SWINDON's play-off push received a huge boost this afternoon as a pair of first-half goals in Tranmere proved enough for Town to record a second successive away win. 

Marc Richards and Michael Doughty struck in the first half before Rovers answered a poor first-half display with a goal of their own, courtesy of James Norwood, shortly into the second half. 

The win has lifted Town above Oldham into 11th place, and means Richie Wellens' side are now four points shy of the play-off frame, with 17 games remaining.

Richie Wellens made three changes to the side that drew against Lincoln last weekend.

Tom Broadbent was handed his debut after signing less than 48 hours earlier while Ali Koiki and Michael Doughty also came in.

Matt Taylor and Kyle Knoyle were dropped to the bench while Dion Conroy and Jermaine McGlashan were left out altogether.

Town threatened first with barely a minute played when a ball into the box from McCourt was chested into the path of Woolery – whose 20-yard effort was struck over Davies’ crossbar.

Richards should have handed Town the lead eight minutes later when an accurate pass from Doughty met the visitors’ striker on the edge of the penalty area.

Richards’ shot was weak though and directed into Davies’ gloves, a big let off for the hosts with only eight minutes played.

Two failed crosses followed for Wellens’ men as Ali Koiki notably delivered a well-timed pass across the face of goal, which none of Town’s attacking players got close to.

Town made up for their errors with 19 minutes played though as Richards neatly deflected Koiki’s cross from the left into Davies’ bottom left corner.

The goal was a result of work from much earlier though, as a determined Anderson sent Carroll free on the right after winning back possession in the penalty area.

Hesitation from Carroll led to the ball being passed wide to Koiki, whose inch-perfect cross was tapped home by Richards.

Tranmere responded with their first effort of the game as Ishmael Miller burst into the penalty area under pressure from Woolfenden.

Miller’s shot was somewhat impeded by Woolfenden’s no-nonsense previous defending as the Tranmere forward watched his shot drift wide of Vigouroux’s far post. He was then substituted for Connor Jennings as a precaution after falling to the floor.

Swindon soon doubled their lead when Doughty latched onto the end of Davies’ woeful clearance from inside his area before slotting his right-footed shot into the bottom right corner.

Doughty’s goal – his third in a week – prompted Rovers’ boss Micky Mellon to make a second change as the hosts switched to a back four with Adam Buxton coming on for Mark Ellis.

The switches prompted no change in momentum – as far as the home side were concerned – as Dunne benefitted from McCourt’s free kick close to the byline. However the 29-year-old midfielder could only direct his shot into the hands of Rovers’ stopper Davies.

The half time whistle was met by boos from the home faithful, who left disgruntled by their side’s below-par first half display.

Rovers started the second half with greater intent and won a free kick half-way into Town’s half. A poor delivery by Ridehalgh was comfortably cleared by Doughty, who found an advancing Woolery whose shot was blocked for a corner – which Rovers cleared.

The complexion of the game when changed as former Town midfielder Ollie Banks picked out Norwood on the edge of Swindon’s penalty area.

Norwood opted to not take a touch, and his decision proved fruitful as he buried his effort beyond Vigouroux’s reach to half the home side’s deficit with six minutes played in the second half.

Tranmere suddenly took control of the game and were rarely pushed back into their own half before the game ticked past the hour mark.

Caprice schooled Woolery by placing the ball between his legs before Jennings’ effort from inside the area was blasted over Vigouroux’s crossbar.

Jennings was presented with a second chance seconds later, but his downwards header trickled inches wide of Vigouroux’s far post. Frustration started to grow for Town boss Wellens as a poor reaction to Broadbent’s throw-in gifted Rovers possession, which Ridehalgh translated into a shot that whistled wide of Vigouroux’s left post from 25 yards.

Town eventually settled into the second half with 15 minutes to play and started to assert their own dominance on the game.

Firstly, McCourt was denied when his low shot from a tight angle was guided wide by Davies before the resulting corner saw Anderson’s effort blocked after he was set-up by Carroll.

McCourt should have then put the game beyond Rovers’ reach with eight minutes of normal time left.

A cross from the left was met by an unmarked McCourt, whose twisting volley was acrobatically punched clear by a scrambling Davies.

A measured conclusion to the game saw Wellens' troops maturely hold onto their one-goal lead and record their 40th league point of the season.