Swindon Town 2 - Bristol Rovers 1 (From Swindon Advertiser)

Swindon Town 2 - Bristol Rovers 1

2:00pm Saturday 25th April 2009

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By Anthony Marshall »

SIMON Cox's double almost certainly secured Town's League One survival as they beat Bristol Rovers 2-1 at the County Ground this lunchtime.

The prolific front man racked up goals number 29 and 30 for the season with a strike in each half as Swindon picked up three priceless points.

Cox gave Swindon a dream start in the fourth minute, taking advantage of a defensive mix-up to slot into a empty net, for his 29th goal of the season.

But Rovers were back on level terms on 41 minutes as Kevin Amankwaah's clearance rebounded off substitute Darryl Duffy and into the net.

The second half was a largely drab affair, with neither side looking too threatening, but Cox had the last laugh when he fired home with nine minutes remaining.

Here are the key moments from today's game:

Four mins (GOAL 1-0 Cox): Jerel Ifil's long ball is chased through by Billy Paynter. The front man collides with Rovers keeper Steve Phillips and Byron Anthony on the edge of the box and the ball drops to Simon Cox, who sidefoots into the empty net from 20 yards.

10 mins (SUBSTITUTION): Play is still yet to restart following the collision and the goal. Phillips and Anthony have had lengthy treatment, with the keeper recovering. However, it is bad news for the defender who is stretchered off and replaced by Darryl Duffy.

11 mins: Paynter latches on to a through ball, turns Steve Elliott inside out as he enters the box and fires a shot in at the near post, which Phillips does well to parry away.

15 mins (SUBSTITUTION): It's one apiece in terms of replacements. Patrick Kanyuka, making his first start since the end of February, goes down following an innocuous challenge in the middle of the park. He hobbles off to be replaced by Craig Easton.

17 mins: Kevin Amankwaah bursts down the right and his deep cross to the far post is headed back into the danger zone by Easton. Simon Cox connects, unmarked, but scuffs his close-range volley into the hands of Phillips.

21 mins (GOAL 1-1 Duffy): Rovers get back on level terms with a bizarre equaliser. Amankwaah, trying to clear the ball on the edge of the box, fires it into the shins of Duffy and it somehow finds a way past the unsuspecting Phil Smith and into the bottom corner.

26 mins: As Town fail to clear a cross from the right, Chris Line meets the ball 20 yards out and sends an acrobatic volley towards the top corner.

However, Smith is equal to the strike, producing a fantastic full-length stop to tip it around the post.

29 mins: Paynter and Cox link up well as Swindon break forward at pace, but the latter can only drag his shot wide.

44 mins: Amankwaah's cross from the right bobbles through to Paynter just inside the box, and the striker hits a snap-shot strike which Phillips has to gather.

45 mins: Rickie Lambert meets Stuart Campbell's corner with a thumping free header eight yards out, but can only direct his effort over.

55 mins: Cox races onto a ball down the left, shrugs of Aaron Lescott and strides into the penalty area.

However, the angle is tight and as he tries to get his shot away Phillips manages to get down at his feet and turn the ball away for a corner.

57 mins: Hal Robson-Kanu curls a left-footed effort wide of the upright from 25 yards.

60 mins: Kuffour's low cross picks out Lambert and the striker looks sure to score as he connects on the half volley. But, out of nowhere, Ifil throws his body in the way to make a superb last-ditch block.

65 mins (SUBSTITUTION): As Town look to stir things up going forward, Robson Kanu is replaced by Jon-Paul McGovern.

77 mins: Owain Tudur Jones blazes a 25-yard free-kick high and wide as the game looks set to fizzle out.

78 mins: Amankwaah's cross from the right is flicked goalwards by the head of Paynter. The effort doesn't have much power but Phillips scrambles to his far post and just manages to keep it out.

80 mins: Jamie Vincents deep cross is headed wide of the far post by Cox.

81 mins (GOAL 2-1 Cox): Jon-Paul McGovern sets Amankwaah free down the right and his low cross isn't dealt with by the Rovers defence.

It finds its way to Cox, and the front man drills low shot past Phillips to send the County Ground wild and claim his 30th goal of the season.

88 mins: Cox almost claims his hat-trick. Paynter heads into his path and the striker turns and fires in a left-footed shot which Phillips does well to keep out.

TOWN (4-4-2): Phil Smith; Kevin Amankwaah, Jerel Ifil, Gordon Greer (c), Jamie Vincent; Hal Robson-Kanu (Jon-Paul McGovern 65), Patrick Kanyuka (Craig Easton 15), Owain Tudur Jones, Anthony McNamee (Jack Smith 84); Simon Cox, Billy Paynter

Subs not used: Peter Brezovan, Lescinel Jean-Francois

ROVERS (4-4-2): Steve Phillips; Aaron Lescott, Steve Elliott, Byron Anthony (Darryl Duffy 8), Jeff Hughes; David Pipe, Chris Lines, Stuart Campbell, Craig Disley; Rickie Lambert, Jo Kuffour

Subs not used: Danzelle St Louis-Hamilton, Charlie Reece, Sean Rigg, Ben Hunt

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