SWINDON Town lost consecutive League Two games for the first time this season following a 2-0 defeat away at Barrow on Saturday.

Two second-half penalties for Mark Cooper’s men – one from Ollie Banks and one from Josh Gordon – consigned Town to a disappointing defeat on an afternoon where the weather made playing conditions extremely difficult.

But struggling Barrow, who had not scored in their past five games, deserved the victory and could have won by more if two first-half penalties had been given.

Ben Garner made two changes to the side that lost 4-1 at Leyton Orient in midweek. Louis Reed picked up five yellow cards and was forced to sit out as Ryan East made his first league start. Meanwhile, Romoney Crichlow dropped to the bench in favour of Rob Hunt.

For Barrow, former Town alumni Banks and Jordan Stevens were named in the Bluebirds’ starting XI while Robbie Gotts – who was said to be a target of ex-Swindon boss Richie Wellens – also started.

Despite the testing conditions, Town began the game by knocking the ball around nicely and created a decent half-chance in the 12th minute. Jack Payne stung the fists of Paul Farman when whipping a free-kick effort at goal.

However, despite Town’s bright start, Dion Conroy could count his lucky stars that he didn’t give away a penalty shortly after.

The Swindon captain tried a needless backheel near his own corner flag which Gotts collected off his own shins and charged into the box. He appeared to be tripped, but the referee - who was about 10 feet away - waved no foul emphatically.

Around 10 minutes later, Akin Odimayo placed his hands in Mark Ellis’ back during a cross and was perhaps fortunate to see the referee point for a goal kick instead of a penalty.

Barrow began to generate some momentum midway through the half. Gotts smashed over from just outside the box after Ozzy Zanzala dragged a Town defender down and Conroy dived in.

Shortly before the break, Payne skipped away from his man in midfield and slid a through ball for Simpson to run onto with the outside of his left foot. The striker went for goal instead of trying to square it to McKirdy, and could only find the side netting.

Ben Gladwin dragged a left-footed shot wide from range, and up the other end Stevens wasted a golden opportunity for Barrow by being too slow to pull the trigger when being played in down the right.

Kesler-Hayden slammed a low effort at goal in added time, but Farman got down well to his left to push the effort out.

Shortly after the restart, Tyreece Simpson’s attempted lay-off exploded off the striker’s foot and towards Zanzala who was in on goal. He tried to cut back on to his left, but Conroy was there to nick it away.

In the 54th minute, after Barrow had kept the ball for a little while, Joe Grayson picked it up on the left. The centre-back ran towards a retreating Town defence before poking an effort wide of Wollacott’s left-hand post.

But just after the hour mark, the Bluebirds were handed a golden chance to end their five-game run without a goal after Kesler-Hayden was adjudged to have handled the ball when sticking an arm out to stop Gotts’ cross from the left. Former Town midfielder Banks calmly stepped up and placed his penalty into the top right corner as Wollacott dived the opposite way.

With 20 minutes to play, Barrow hit the post through Gotts after he dribbled his way into the area and saw a deflected shot wrong-foot Wollacott. Moments later, the same man was booked for bringing down Iandolo.

As Town searched for a way back into the game, Grayson delivered a wonderful cross from the left that substitute Gordon couldn’t quite direct on target.

Up the other end, Gladwin’s powerful cross from the left was headed away under the Barrow crossbar, and Payne ended up collecting on the edge of the area. He twisted from his left onto his right before slicing over.

Inside the final 10 minutes, Town saw appeals for a penalty waved away after Iandolo clashed with a Barrow man down the left. It looked like a foul, but it was unclear as to whether it was inside or outside the box.

And in the 87th minute, it was game up for Swindon after Gladwin was adjudged to have fouled Patrick Brough inside the box. The chance came about after Kesler-Hayden’s poor touch allowed Gordon to break one-on-one. Wollacott denied the striker in open play, but was sent the wrong way from the spot as the Bluebirds wrapped the game up.

After the full-time whistle had been blown, Conroy was sent off for dissent by referee Ollie Yates to cap a miserable afternoon for Swindon.

BFC starting XI: Farman, Brown, Brough, Ellis, Zanzala, White, J Jones, Gotts, Grayson, Banks, Stevens.

SUBS: Lillis, Taylor, Platt, M Jones, Gordon, Hutton.

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

SUBS: Ward, Crichlow, Lyden, Mitchell-Lawson, Gilbert, Williams, Dabre.