TOWN conceded a goal in each half as their winless League Two run stretched to four matches with defeat at high-flying Exeter City.

Jonathan Forte’s poked first-half finish and a thumping second-half close-range effort from Jayden Stockley decided a St James Park contest which although the visitors were always more than competitive in, they frequently flattered to deceive in the final third.

Town had the bulk of possession and forced nine corners, but home goalkeeper Christy Pym had a largely untroubled afternoon as the away side failed to test him enough.

Martin Smith was handed a first league start for Town since the 1-1 draw at Forest Green Rovers back in August as Brown made four changes from last weekend’s 1-1 draw against Northampton Town.

There was a first start of the season for youngsters Scott Twine, who is expected to operate up front with Marc Richards, with Keshi Anderson just behind them.

Michael Doughty remained not fit enough to feature, but defender Sid Nelson was in good enough shape for a place on the bench, alongside James Dunne and Steven Alzate.

There he was joined by Elijah Adebayo and Kaiyne Woolery, fresh from his goalscoring return from the bench in Tuesday's Checkatrade Trophy win over Plymouth.

Town started confidently enough, pinging the ball around in the early stages but were soon undone by a lack of accuracy, both Dion Conroy and Toumani Diagouraga guilty of giving the ball away when largely under no pressure.

Exeter’s early promptings came through the boots of Lee Holmes on their right, who was clearly relishing the challenge of taking on Matt Taylor and caused a number of early problems.

There was an escape for the visitors as Holmes caused havoc on left edge of Town's box and McCormick was beaten to the ball by Jonathan Forte. Then Jayden Stockley headed just wide from a cross from the right.

That was after six minutes and eight minutes later, Town were behind in the most disappointing fashion.

For all the home side’s probings and promptings, the chance came from a route one ball down the middle, which Forte latched on to and prodded past McCormick towards goal. The ball pain-stakingly bounced once and clipped the inside of the post before nestling in the back of the net.

Yet rather than go into their shells, the away side fought back, the bulk of their good work coming from Anderson, clearly enjoying himself in a role behind the front two, with Taylor and Kyle Knoyle also finding space on the flanks.

Midway through the half a Taylor cross flashed across goal and Marc Richards couldn’t quite connect while unmarked in front of goal.

Moments later, the veteran frontman was sent through by Diagouraga but arguabl;y took one touch too many and his shot was blocked by the foot of Exeter keeper Christy Pym.

Again with Anderson pulling the strings, a Knoyle cross from the right looked set up beautifully for Twine, but an off a defender put him off and the chance was lost.

Twine then won a free kick 35 yards out but although Taylor’s effort was well struck, it was a couple of yards too high.

The opening half ended with Town still in the ascendancy, Knoyle’s low cross being blocked as time ran out.

Perhaps unsurprisingly with the wind now at their backs, Exeter started the second half the better and Forte should have perhaps done better as Town’s Knoyle was dispossessed in midfield as he dithered over his options and the hosts’ advanced, Forte finding himself unmarked but stubbing his effort weakly wide.

Again though, Town enjoyed a decent little spell, Taylor squeezing into the box on the left side and seeing his cross blocked out for a corner, from which Lancashire looped a header wide.

Brown brought on Steven Alzate for Twine, pushing Anderson up alongside Richards as the game continued with its to and fro, Holmes teasing a wind-assisted cross to the far post, which Stockley couldn’t get his head over from close range.

The home side were getting up a head of steam though and the second goal duly arrived at the midway point of the half.

Town dealt with the initial corner but as the home side retrieved the ball a fierce cross from the left was begging to be headed home, Stockley obliging in thumping style.

He nearly had another four minutes later as Pierce Sweeney curled over a cross from the right that the strike acrobatically volleyed into the far corner, only to be pulled up for offside.

Brown sent Elijah Adebayo and Kaiyne Woolery on in search of some cutting edge up front and the latter made an impact, winning a couple of corners and finding himself crowded out at the far post after a set-piece had reached him.

The game went into a bit of a lull, Town often looking promising until the point they got within 30 yards of Pym’s goal, at which point the move either broke down, or went backwards, to the undisguised agony of the travelling support.

And as the contest petered out, Exeter looked more likely to score again, Nicky Law’s run and low drive being pushed wide by McCormick later on.

SWINDON TOWN (3-4-1-2): McCormick; Woolfenden, Conroy, Lancashire (captain); Knoyle, Diagouraga, Smith (Adebayo 60), Anderson, Taylor; Twine (Alzate 52), Richards.

Substitutes: Henry, Nelson, Dunne, McGlashan, Woolery.

EXETER CITY (4-4-2): Pym, Sweeney, Martin, Law, Holmes (Ogbene 81, Martin 86), Stockley, Forte (Tillson 65), Moxey, Croll, Taylor (captain), Boateng.

Subs not used: Hamon, O’Shea, Jay, Abrahams.

Referee: Peter Wright.

Attendance: 4,506 (330).

Yellow cards: Exeter – Boateng; Town – None.

Red cards: None.