WHEN Eoin Doyle was signed on loan from Bradford City, many questioned how manager Richie Wellens would plan to fit the senior forward into his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation once Jerry Yates was back from suspension.

Well question no more.

With both Doyle and Yates dove-tailing perfectly as Town further strengthened their dominant record against Morecambe to seven wins from eight games thanks to a 3-1 victory at the weekend, a throwback 4-4-2 answered any questions about how to get all of Swindon’s best players onto the pitch at the same time.

Both loanee strikers got on the scoresheet – Yates bagged his third since arriving, while a brace from Doyle took his tally to five in four games as Swindon comfortably beat Morecambe at the Energy Check County Ground on Saturday to move up to fifth in League Two with half-a-dozen games played.

Bradford loanee Doyle netted his fourth Town goal inside the first five minutes to give the home side their dream start before Morecambe equalised through Lewis Alessandra eight minutes later.

But Richie Wellens’ men responded in perfect fashion after Yates crashed home in the 17th minute.

The lead was stretched further less than five minutes later thanks to Doyle’s second of the afternoon as Swindon got back on the winning trail following three league games without a victory.

Manager Wellens made three changes to his starting line-up from the side that battled to a 2-2 draw away at local rivals Cheltenham Town last weekend.

Tyler Reid dropped to the bench following a largely underwhelming performance against the Gloucestershire club, Michael Doughty began his suspension after being shown a straight red card for a high tackle against the Robins, and Kaiyne Woolery was the unlucky man to lose his place for Yates to come back in following the completion of his own three-match ban.

Ellis Iandolo slotted in at a semi-familiar left-back role, while Danny Rose made his first start of the season in central midfield.

Town set up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Keshi Anderson operating on the left-hand side of midfield and Lloyd Isgrove on the right.

And it did not take long at all for the home wingers to have an effect on proceedings.

Anderson collected the ball off Rob Hunt with his back to goal about 25 yards out before rolling his man and driving towards the centre.

Anderson’s left-footed shot took a heavy deflection on its way through to the path of a lurking Doyle, who squeezed the ball through the legs of Shrimps stopper Barry Roche and into the net.

Doyle has already shown how effective he can be inside the penalty box – four of his five goals so far have been taken first time – and although more time may be afforded to League Two strikers as opposed to League One, Town now clearly have someone who can dispatch a half-chance in a tight game.

Come May, that might be the difference between promotion and a fourth-consecutive season in the fourth tier of English football.

Despite Wellens’ side enjoying the lion’s share of possession early on, a momentary lapse in concentration from Rose gave Morecambe the opportunity to hit straight back.

The 31-year-old, who is making his way back from injury, was robbed of possession inside his own half, and from there, the visitors broke three-on-two.

Lewis Alessandra placed his powerful right-footed shot into the corner of Luke McCormick’s goal to square the game up.

And for all of the home side’s dominance in the early exchanges, it could have been even worse for Town moments later too as Isgrove ran down a dead end, saw his risky crossfield pass picked off and John O’Sullivan volleyed at goal, only to be denied by a stretching McCormick to his left.

Not letting the temporary setback affect them anymore, Town went back in front minutes later.

Anderson – who has enjoyed a mini-renaissance in the opening month of the new season since being placed on the transfer list courtesy of disciplinary issues – powered in from the left, played a pass into Doyle, who flicked the ball back into Anderson’s path before the talisman slipped Yates in one-on-one.

The on-loan Rotherham United forward timed his run perfectly before leathering the ball into the bottom corner to restore the hosts’ lead.

The next piece of action also came in the form of a goal.

From the right, Isgrove whipped in an inch-perfect cross onto the head of Doyle and the Irishman simply nodded down and into the corner for his fifth goal in four games.

Town were content to keep knocking it around in what seemed like slightly blustery conditions at pitch-level, occasionally searching for an opening, but apparently in no real rush.

As the first half came to a close, Town were put under a little bit of pressure by their visitors and did well to keep their two-goal lead intact.

McCormick was forced to punch clear before Ritchie Sutton headed over another dangerous delivery into Town’s area.

Once the second half resumed, chances were at a premium as the tempo dropped considerably from the level of the first half.

Manager Wellens was deeply unhappy about Town’s incomplete performance, calling it ‘the worst of the season’ so far.

On their second-half showing, it was difficult to disagree, but on a rare foray forward, Hunt, Isgrove and Yates almost combined beautifully for a fourth goal.

However, Isgrove did not continue his run into the box from a one-two and Yates’ pull-back rolled to a Morecambe defender.

As Town dropped deeper and deeper midway through the second half, Morecambe came close to nicking an unlikely goal back with 20 minutes to play.

A cross was delivered in from the left, which caused McCormick all kinds of problems.

The Swindon stopper came to claim but got nowhere near the ball and Sam Lavelle was unable to bundle the ball in at the back post.

But that was as close as the visitors would come to reducing the deficit, and only an Isgrove shot that trickled wide late on punctuated a largely frustrating end to a game that Town were ultimately worthy of claiming all three points from.

Next weekend’s match provides an opportunity to continue the early positive momentum as Swindon travel to newly-promoted Leyton Orient.