SWINDON Town remain in the relegation zone after they were held to a 0-0 draw at home to Oldham Athletic.

The hosts dominated the first half but were unable to find a way past in-form Connor Ripley in the Latics goal with their six attempts on target.

However, the second half performance lacked the same energy as the first and Luke Williams’ side were forced to make do with the point as they ended a run of five straight defeats.

Three changes were made to the side that lost 2-1 away to Northampton on Tuesday night, as Rohan Ince returned to the starting line-up, fresh from his court appearance, as Dion Conroy dropped to the bench.

Right-back Bradley Barry, who has been out with an ankle injury since the draw with Shrewsbury Town last month, returned to replace Fankaty Dabo, while Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill also made his first start since returning from injury.

With Raphael Branco missing the game, serving the first of his two-game suspension after picking up a 10th yellow card at Sixfields, Swindon were forced to move to a flat back four, with Nathan Thompson and Lloyd Jones forming the central pairing.

In what was billed as a must-win for Town in their relegation fight at the foot of the League One Table, the hosts started with the intent the home fans were looking for.

Nicky Ajose had two chances in the opening six minutes as he was twice found in space in the Oldham area but Latics goalkeeper Ripley was alert to block both shots behind for corners.

Swindon’s dominance continued in a first half where Swindon created 17 shots on Connor Ripley’s goal but the Oldham Athletic goalkeeper was in no mood to see his clean sheet given away cheaply.

In the 28th minute, Oldham were forced to hurriedly clear their lines in the six-yard box as Ormonde-Ottewill’s cross-come-shot squirmed under the body of Ripley, with Ousmane Fane able to clear the loose ball.

The frailty of Town’s position was highlighted in first-half stoppage time when Vigouroux could only tip a cross into the danger area and Rob Hunt, on the turn in the six-yard box, looked on agonisingly as his shot went wide of the far post.

Town looked to start the second half in the same vein, but like the atmosphere at the County Ground, things were a bit flat.

Oldham had the first chance after the interval as Aaron Amadi-Holloway showed his strength to leave Lloyd Jones on the floor, but Town skipper Nathan Thompson got across well to make amends for his centre-back partner and block the shot for a corner, which came to nothing.

Another chance fell the way of Ajose in the 66th minute when Barry did well down the right wing to whip a cross in but, in the six-yard box, but the on loan forward could only scoop his first-time touch over Ripley’s bar.

Town had two golden chances to snatch all three points at the death when Gladwin turned in the box but could only watch as his shot fired high over the bar, before Oldham skipper Peter Clarke threw his body on the line to block Ajose’s close-range effort.

SWINDON TOWN XI: Vigouroux; Barry, Thompson, Jones, Ormonde-Ottewill; Ince (Conroy 76’), Brophy (Goddard 68’) Colkett; Obika (Norris 76’), Ajose

Unused subs: Henry, Thomas, Rodgers, Kasim

Referee: Robert Lewis

Attendance: 6,773