SWINDON Town came from 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Gillingham at the County Ground on Saturday.

Under the watchful eye of prospective head coach Jody Morris, Town showed impressive spirit and energy to haul themselves out of a shocking position and recover a point.

Jonny Williams netted inside the first minute, only for Gillingham to score three times before the 14th minute arrived. Timothee Dieng, Will Wright, and Tom Nichols all struck early to stun the hosts.

But under interim boss Gav Gunning, Swindon are made of sterner stuff, and Charlie Austin added two more goals – the first of which was a penalty – to his debut strike which helped the Robins maintain sixth in the League Two table.

Saidou Khan’s late red card for two yellows was the only sour note on the day, as Town gave Morris a taste of what he can expect when he is officially announced.

Gunning made two changes from the 5-0 win over Grimsby Town last time out, with Luke Jephcott and Marcel Lavinier starting in place of Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and Angus MacDonald.

There have been reports strongly linking the Town captain with a move away from SN1 this month, and the defender’s absence poured more fuel onto that particular fire.

Austin took the armband instead, and new signing Jake Cain was named among the substitutes.

Gillingham sprinkled some of their recent signings into the squad, but the newest of them all - Conor Masterson – began the day on the bench.

After going 90 minutes without a goal in the reverse fixture, the two teams were clearly keen to make up for lost time and set about netting four times between them in the opening 15 minutes.

Williams was up first, just inside the first minute. His goal arrived after Town kept the ball from kick-off and eventually worked it out to Remeao Hutton on the right. His ball in was only half-cleared, and the Welshman volleyed in off the left post to set Swindon away in perfect style.

Gillingham wasted no time before replying though, as Dieng headed in unmarked following a late run into the box in the third minute.

The turning point of the game arrived in the ninth minute when referee Paul Howard pointed to the spot despite Oli Hawkins’ volley smashing Frazer Blake-Tracy in the face from close range instead of his arm.

Centre-back Wright stepped up to put the visitors in front, rolling his penalty in off the left post as Sol Brynn dived the other way.

Less than five minutes after that, Gillingham were 3-1 up. Alex MacDonald curled in a free-kick from the left touchline, and Nichols flicked the ball in off the right post past a despairing dive from Brynn.

Dieng curled at Brynn midway through the first half, and Town struck off target several times prior to the half-time whistle.

Tyrese Shade, Hepburn-Murphy, and Cain all came on at half-time – the latter for his Swindon debut – in place of Ellis Iandolo, Williams, and Jephcott.

The changes eventually had the desired effect as Swindon – never dipping in their endeavour – were awarded a penalty shortly before the hour mark for a handball offence against Wright.

Austin stepped up and rifled his penalty down the middle, and purely due to the power on the strike, it squirmed under Morris and just about spun over the line.

Crosses continued to come in from both sides of Town’s attacking line-up, but stout Gillingham defending prevented Austin in particular from planting a powerful header towards Morris’ goal.

The visitors’ resistance was broken with 10 minutes to play, though, when Hepburn-Murphy latched onto a ball down the left and whipped a cross in towards the near post. Austin rolled back the years to steal a march on his man and flick into the net for 3-3.

Swindon’s task to find a winner was made that little bit tougher moments after, when Khan needlessly picked up a second yellow card for a foul on Gills substitute George Lapslie.

Despite having a man fewer, Town could have won it shortly before six minutes of added time were shown. From Robbie McKenzie's long throw, the hosts cleared, and Lavinier set Hepburn-Murphy away down the left one-on-one. He had substitute Ronan Darcy to his right but chose to go alone, and Morris saved down low to salvage a point for relegation-threatened Gillingham.

STFC starting XI: Brynn, Hutton, Iandolo, Williams, Austin, Jephcott, Blake-Tracy, Lavinier, Khan, Wakeling, Brennan.

STFC substitutes: Copland, Darcy, Cain, Hepburn-Murphy, Shade, Minturn, Kanu.

GFC starting XI: Morris, McKenzie, Wright, Ehmer, Tutonda, Williams (c), Dieng, Jeffries, MacDonald, Hawkins, Nichols.

GFC substitutes: Turner, Alexander, Masterson, Adelakun, Lapslie, Kashket, Gbode.

Referee: Paul Howard

Attendance: 10,259 (961)