Swindon Town’s wait for a first win of the season goes on as they were defeated 2-1 by Exeter City in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy.
There were plenty of openings at both ends during the opening 45 minutes, but neither goalkeeper had been forced to make a save of any real difficulty.
Ed Francis’ opener was quickly cancelled out by a Joel Cotterill thunderbolt but Jack Aitchison scored a late pearler to seal the win.
Swindon are now six without a win in all competitions this season and have lost eight in a row in this competition.
Mark Kennedy played the strongest line-up Swindon have used in this competition for quite some time, with only Grant Hall dropping out of the 18 from Notts County. Dan Barden, Danny Butterworth, and Kabongo Tshimanga all got their first Swindon starts and Ryan Delaney got his first involvement of any kind in a Town matchday squad.
The line-up confirmed that the desire to win this game that Kennedy had spoken about on Monday was not the normal smoke and mirrors of a press conference. The wait for a first win was weighing heavy and Town were going all-out to rip that monkey off their backs.
However, it was Exeter that looked to quickly show who was the League One team. They were looking more incisive on the ball, with Aitchison proving a particular threat in releasing the strikers in behind. Kamari Doyle almost weaved his way into a shooting position in the area but could only clip a cross out of play.
But Swindon were keeping the ball well and Will Wright was consistently able to find the wily Butterworth between the lines. His twisting and turning was impressing early on, finding Jake Cain on the left to put in a ball that Tshimanga couldn’t quite get on the end of.
Exeter were still on top and should have made that visible after 19 minutes when Millenic Alli got in down the right and flashed in a cross. Doyle slipped when he had what seemed like a certain goal and then Ben Purrington couldn’t hit the target around the back.
The main battleground was coming down the left as Cain was getting joy in an attacking sense and putting in some crosses that required last-ditch defending. But going the other way, Liam Oakes was having some joy getting beyond him and causing havoc for Miguel Freckleton.
Drinan had two half chances as first he got on the end of a Cain cross and glanced it across goal before minutes later a loose ball fell for him on the top of the box and he drilled it wide of the mark.
Despite some good openings, the deadlock remained intact, as Aitchison chested down a cross and had a shot on the swivel that went wide and Alli then chased well down the right and slammed a shot from a tight angle that was blocked by the chest of Dan Barden.
Swindon’s biggest chance of the half came as they headed away a Grecians corner and then Drinan chased the length of the field only to have his effort blocked with Butterworth in support.
As has been tradition this season, Town made a very quick start to the second half. Pushing Exeter back and creating some good openings.
First Tshimanga took the ball down on the edge of the box and had a shot deflected wide and from the resulting corner Butterworth's effort flew narrowly wide of the upright.
Tshimanga seemed more engaged straight away and despite being held like an NFL defensive lineman, got away from Pierce Sweeney and raced away. The covering defender did well to block the pass to Drinan, so he went it alone and drew a great save from Shaun MacDonald as he desperately spread himself as wide as he would go.
But that faded as Exeter found their feet and turned the tides back around, with a few passages of play in which they tested Swindon with some crosses.
After 66 minutes the goal arrived when a Grecians corner landed for Francis in the middle of the box and he fired low into the back of the net.
But the response was almost instant as a wayward Tunmise Sobowale cross was limply headed away and Cotterill went for it first time on the half volley and MacDonald didn't even see it as it flew beyond him.
The swift reply almost became a misery compiler as Town won the ball around the halfway line and Ollie Clarke galloped into the box and tried a low finish but MacDonald was able to deny him.
But with time running out, Aitchison proved to be the difference maker as he ended a dribble by firing a fierce strike into the top corner after 81 minutes.
ECFC starting XI: MacDonald, Purrington, Fitzwater, Francis, Aitchison, Alli, Watts, Doyle, Sweeney, James, Oakes.
ECFC substitutes: Lee, Yfeko, Cox, Bird, Cummins, Richards, Cayless.
STFC starting XI: Barden, Sobowale, Wright, Cotterill, Cain, Kilkenny, Freckleton, Tshimanga, Butterworth, Drinan, Minturn.
STFC substitutes: Bycroft, Delaney, Clarke, Glatzel, Smith, King, McGregor.
Attendance: 1,485 (97 away).
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