RICHIE Wellens became the first permanent Swindon Town manager in 10 years to lose his first league game in charge after he saw his side thrashed by visiting Carlisle United at the Energy Check County Ground on Saturday, writes JONATHAN LEIGHFIELD.

Since Danny Wilson lost at home to Brighton & Hove Albion in 2008, eight managers have taken the helm at Swindon on a permanent basis and avoided defeat in their first match in charge, but the home drubbing to Carlisle firmly ended that streak.

Wellens made one change to the team that knocked York City out of the FA Cup a week earlier, with Matt Taylor replacing Scott Twine as the former Oldham Athletic boss looked for a successful start from his “unbalanced” squad.

Town appeared to set up in a 3-5-2 formation, with Jermaine McGlashan and Ellis Iandolo as wing-backs and Taylor operating in a defensive midfield position as the new manager delivered his promise of taking risks in the first few games.

The home side began in a patient manner, zipping passes through the lines and winning the ball back as soon as they had lost it.

Wellens’ preferred style of ‘gegenpress’ – the act of putting pressure on the opposition as quickly as possible when the ball is lost – was warmly received by Town fans, as highlighted by applause when Elijah Adebayo chased down a questionable pass back to Carlisle goalkeeper Adam Collin.

But for all their possession, Town seldom created any real clear-cut chances, let alone an effort on goal in the opening stages.

One of the few to escape any real criticism from the defeat, Luke Wolfenden, showed an adept range of passing when he chipped a through ball into the path of McGlashan down the right-hand side.

The stand-in wing-back did manage to pick out Keshi Anderson on the penalty spot, but the frontman’s header was a tame one and meekly bounced wide.

While Carlisle occasionally threatened, Swindon continued to exploit the away side down the sides.

Iandolo dragged a first-time shot wide and the impressive James Dunne volleyed over as Swindon continued to see plenty of the ball, but failed to work Collin between the posts.

That was to be the Dunne's last contribution, though, as he was replaced by Martin Smith midway through the first half due to a family emergency.

But, for all the early promise and endeavour, Swindon were almost made to pay when Carlisle broke away due to sloppy play in midfield from the home side.

Jerry Yates picked out an unmarked Jack Sowerby charging through the middle, but the latter opted to shoot early and fired straight at Lawrence Vigouroux when he perhaps should have done better.

Minutes before the break, the away side did take their chance. Sowerby was picked out again, after making a run in behind Iandolo and Sid Nelson before guiding an inch-perfect low cross to United’s top-scorer Ashley Nadesan.

The striker peeled off from the Town bac- line towards the penalty spot and rolled his shot in off the post to put Carlisle 1-0 up.

The frustration from the home side at not testing Collin in the United goal was summed up when Taylor decided to take aim from around 40 yards with a speculative half-volley.

Although it did cause Collin to stretch up and collect, it was Town’s only shot on target in the opening 45 minutes.

But deep into first-half stoppage time, Town should have been level as Taylor whipped in a delightful cross that Iandolo should have done far better with.

Instead, the left wing-back shinned a guilt-edge chance wide and further strengthened Wellens’ calls for a natural goalscorer when the January transfer window opens.

But, for all of Town’s good work in the opening period, a minute after the restart, Carlisle were two up.

Scorer Nadesan turned provider when he headed back towards the unmarked Regan Slater to volley home and give Wellens’ men an even steeper hill to climb.

Minutes later, the away side’s lead was extended further.

McGlashan gave away a needless free-kick for handball on the edge of the box after turning his back on a long diagonal pass and Jamie Devitt stepped up and whipped an excellent free-kick into the top corner to put Carlisle three up.

In the 65th minute, things went from bad to worse for Wellens’ men. Carlisle broke in midfield through Hallam Hope, who then found Slater on the edge of the Swindon box and he drilled a shot low and hard past the helpless Vigouroux to make it 4-0.

Swindon continued to have the lion’s share of possession, but by this point, Carlisle had decided that four goals would do for them and opted to sit back and soak up any modest pressure the home side could muster.

Even the introduction of FA Cup scorer Twine did little to reinvigorate the home side’s attacking impetus.

He did however, show the kind of energy and enthusiasm that had been sorely lacking from his team-mates once the second goal had gone in as the youngster flashed a dipping strike at goal that landed on the roof of Collins’ net, although that was as close as the home side would come.

Taylor flashed a few crosses along the face of goal in the closing minutes but a noticeable lack of bodies in the box meant that Town failed to connect with any of them as time ticked away.

Steven Alzate made Collin work with a good low strike late on, but Carlisle left the County Ground with all three points having not won in their previous 20 visits to Wiltshire.

Town now lie in 18th in the table and travel to Port Vale next weekend looking to bounce back and give Wellens his first points as manager.