AS THE clock hit the 90-minute mark on Tuesday night at the Keepmoat Stadium, Town’s dream of automatic promotion looked to be on shaky ground.

But Jon Obika’s 91st-minute goal secured a huge three points and back-to-back away wins at a crucial time of the season.

With all the other sides around Swindon winning, the goal was essential for their hopes of a top two-spot.

As it stands, Bristol City don’t look catchable at the top of the table. It’s not too much of a shock that the club with the biggest budget will end up winning the title.

Another big spender, Preston North End, sit just behind City in second and look odds-on favourites to join City in the top two, as they sit two points ahead and with a game in hand over Town.

If Swindon have any chance of earning second place they need to win at least seven of their last nine games, including home games against Milton Keynes and Peterborough and away at City and Preston.

Considering how much uncertainty was at the club at the start of the season, it is incredible that on March 19, with nine games to go, we have a chance of a top two finish.

Now that we have the chance of automatic promotion we can’t let it slip away and drift into the play-offs quietly.

It’s always the side that come off the back of good results that perform the best in the play-offs.

Town fans have heard the news we had all being dreading, that Louis Thompson’s injury will keep him out for the rest of the season, resulting in his time at Swindon Town coming to an end.

Louis will join up with his new club Norwich City in the summer, after his move to the Canaries last August, but I don’t think this will be the last time we see Louis in a Town shirt.

If Norwich fail to gain promotion to the Premier League, Louis should play a role for them next season.

But if the East Anglian side manage to earn promotion to the Premier League, the 20-year-old’s first-team chances will likely be restricted to cameo appearances from the bench, perhaps opening the way for a Town return.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Louis Thompson is certainly good enough to play in the Premier League at a certain stage of his career, but I can’t see Norwich manager Alex Neil throwing Louis straight into his side and expect him to cope with Premier League football.

I would personally hate to see him placed into the Canaries Under-21 side next season, and play in nothing games and get the odd cup game at Carrow Road.

Someone with his talent needs to be playing week-in-week out in a competitive league, the best scenario for a future deal is for Town and Norwich to both earn promotion, and we have Louis back on another loan deal next season in the Championship.

Follow me on Twitter @danwjonson

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