SWINDON Town suffered their fourth League One defeat in a row following a 2-1 defeat to Northampton Town on Tuesday night.

First-half goals from Christopher Missilou and Danny Rose appeared to signal another miserable 90 minutes for Richie Wellens’ men, however, a dominant second-half showing ¬– and Tyler Smith’s late penalty – gave the visitors hope of a comeback.

Swindon did have the ball in the net in added time after Mitchell appeared to spill, but the referee blew his whistle, and the visitors were denied the point they felt they deserved.

Wellens made four changes from the team to fell to defeat against Sunderland. Paul Caddis started at full-back while Jonny Smith and Jordan Stevens began the game out wide.

Hallam Hope was preferred up front to Tyler Smith despite Wellens saying he does not see Hope as a natural number nine in Monday's pre-match press conference.

However, the more pressing news for Swindon was that Wellens named just six substitutes.

First-year pro, Toby Holland was rewarded with a spot on the bench, while Dion Donohue missed out altogether.

Swindon may have taken the lead early on had Jonny Smith been able to stay on his feet when played in down the right.

However, the visitors had barely recovered from that disappointment by the time the ball was in the net at the other end.

Northampton’s Nicky Adams danced his way through the Swindon defence and shot when one-on-one, but his effort was very well saved by Matej Kovar.

Unfortunately for Swindon, the rebound fell straight onto the head of Christopher Missilou to nod into an unguarded net.

The hosts almost doubled their lead when Sam Hoskins cut in from the left and fired towards goal. Only a superb block from Mathieu Baudry prevented a certain Northampton goal.

Swindon then had a couple of chances of their own midway through the first half.

Jack Payne and Jonny Smith combined passes on the right before the former let fly from the edge of the box.

Payne's effort was well hit, but Jonathan Mitchell collected relatively comfortably.

Jonny Smith blasted over when well set minutes later, and Swindon were almost made to pay as Northampton went close.

Ricky Korboa made a run down the middle and was picked out by Adams.

The Northampton attacker took the ball down beautifully on his chest, but his finish was less appealing - blasting it well over the goal.

Jonny Smith ended a golden chance for Swindon by standing on the ball down one end while Northampton’s Danny Rose wasted a good chance of his own at the other.

Rose would not have long to wait to make amends, however, scoring Northampton’s second moments later.

An inch-perfect ball over the top of Baudry from Missilou allowed Rose through on goal.

The Northampton striker simply steadied himself before rolling a shot past Kovar into the side netting with his left foot.

Despite being two goals down, Swindon enjoyed the far better chances in the remainder of the first half.

First, the visitors won the ball back in midfield and Jonny Smith raced away down the right before cutting it back to Matt Smith to run onto unmarked.

However, the Swindon loanee could only curl it straight at Mitchell.

Then, minutes before the break, Hallam Hope blasted into the side netting from inside the right half of the Northampton box.

Swindon started brightly in the second half and had the first good chance. After winning it high up, Matt Smith slipped a pass through to Stevens on the right.

The pass was ever so slightly overhit though, and Cian Bolger recovered to block Stevens’ shot.

Just after the hour, Swindon hit the bar as Jonathan Grounds showed excellent technique to volley goalwards following a weak clearance.

His left-footed attempt skimmed the bar though, and Northampton kept their clean sheet intact.

Stevens was replaced by Joel Grant with 25 minutes to play, and fellow substitute Diallang Jaiyesimi was shown a yellow card for a tough challenge on Missilou.

With 15 minutes to go, Swindon were given the break they so desperately desired as substitute Tyler Smith was felled from behind inside the area.

The striker stepped up and just about squeezed his penalty past Mitchell to give the visitors hope.

Minutes later, the Sheffield United striker should have squared the game up.

A dreadful back pass put Smith in on goal, but he never really looked confident and poked his effort straight at Mitchell before scuffing the rebound hopelessly wide.

Smith’s heavy contribution continued with five minutes to go as he wriggled his way out of trouble down the left and smashed a ball across the face of goal.

If there had been any kind of touch, it would have resulted in the equaliser, but it was not to be for Wellens’ men.

This was highlighted further by the fact that Joel Grant bundled the ball home in added time, however, the whistle was blown for an apparent foul on the goalkeeper.

STFC starting XI: Kovar, Caddis, Grounds, Baudry, Odimayo, J Smith, M Smith, Grant, Stevens, Payne, Hope.

NTFC starting XI: Mitchell, Harriman, Sowerby, Bolger, Horsfall, Hoskins, Adams, Korboa, Ashley-Seal, Missilou, Rose.