WHILE Lincoln City were busy stunning English football, brushing off their non-league tags to beat Premier League side Burnley at Turf Moor to reach the FA Cup last eight, Swindon Town went looking for their own bit of magic to beat the League One drop on Saturday.

The history books recorded that the last time a non-league side made it to the quarter-final stage of the prestigious competition was when Swindon reached the semi-final stage back in 1912, when two Vic Glover own goals helped Town, of the Southern League Premier at the time, to a replay win over West Ham United and into the last eight.

How times have changed.

Town, having failed to make it past the first round of the knockout competition in the past five attempts, are now embroiled in salvaging their League One status, with their future in the third tier of English football dangling by a thread.

Swindon Advertiser:
Lee Power and Tim Sherwood watch on from the directors' box

With opponents Oldham Athletic threatening to cut themselves adrift from the bottom four, courtesy of some fine form under new manager John Sheridan - back at the club for his fifth stint - it was vital for Luke Williams’ side to stop their own rot of five games without a point and drag the Latics back into the mix.

Having stated on Friday that Town would go all out for the win, Williams’ side duly delivered in a first half where they peppered Connor Ripley’s goal with 17 attempts but the Oldham goalkeeper, who boasts the best clean sheet record in the division, was in no mood to give up his 13th of the campaign cheaply.

A flat second half saw the visitors come back into the contest and even a late swansong from Town was not enough to break the visitors’ resolve as they were forced to settle for a point.

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

Right-back Bradley Barry, who had 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 contest at the foot of the League One Table, the hosts started with the intent their 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 Ripley was alert to block both shots behind for corners.

Swindon Advertiser:
Nicky Ajose sees another Town chance blocked by the Latics

In the 14th minute, Ince did well to block a through ball on the halfway line before teeing up Ben Gladwin.

The Queens Park Rangers loanee, who has been out of sorts in recent games, showed what he can offer the side as he lofted a ball to the far post, but Jonathan Obika was unable to get a clear head to the ball and his effort went agonisingly wide.

Oldham’s top scorer, defender Peter Clarke, had his first sight at goal for the visitors in the 18th minute when he rose highest at the back post to meet a corner but his glancing header ended up well wide of Lawrence Vigouroux’s goal.

Home hearts were in mouths when Barry was caught facing his own goal and his weak back-pass was scuffed clear by Vigouroux, however, Thompson got enough on the ball to prevent Oldham capitalising.

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

Ince was controlling proceedings in midfield and, not content with keeping the Oldham players in check, having given the ball away on the half-hour mark, in his determination to win the ball back he ended up taking out both Aiden O’Neill and referee Robert Lewis in the centre circle, to bring the loudest cheer of the game.

Swindon Advertiser:
Town's Rohan Ince clatters into referee Robert Lewis

Swindon continued to rain in the shots from the edge of the box with Obika and Gladwin both trying their luck from distance, but Ripley stood firm.

Searching for the vital breakthrough, Swindon switched things around with 10 minutes of the half remaining as James Brophy was moved out to the wide left, with Gladwin coming across to the right.

It had the desired effect, Brophy’s pace down the left causing Oldham’s right-back Josh Law all kinds of trouble, but Swindon were still unable to find a way past Ripley.

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 a shot from Rob Hunt, on the turn in the six-yard box, went just wide of the far post.

Having had 17 shots on goal in the first half, six of which were on target, Town looked to start the second half in the same vein but, like the atmosphere at the County Ground, things went a bit flat.

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

Swindon Advertiser:
Swindon skipper Nathan Thompson clears the danger

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, the on-loan forward could only scoop his first-time touch over Ripley’s bar.

At the other end, Oldham having two players prone on the County Ground pitch had no impact as Ryan McLaughlin drove into the box but his effort on goal could only find the side netting.

Head coach Williams looked to change things up in the 68th minute as he replaced Brophy with John Goddard and it was almost met with an immediate impact as the latter had a hand in setting up Gladwin for one of his trademark driving shots from the edge of the box, which just went wide of Ripley’s goal.

Swindon Advertiser:
Jonathan Obika goes for goal

Further changes were made in the 76th minute as Williams replaced the tired legs of Obika and man of the match Ince with Luke Norris and Conroy, sparking chants of ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ from all three stands.

Norris was into the thick of the action straight away however, and when Charlie Colkett’s jinking run ended with a slide-rule pass into the box, the Town striker could only curl his effort over the bar.

Oldham, by that stage, looked spent and were using every trick in the book to wind the clock down, but that did not stop Town throwing the kitchen sink at the Latics in the closing stages.

Norris was involved again when Ormonde-Ottewill stood the ball up well to the back post but Clarke got a telling deflection on Norris’ header to send the ball over the bar.

Town had two chances in time added on as Gladwin turned in the box after some good work from Ajose, but couldn’t keep his effort down as it flew over the bar, before Clarke showed what it meant to his side to claim the draw as he threw his body in the way of Ajose’s shot in the 93rd minute and with it, earned his side their point.

The dejection in the Town players was clear as many slumped to the ground, with Thompson having to aid Vigouroux to his feet, after the final whistle.

Swindon Advertiser:
Ben Gladwin trudges off dejected after the stalemate

Having picked up only a point in February so far, it was maybe a sign that time is running out.

Town lie in 22nd place and are four points adrift of Bury and Port Vale above, the Valiants having two games in hand and the Shakers with a better goal difference.

While the performance was much improved, results are all that matter with 13 games to go and Town could do with purchasing whatever formula Lincoln have been using - and quickly.