AN OPPORTUNITY to record back to back League Two wins presents itself to Swindon Town tomorrow night when facing Stevenage, following Saturday’s resolute performance against struggling Port Vale which saw Richie Wellens post his first win as boss.

While any three points are timely, Town’s latest performance will be quickly forgotten unless a display of equal determination, guts and character is delivered at the Energy Check County Ground on Tuesday.

Unavoidable doubts regarding Swindon’s home form still linger, but individual performances at Vale Park suggested fans are in for an ‘in with the new, out with the old’ approach.

Defensively, Town stood strong when it was needed most. Yes, decisions went for and against them.

But Town held firm having lost two key men during the 90 minutes, including forward Marc Richards – who again failed to make kick-off after pulling up in the warm-up.

Jak McCourt was also forced out of the game after dislocating his shoulder on the hour mark.

If overcoming hostility is something Town fans believe their side must improve on, then Saturday’s display screams huge signs of encouragement.

The home ‘faithful’ struggled to back their own team, and had more than just a few strong words to voice throughout the entirety of the game.

McCourt’s injury was met by cries of frustration, jeers and boos directed towards the 23-year-old – who was helped off the field by medics from both teams, such was his discomfort.

Defensively, Town stood strong when it mattered – and one talking point among fans following the game will no doubt be ‘would we have held on under Phil Brown?’ Perhaps not, one could guess.

Not only that, but we witnessed a real creative and attacking edge to Kyle Knoyle and Ellis Iandolo, the latter playing at left-back.

In midfield, McCourt and Keshi Anderson in particular linked up well.

While moving forward we saw a professional performance from Scott Twine, while Elijah Adebayo ended his poor run of form when netting th decisive goal with a simple tap-in.

But all the above will be undone if tomorrow doesn’t go the way of Wellens’ men, who perhaps now face their biggest test of the season.

Saturday’s win was Town’s second in nine weeks of League Two football, and a first since Brown was sacked as manager 15 days ago.

Wellens made four changes to the side that suffered a humiliating 4-0 loss at home to Carlisle United a week earlier.

Knoyle returned to his usual right-back role, McCourt filled in the middle, while Richards and Twine were preferred up front.

However, for a second game out of three, Richards was forced to miss kick-off despite joining in the pre-atch warm-up.

Town’s best early chance came when Steven Alzate burst into the penalty area before unsuccessfully picking out Twine on his left.

Wellens’ side soon took the lead when an acrobatic effort from Twine forced Vale stopper Scott Brown into a diving save to his right.

Brown’s excellent save counted for little, though, as Adebayo poached a goal from the rebound – tapping home from four yards out.

The goal rattled the home faithful, who were asking plenty of questions regarding their side’s ability – which prompted Town to press forward with confidence.

McCourt whipped an accurate ball into the box from the right in search of a lively Twine, but his effort though couldn’t be directed towards Brown’s net.

A foul by Alzate on 21 minutes gifted Port Vale their first chance on Lawrence Vigouroux’s goal as referee Peter Wright awarded a free-kick 20 yards out.

Tom Conlon stepped up, but his effort was comfortably saved by a diving Vigouroux.

Anderson had two chances to double Town’s lead as the game ticked past the half-hour mark.

He struck his first effort into Brown’s side-netting after emerging clear with the ball following a defensive mix-up before flashing a ferocious right-footed drive past Vale’s top left corner.

Between those chances, Ben Whitfield scuffed a chance from inside Town’s penalty area after receiving the ball on the turn from Tom Pope.

Pope missed another chance for the hosts to level minutes later when rising from a corner. Vale’s leading goalscorer directed his effort beyond Vigouroux’s left post, though.

Chances were limited in the half’s concluding five minutes as Town ended the opening 45 with a comfortable one-goal lead.

Vale’s poor first-half display prompted two half-time changes – Christian Montano and Mitchell Clark departed the field for Louis Dodds and Theo Vassell.

The changes caught Wellens’ men out initially as Whitfield cut inside Iandolo before his shot was deflected behind by Luke Woolfenden.

Appeals for handball by a restless home crowd were turned down as Vigouroux comfortably claimed the ball delivered from the corner.

The hosts were again denied a handball appeal, this time Matt Taylor controlled a spinning ball which did look to take a touch to his left hand – referee Wright, however, was unmoved.

Wellens was forced into making his first substitution on the hour mark as McCourt was forced off through injury.

The midfielder left the field clutching his shoulder with a dislocated shoulder as Michael Doughty came on in his place.

Doughty – making his first appearance since Town’s win at Notts County three weeks ago – stabilised his side’s early second-half midfield woes.

Wellens’ men continued to weather the home side’s storm, with Whitfield in particular providing a constant threat on the right-hand side.

Resolute defender Sid Nelson was then forced into a goalline clearance after a corner from the right was met by towering Vale midfielder Connell Rawlinson.

The Valiants had their best chance of the half saved with 10 minutes remaining when a dangerous flick-on header by substitute Scott Quigley was comfortably gathered by Vigouroux.

Increasing pressure from the hosts saw Wellens replace forward Twine with centre half Olly Lancashire.

Despite 10 minutes of additional time, Town held on for a second away win in three – moving them up to 14th in the table.