LUKE Williams proved he can roll the dice at Kingsmeadow as he ditched his favoured 3-5-2 formation in favour of a 4-2-3-1.
Whether it was a ploy to find a Plan B or a line-up forced upon him due to a host of selection issues at the back, it seemed to work as Swindon looked more solid in defence than they have done for some time.
As part of a traditional back four, it was very clear to full-backs Darnell Furlong and James Brophy that their priority was to defend.
As wing-backs, Town’s wide defenders are often caught in two minds as to whether they should stay back or rush forward.
Should they plump for the latter, it can lead to Swindon being outnumbered and scrambling back when possession is coughed up.
At Kingsmeadow, there was never a feeling that Town would be caught short as there was always a numerical match-up with the Dons’ attacking players.
This was further helped by the deployment of two deep-lying central midfielders as both Anton Rodgers and Yaser Kasim stuck to their guns and hung back to add some steel in front of the back four.
Although the formation made Town harder to beat, it did little to ease their defects at the other end of the pitch as few chances were created.
None of the advanced midfield trio of Sean Murray, John Goddard and Ellis Iandolo were able to impose themselves on the game to any great effect, while Nathan Delfouneso ploughed a lonely furrow up top.
Should Williams want to make this a permanent back-up plan – and on this evidence it would be worth considering – it would work best with Jonathan Obika as the sole striker.
Sadly, the Town boss does not have that option at the moment.
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