the home side were the quicker to settle and Taylor made a nuisance of himself for the visiting back-line as he regularly cut in with purpose from the right, although there was nothing to overly threaten them.

It took a quarter of an hour for Town to have their first real chance as Darnell Furlong connected with a Yaser Kasim corner, although his strike was not crisp and the hosts were able to clear.

Iandolo swiftly won back possession and kick-started another attack, which again ended with Furlong, who this time blazed wide on the angle.

A lovely piece of quick interplay between Swindon’s advanced midfield trio created their next chance as Sean Murray slipped in John Goddard but his tame effort dribbled wide.

The Dons had been limited to half-chances for the first 30 minutes but were promptly presented with a gilt-edged opportunity to break the deadlock.

Elliott got the ball in the box and although Thomas lunged in to win possession, he appeared to get nowhere near either man or ball but the Dons went down anyway.

However, referee Busby deemed there had been a foul and pointed to the spot but Vigouroux brilliantly flung himself to his right to tip Taylor’s strike around the post.

Town then had their best chance when a Murray free-kick was only half-cleared by the home defence and dropped nicely to Kasim 12 yards out, but his shot through a crowded box was straight at goalkeeper James Shea.

The first half ended with another fine stop from Vigouroux as Elliott cut the ball back for Dean Parrett to crack in a snap-shot but the Town keeper was able to turn the effort away with his legs.

Again it was the Dons who started the more positively after the break but good chances remained at a premium.

Elliott took over from Taylor as the chief troublemaker for the Town defence and threw himself to meet a dangerous Jon Meades cross in the six-yard box on the hour mark but Swindon skipper Nathan Thompson did just enough to put him off making a clean connection.

Sean Murray is challenged from behind by former Swindon man Jake Reeves

That seemed to kick-start Town into life and they promptly broke at pace and after Murray had a shot blocked on the edge of the box, the ball fell nicely to Kasim but he blasted over the top.

The visitors went close again with 15 minutes to go as Kasim’s free-kick was not dealt with and substitute Luke Norris got his foot on the ball before threading it to Furlong, who fired across goal but narrowly wide.

What little quality had been in the game disappeared altogether in the closing stages, although the home side thought they had nicked the points in stoppage time when substitute Tyrone Barnett tucked home a cross from close range but Town were saved by an offside flag to ensure they travelled home with a well-earned point.