4:50pm Saturday 18th April 2009
By Anthony Marshall
OWAIN Tudur Jones fired in an injury-time free-kick to hand Town a priceless point in their bid for League One survival at Carlisle.
It looked as though Michael Bridges' early strike had handed the Cumbrians all three points, but Tudur Jones' deflected set piece got Swindon a share of the spoils.
Bridges took advantage of a rare Gordon Greer mistake to fire the home side ahead with just eight minutes on the clock.
A Billy Paynter header was as good as it got for Swindon in the first half, but they improved after the break, with Tudur Jones and Hal Robson-Kanu both forcing great saves out of Cumbrians' keeper Ben Williams.
And with the game well into its four minutes of injury time, Tudur Jones gave Town the final say on a dramatic afternoon at Brunton Park.
Here are the key moments from today's game:
Two mins: Simon Cox spreads the ball wide to Anthony McNamee, who takes a touch before unleashing a 20-yard drive which forces Carlisle keeper Ben Williams into a low stop.
Six mins: Michael Bridges cuts in from the right and curls a left-footed shot towards goal, but his effort flies just the wrong side of the upright.
Eight mins (GOAL 1-0 Bridges): Gordon Greer miscues his clearance of Evan Horwood's low cross straight into the path of Bridges, who duly fires the ball into the far corner past the despairing dive of Phil Smith from 12 yards.
12 mins: Billy Paynter chests the ball into the path of Cox who shoots from 20 yards, but Williams is equal to it and gets a touch to divert it behind.
15 mins: Owain Tudur Jones heads McNamee's corner over the bar from six yards.
25 mins: Cleveland Taylor races away from Kevin Amankwaah down the right flank and his low centre found Bridges free around 10 yards out.
However, the striker's snap-shot is straight at Phil Smith.
39 mins: A long free-kick into the box drops at the feet of Bridges but, under pressure from Greer, he lashes his shot well over.
44 mins: Town's best chance. McNamee swings a delivery in from the left on to the head of Paynter, but he directs he cannot keep his effort down.
48 mins: McNamee's corner is only half-cleared and, from 20 yards, Hal Robson-Kanu sends a superb half-volley which is heading for the top corner.
However, Williams makes a full length finger-tip stop to divert the ball up and out.
50 mins: Tudur Jones works the ball out to McNamee wide on the left. His low cross into the danger zone is begging for a touch to put it in, but Paynter manages to somehow stab it over the bar from six yards.
65 mins: Swindon work some good possession across to the right, where McNamee feeds Jack Smith. The full-back cuts inside and drills a left-foot shot through a body of players.
It strikes the foot of the post and Cox, following up, can only push the rebound wide.
68 mins: Chris Lumsdon gives away possession and Town break at speed. Paynter plays in Cox and the front man sprints half the length of the pitch but, having cut inside, can only drill his cross-cum-shot wide.
78 mins: Town think they've scored. McNamee's corner is met by a thumping Tudur Jones header. William claws it out of the top corner, but Swindon's players are claiming it had already crossed the line.
90 mins (GOAL 1-1 Tudur Jones): Town grab a last-gasp equaliser deep into injury-time.
Robson-Kanu is felled 20 yards out and Tudur Jones steps up, with the aid of a big deflection, to fire the ball past Williams.
CARLISLE (4-4-2): Ben Williams; David Raven, Richard Keogh, Peter Murphy (c), Evan Horwood; Cleveland Taylor, Chris Lumsdon (Ian Morris 80), Paul Thirlwell, Lewis Neal (Jeff Smith 70); Michael Bridges, Scott Dobie (Danny Graham 77)
Subs not used: Tony Kane, Ian Harte
TOWN (4-4-2): Phil Smith; Jack Smith (Lescinel Jean-Francois 77), Jerel Ifil, Gordon Greer (c), Kevin Amankwaah (Jon-Paul McGovern 85); Hal Robson-Kanu, Owain Tudur Jones, Craig Easton, Anthony McNamee; Billy Paynter, Simon Cox
Subs not used: Peter Brezovan, Jamie Vincent, Patrick Kanyuka
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