Swindon Town draw 1-1 with Stevenage in League Two

In a game that Town dominated for large parts, Ben Coker’s goal early in the second half threatened to give Alex Revell’s side all three points, only for a controversial penalty in the dying seconds to hand Payne the chance to secure a first ever draw between the two clubs.

Payne made no mistake from the spot, and Town maintained their unbeaten start away from home this season.

Ben Garner made two changes to the side that beat Mansfield Town 1-0 last Saturday, with two of the three internationals making way.

Kaine Kesler-Hayden and Anthony Grant were missing, while Ellis Iandolo and Harry McKirdy came in. New signing Alex Gilbert has to make do with a spot on the bench.

For Stevenage, two former Town players started in Scott Cuthbert and Luke Norris. Meanwhile, ex-Swindon man Brad Barry was on the bench, with goalscoring nemesis Alex Revell as the manager.

An even first 10 minutes with neither table able to put their stamp on the game eventually made way for the first chance of the afternoon. Stevenage’s Elliott List charged forward and curled a tame effort goalwards which Wollacott saved comfortably.

From the game’s first corner, former Bristol Rovers midfielder Chris Lines almost scored a goal of the season contender, only for Jojo Wollacott to continue his red-hot form.

The corner was cleared by Ben Gladwin, and urged by the crowd, Lines ran onto it and powered a volleyed effort goalwards. It looked destined to ripple the net from the moment it left Lines' right boot, but Wollacott sprung away to his right to push it out.

But midway through the first half, Town began to take control and the chances began to come more frequently.

Louis Reed shot off target from the edge of the box on a couple of occasions, and in the 32nd minute Swindon hit the post.

The lively Harry McKirdy picked up the ball and ran at Stevenage. He laid it off to Jack Payne, who then steadied himself before shooting. His effort took a decent deflection and it appeared to be looping over Stevenage goalkeeper, Joseph Anang, only for the stopper to leap up and tip it onto the post.

Moments later, Tyreece Simpson wasted a golden chance to open the scoring. Reed drove a ball out to Rob Hunt on the left who nodded it down into the middle.

Simpson should have just concentrated on hitting the target, but instead he blasted it over with his left from 10 yards out.

Following a wayward Jake Taylor shot for Stevenage, Town almost scored on the stroke of half-time when Dion Conroy clipped a ball over the top through to McKirdy. The Town attacker chopped back onto his left but curled an effort inches wide of Anang's right-hand post.

Town had a great chance to score straight away after the break as Simpson found himself through down the left edge of the box. He probably should have shot, but opted to cut it back to Payne who saw his shot blocked.

Moments later, Wollacott had to react sharply as Luke Norris’ header that was destined for the top corner was tipped over.

Despite all of Town’s dominance, in the 54th minute, Stevenage took the lead. The hosts kept an unsuccessful corner alive, and a hopeful cross from the left was latched onto by Coker on the opposite side after Gladwin switched off. The left-back finished with aplomb over Wollacott and into the top corner from a tight angle.

Swindon set about trying to reply, and they almost found an equaliser through Ellis Iandolo on the hour mark. Gladwin flicked a pass onto the holding midfielder who took a touch before lashing goalwards. Anang just about dealt with it but had to turn it over the bar at the second attempt.

Town continued to knock the ball about with no real intent, and it wasn’t until Gilbert came on that Swindon began to up the tempo slightly.

Gilbert wasted little time before driving at the Stevenage defence and laying off to Gladwin for a shot. However, his swerving effort was narrowly off target with 15 minutes to play.

Inside the final five minutes, Stevenage almost grabbed a second. Coker's corner was headed goalwards by Terence Vancooten, only for Gladwin to clear off the line.

But deep into added time, among disappointing scenes from a section of the travelling fans, Town were handed a path back into the game.

As substitute Jayden Mitchell-Lawson shaped to shoot, he was tackled strongly by Scott Cuthbert and referee John Brooks pointed to the spot.

Jack Payne stepped up and calmly struck the penalty down the centre to rescue a point.

SFC starting XI: Anang, James-Wildin, Coker, Cuthbert, List, Taylor, Norris, Osborne, Lines, Vancooten, Daly.

SUBS: Bastien, Prosser, Andrade, Read, Reid, Smith, Barry.

STFC starting XI: Wollacott, Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy (c), Crichlow, Gladwin, Simpson, Payne, McKirdy, Hunt, Reed.

SUBS: Ward, Mitchell-Lawson, Gilbert, East, Aguiar, Parsons, Dabre.