SWINDON Town were held to a 1-1 draw away to Evo-Stik South West division outfit Salisbury this evening.

New signing Harry Smith made amends for an early penalty miss when he headed home from close range in the 22nd minute.

However, the non-league outfit, who had lost to Portsmouth and Oldham Athletic in their pre-season campaign, grew into the game and were back level with just over 10 minutes of the game remaining.

On the eve of their five-night trip to Portugal for a training camp, Swindon named a strong starting XI, which included Chris Robertson in the captain’s armband.

Smith started the game brightly, hustling Nathan Ball in the Salisbury net into a mistake from the kick off.

The tall centre forward was gifted a chance to get off the mark at Swindon within four minutes when Donal McDermott was felled in the box but the Millwall loanee lacked conviction from the spot as Ball got down to his right to push the ball away.

In the 19th minute, Henry was drawn into his first save of the game and he had to be alert as Tom Whelan skipped effortlessly past the challenge of Dion Conroy before being denied by the feet of the Swindon stopper.

Swindon broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute after James Brophy went down in the box under a challenge.

With appeals for a penalty turned away, the wide man, picked himself up to regain the ball and lift it into the six yard box for Smith to atone for his penalty miss and head home from yards out to open his Town account.

In the 39th minute, Henry was forced into another good save, this time low to his right as he turned the ball around the post from Marvin Brooks’ header.

The hosts continued to put the pressure on as the first half came to a close, as a corner from the left was drilled to the back post and Brooks had a free header, which he saw come back off the upright.

It was Swindon’s turn to strike the woodwork seconds before the break as McDermott cut in off the right wing and let fly with his left boot, only to see his dipping effort cannon off the crossbar.

Town made four changes at the break, with Ben Purkiss, Mullin, James Dunne and Smith replaced by Ellis Iandolo, Luke Norris and two trialist, one who came on at right back and the other who played on the right wing.

Salisbury picked up where they left off in the first half and Henry had to again be at his best as he denied O’Keefe’s header at the back post.

With Swindon struggling to create anything of their own, Herbert, who had just moments before gone close with a header, got a deserves equaliser when he beat Henry superbly with a free-kick from the right in the 77th minute.

Substitute Scott Twine was denied late on, after being played through well by Iandolo, only for the Salisbury keeper to stay big and pull off the fine save.

SALISBURY XI: Nathan Ball, George Colson, Brandon Mundy, Tom Whelan, Elliott Wheeler, Jake Wannell, Lewis Benson, Kane O’Keefe, Marvin Brooks, Mark Francis, Danny Young

SWINDON TOWN XI: Will Henry, Ben Purkiss (Trialist 1 45’), Tom Smith (Twine 70’), Chris Robertson, Dion Conroy, Donal McDermott (Goddard 60’), James Dunne (Ellis Iandolo 45’), Amine Linganzi (Evans 60’), James Brophy (Young 74’), Harry Smith (Luke Norris 45’), Paul Mullin (Trialist 2 45’)

Attendance: 605