SWINDON Town won at home in League Two for just the second time this season on Tuesday night after a 3-1 victory against Hartlepool United.

Jonny Williams headed Town in front after the break before Matt Daly squared the game up shortly after.

Tyreece Simpson put Town ahead with 20 minutes to play, and Jack Payne rounded off the scoring in five minutes of added time.

Town’s fifth win in a row helped Ben Garner’s men up into the automatic promotion places too.

Swindon made two changes to the side that edged past Newport County on Saturday thanks to Jack Payne's late goal. Harry McKirdy served his one-game suspension and came straight back into the side in place of Alex Gilbert, while Jonny Williams replaced Ben Gladwin in a forward position.

Anthony Grant made a rare appearance on the Town bench following a series of international bows for Jamaica.

A couple of minutes after Louis Reed slammed a free-kick into the Hartlepool wall, Tyreece Simpson had the game’s first shot in the seventh minute. He powered his way down the left side of the box and blasted goalwards, but a blue and white shirt was in the way to turn it away from danger.

As Swindon continued to try and take the game by the scruff of the neck early on, McKirdy almost opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Rob Hunt flicked on Reed's corner from the right, and McKirdy stabbed towards goal, but goalkeeper Ben Killip scrambled it away.

Hartlepool were certainly showing some level of threat too though, and Byrne almost gave the visitors a shock lead after escaping from Reed's clutches and driving at a retreating Town defence. With nothing else on, Byrne struck goalwards and it took a slight deflection on its way out for a corner.

The biggest moment of the first half came in the 29th minute when Hartlepool thought they had taken the lead. Tom Crawford burst through at speed and poked towards goal following a one-two. Jojo Wollacott could only push the ball into the path of Cullen, and he tapped in before wheeling away in celebration.

After a few seconds of confusion and protests from the Town players, the linesman eventually raised his flag to indicate offside and the hosts were let off the hook.

In the 39th minute, Hunt slipped a pass through to Kaine Kesler-Hayden down the right channel, and the Villa loanee saw a shot deflected out for a corner as Town attempted to respond to the scare.

It was Hartlepool who had the final chance of the first 45 though when Luke Molyneaux’s powerful low drive from outside the box had to be beaten out by Wollacott.

Hartlepool had the best chance to start the second half too. Matt Daly was slipped in down the middle, but Kesler-Hayden managed to scramble back and deflect the Pools man’s shot over the bar.

However, it was Swindon who would take the lead in the 52nd minute. Kesler-Hayden - who had been Town's chief attacking threat all night - burst inside from his perch and slipped a pass down the right for McKirdy.

The forward hung a cross up to the far post, and Williams – who seemed desperate to attack it – leaped like a salmon before powering his header into the roof of the net.

Town’s lead did not last too long, however, as moments after the visitors rattled the bar through Daly, the same man made no mistake at the second time of asking. Town's defending was so naive, and they allowed the cross to come in from the right. Daly - who was making a late run - simply swept the ball home with his right from around the penalty spot.

Hartlepool almost then took the lead following a goal-mouth scramble that required Kesler-Hayden and Hunt to turn goal-bound efforts away.

A hectic second half continued with Swindon re-taking the lead in the 69th minute. Simpson bullied his way through inside the box and volleyed past Killip to send the frustrated home fans wild.

With a little over 10 minutes to play, a superb save from Killip prevented Town from extending their lead. Williams jinked his way down the left before whipping a low cross towards the near post.

Simpson attacked the cross and slammed a left-footed effort at goal, but Killip had his positioning spot on to keep it out.

As Town attempted to shut the game down, Hartlepool were limited to long-range tries or outrageous volleys – none of which bothered Wollacott.

In five minutes of added time, Kesler-Hayden had the chance to settle the nerves after being picked out by Payne through the middle, but he blew his left-footed shot well over.

It mattered not as moments later, Payne produced a carbon copy of his winner against Newport to settle the game and score a third.

STFC starting XI: Wollacott, Odimayo, Iandolo, Conroy, Simpson, Payne, McKirdy, Williams, Kesler-Hayden, Hunt, Reed.

SUBS: Ward, Gladwin, Lyden, Mitchell-Lawson, Gilbert, East, Grant.

HUFC starting XI: Killip, Ferguson, Liddle, Featherstone, Cullen, Molyneaux, Byrne, Ogle, Crawford, Francis-Angol, Daly.

SUBS: Shelton, Grey, Holohan, Olomola, Hendrie, Mitchell, Fondop.