CHARLIE Austin's second goal in as many games sealed a massive three points for Town tonight as they beat Huddersfield 2-1 at the County Ground.

The 20-year-old, making his full home debut, raced on to Lecsinel Jean-Francois' pass on 58 minutes and made no mistake with a clinical finish.

Earlier, Billy Paynter had put Swindon in front, only for Lee Novak to level things up for the visitors minutes later.

Alex Revell could have made the scoreline even more emphatic when he flashed a header wide, but in difficult conditions and against a promotion-chasing side who had won their last five games, this was an impressive victory.

On two minutes Jordan Rhodes struck an effort from distance, but it was easy for Town keeper David Lucas.

The home side who should have opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Charlie Austin's high, hanging cross was touched forward by Simon Ferry, and fell for the unmarked Anthony McNamee eight yards out.

The wide man swung a left boot at it, but failed to connect and it bobbled tamely towards goal for Alex Smithies to collect.

But in the 24th minute, and with little notice of intent at either end, the deadlock was suddenly broken by Paynter.

The front man headed down for Charlie Austin and when the youngster gave it back to his strike partner, Paynter made no mistake with a cool finish slipped under the body of Smithies.

Four minutes later, however, Huddersfield were back on level terms and in stunning fashion.

Lee Novak picked up the ball 25 yards out towards the right hand side, and with seemingly nothing on crashed a fantastic strike into the far corner with Lucas helpless.

With the swirling wind in their faces, Swindon spent most of the half unable to really get on the front foot, and limited the visitors to long range efforts, with both Novak and Antony Kay driving wide of the upright.

Huddersfield started the second half brightly and four minutes in captain Peter Clarke rattled a 25-yard shot against the bar after Lee Peltier had swung the ball in from deep on the right.

The wind was continuing to cause havoc and a shank from Kay almost on the halfway line saw the ball fly back down the other end for a Town corner.

Jon-Paul McGovern's delivery was inch perfect, but Paynter was unable to provide the finishing touch from a couple of yards when a second Swindon goal would have surely followed.

But it did follow in the 58th minute, and stemmed from Lecsinel Jean-Francois comin away with the ball from a crunching tackle on Anthony Pilkington right in front of the dug-outs.

The full-back strode forward before before clipping a pass into the unmarked Austin on the edge of the penalty area.

And from that point there only ever looked to be one outcome as Austin took a touch, held off the challenge of his marker and drilled the ball past Smithies from a tight angle.

The goalscorer was replaced minutes later by Alex Revell after going down with cramp, and his replacement almost extended Swindon's advantage even further.

McGovern fizzed in another wicked corner and Revell's flicked header across goal flew agonisingly the wrong side of the upright.

When Theo Robinson was introduced as part of a double change by visiting manager Lee Clark, the County Ground faithful made it perfectly clear what they thought of the striker who made a U-turn on a summer move to Wiltshire in favour of Huddersfield.

And if Robinson was in any doubt about their feelings towards him, they spelt it out as he wellied a shot over the top of the Town End.

That was about as good as it got for the visitors, as Swindon looked in little danger of letting their lead slip.

TOWN (4-4-2): David Lucas; Kevin Amankwaah, Scott Cuthbert, Gordon Greer (c), Lecsinel Jean-Francois; Jon-Paul McGovern, Simon Ferry, Jonathan Douglas, Anthony McNamee; Billy Paynter, Charlie Austin (Alex Revell 65)

Subs not used: Phil Smith, Callum Kennedy, Craig Easton, Michael Timlin, Lee Peacock, Ben Hutchinson

HUDDERSFIELD (4-4-2): Alex Smithies; Lee Peltier, Peter Clarke (c), Nathan Clarke, Robbie Williams; Anthony Pilkington, Michael Collins, Antony Kay, Gary Roberts (Lionel Ainsworth 75); Lee Novak (Theo Robinson 75), Jordan Rhodes

Subs not used: Matt Glennon, Joe Skarz, Andy Butler, James Berrett, Jim Goodwin