SWINDON Town trail Colchester United 1-0 at half time in the sides’ League One contest at the Weston Homes Community Stadium this afternoon.

David Mooney gave the hosts the advantage from the penalty spot after just seven minutes following an unfortunate handball from Andrew Frampton, but Swindon have more than matched their Essex-based hosts.

Elliot Benyon called Mark Cousins in the home goal into an early save, firing an ambitious 30-yard volley which the stopper pushed onto his crossbar.

But that and the penalty aside, the match has been scrappy and unattractive, with neither team able to hold possession for long enough to contribute something meaningful to proceedings.

Here are the key moments from tonight’s first half:

Two mins: Town are within a fingertip of going in front as Elliot Benyon fires an audacious first-time volley from fully 30 yards, seeing Mark Cousins off his line.

The Colchester keeper backtracks and gets up just in time to extend a desperate arm to the ball, and the touch pushes the ball onto the crossbar. Oh so close for the visitors, and bright from Benyon.

Seven mins: (GOAL 1-0, Mooney pen) This moment just sums up the Robins luck since Christmas. A clipped ball over the top seems to have Andrew Frampton struggling to get back at first, but he does well to outmuscle Andy Bond as the pair reach the edge of the penalty area.

However, as the centre-back prepares to clear away from the danger zone, his momentum gets the better of him and his swinging arm makes contact with the ball. It’s not deliberate, but it probably is a penalty, and referee Graham Salisbury points to the spot.

David Mooney steps up and sends David Lucas the wrong way. Massive early blow for Town, some real character needed now.

17 mins: Not much by way of clear-cut chances for either side in this one. Lots of careless possession football in midfield, and Jonathan Obika is getting well and truly frozen out by the mountainous centre-back partnership of Pat Baldwin and Matt Heath for the hosts.

21 mins: With Mooney and Bond ready to pounce at the back post, Scott Cuthbert comes in with a timely interception to clear the ball out for a throw in. Top piece of defending that.

From the resulting restart Mooney finds himself in enough space to lash a fierce drive at goal from eight yards. Lucas pulls off a superb reflex save at the near post to keep the deficit to just the single goal.

23 mins: Almost a piece of pure comedy gold at the Weston Homes as Baldwin nods Paul Caddis’ cross towards his own goal, Cousins half saves the header but the ball trickles towards the goalline. However, the stopper gets back in time to prevent a moment of real embarrassment.

27 mins: Too much lump it long stuff from the visitors. When they get it down and pass it around, Town look to have their hosts in their back pocket. Baldwin and Heath will lap up aimless hoofball all day long.

37 mins: Another instance of ill-fortune for Town as Obika is played clean through by Jonathan Douglas, only for referee Salisbury to call the play back for a foul on Ritchie in midfield. Typical.

42 mins: A brief moment of excitement, but it really is only brief as Bond lashes wildly over from 25 yards out. This one is getting a bit tedious now, very little quality on display.

SWINDON TOWN (4-4-2): David Lucas; Paul Caddis, Scott Cuthbert, Andy Frampton, Michael Rose; Jon-Paul McGovern, Michael Timlin, Jonathan Douglas, Matt Ritchie; Elliot Benyon, Jonathan Obika

Subs not used: Phil Smith, Alan Sheehan, Kevin Amankwaah, Aden Flint, Simon Ferry, David Prutton, Thomas Dossevi

COLCHESTER UNITED (4-4-1-1): Mark Cousins, Lee Beevers, Pat Baldwin, Matt Heath, Ben Coker; Ashley Vincent, David Perkins, Kem Izzet, Anthony Wordsworth; Andy Bond; David Mooney

Subs not used: Ben Williams, Matthias Vihjalmsson, John White, Lloyd James, Ian Henderson, Kayode Odejayi, Steven Gillespie

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