SWINDON Town opened their EFL Trophy campaign with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal Under-21s at the County Ground on Tuesday night.

Goals from debutant Mohammad Dabre and an own goal from Arsenal’s Kido Taylor-Hart cancelled out Joel Ideho’s first-half strike.

As a result of the club’s first cup win this season, Ben Garner’s men join Newport County on three points at the top of Southern Group F.

Ben Garner made seven changes to the side that secured a dramatic draw with Stevenage in League Two at the weekend.

There was a change in goal as Lewis Ward came in, meanwhile there was a debut for Mohammad Dabre and a first start of the season for Ricky Aguiar, Alex Gilbert, and Jayden Mitchell-Lawson. Ryan East and Harry Parsons were the others to come in.

Youngsters Donell Gordon, Levi Francis, and George Cowmeadow secured a spot on the bench.

Swindon began in control at the County Ground, but it was Arsenal who went close first. After Lewis Ward gave the ball away cheaply on the edge of his own box, Arsenal held onto the ball for a while and worked it over to the right before Mika Biereth created a chance for himself.

The striker spun down the right-hand side of the box and blasted a low effort off the base of the near post.

The hosts did not let the scare affect them though, and went on to open the scoring in the 17th minute in fortuitous style. Alex Gilbert found himself in a crossing position on the left courtesy of a deflection off an Arsenal defender - Gilbert was stood in an offside position at the time. The Brentford attacker crossed low into the middle, and Dabre flicked out a leg to bundle it in. There were a couple of bounces in there as well, but the Town players celebrated with the debutant.

Around the half-hour mark, Town created another half-chance through Gilbert and Dabre. Gilbert crossed hard and low from the right, and Ovie Ejeheri slapped it out again like he did for the goal.

This time, however, Dabre had his back to goal and tried flicking the ball out towards the penalty spot for someone to tap in. But there was no one there except Arsenal defenders, and the visitors cleared.

Ricky Aguiar and Gilbert both tested the Gunners’ defence moments later, but the academy side stood firm to keep the score at 1-0.

And with a little over 10 minutes to the break, Arsenal found a reply in emphatic fashion. Kido Taylor-Hart worked the ball out to Ideho on the right. He shaped to shoot on his right before turning back onto his left and slamming low past Ward at his near post.

Harry Parsons almost dug out a chance to restore Swindon’s lead in first-half stoppage time, but he took too many touches and the visitors crowded him out when travelling into the box.

The second half began with a plethora of chances for Town. Gilbert and Parsons fired narrowly over while Romoney Crichlow belied his centre-back status to shoot powerfully at Ejeheri from inside the box following a neat turn.

Moments later, Mitchell-Lawson almost restored Town's lead courtesy of a wonderful solo run. He squared up two Arsenal defenders before bundling his way through in the penalty box and poking narrowly wide.

Prior to the hour mark, Ideho almost grabbed his and Arsenal's second following a free-kick from the right. Charlie Patino whipped in the cross right-footed towards the edge of the box, and the right wing-back's header looped just under the crossbar before Ward turned it over.

Midway through the second half, Town regained their lead. And once again, it was in fortunate circumstances. Substitute Jack Payne whipped a corner in low and fellow sub Dion Conroy flicked at the ball at the near post but got little or no contact on it. The ball hit Kido Taylor-Hart before squirming its way over the line.

Swindon tested Ejeheri once again with 10 minutes to go, this time through substitute Tyreece Simpson. Aguiar clipped a ball down the left channel, and Simpson reached the ball while pushing his marker away from goal.

Running at Alex Kirk, Simpson switched onto his left and drove his shot low. Whether it hit the goalkeeper or the near post was unclear, but the ball ricocheted well away from goal thereafter.

Arsenal attempted to find an equaliser, but aside from a half chance for Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, they never really put Lewis Ward under any real pressure in the final moments and Town held on for a positive start to their EFL Trophy campaign.

STFC starting XI: Ward, Odimayo, Iandolo (c), Crichlow, Mitchell-Lawson, Gilbert, Hunt, East, Aguiar, Parsons, Dabre.

SUBS: Wollacott, Conroy, Simpson, Payne, Gordon, Cowmeadow, Francis.

AU21 starting XI: Ejeheri, Ideho, Kirk, Lopez, Biereth, Ogungbo, Taylor-Hart, Walters, Henry-Francis, Monlouis, Patino.

SUBS: Butler-Oyedeji, Graczyk, M'Hand, Bandeira, Edwards, Foran, Cozier-Durberry.