LUKE Norris bundled home a scrappy late winner for Swindon Town against Forest Green Rovers this afternoon to hand them a third straight victory in League Two.

Chances were at a premium between these two West County rivals in a match devoid of quality for large periods but Norris was able to grab the points for Town at the Energy Check County Ground after a goalmouth scramble 11 minutes from time.

The result sees Town make it back-to-back home wins in the league for the first time this season and also sees David Flitcroft’s side move level on points with the play-off places.

New recruit Ollie Banks was handed an immediate debut after signing on loan from League One side Oldham Athletic 24 hours earlier, with that the only change to the Town team from the starting XI that won at Barnet in their last match on New Year's Day.

Banks replaced Amine Linganzi in the heart of midfield, while James Brophy was a notable inclusion amongst the substitutes after being integrated back into the squad in the wake of a recent disciplinary episode.

The contest took a while to get going and the first touch of note for either goalkeeper arrived after seven minutes when Rovers’ Brad Collins had the simple task of catching a Keshi Anderson cross after Kaiyne Woolery had led a Town counter from a corner at the other end.

It took 11 minutes for the game’s first shot to arrive but again it drew little excitement from the crowd as Norris saw an effort from 25 yards deflected well wide of the Forest Green goal.

A quarter-of-an-hour had passed before the visitors had their first sight of goal but it was nowhere near threatening as Christian Doidge headed well wide from a Gavin Gunning cross.

The first genuine chance should have led to the opening goal for Swindon after 20 minutes when Woolery teed up Anderson after breaking into the box but Collins made a wonderful diving save to his left to keep him at bay.

The primary goal action continued to come at the Forest Green end, with new boy Banks heading well wide from a long Matt Preston free-kick before Anderson picked out Woolery with a dinked ball into the box but he could not bring the ball down in time to shoot before the visiting defence closed ranks around him.

Six minutes of stoppage time were added at the end of the first half after an earlier injury to Forest Green defender Farrend Rawson and the hosts fashioned out two more chances before the whistle sounded.

Firstly, Banks saw a shot from 20 yards deflected wide before Collins was again equal to an Anderson effort after good work from Norris to set him up as the teams headed back to the changing rooms with the deadlock intact.

Rovers were the first to show after the restart and Preston got in an important challenge to halt a good run from Grubb just as he looked to enter the box.

Town’s Reice Charles-Cook was then called into action for the first time after 55 minutes when Scott Laird picked out Doidge with a crossfield ball but the home keeper got down well to smother his strike from the edge of the box.

The hour mark had passed before Swindon had their first effort on goal of the second half following a brisk link-up between Norris and Woolery, with the latter shooting wide from 25 yards.

The game stagnated for a while but suddenly burst back into life with 10 minutes to play when Town broke the deadlock. Collins spilled an Anderson shot from the edge of the box, substitute Pau Mullin looked to pounce but was denied by a flurry of bodies before Norris eventually bundled the ball over the line.

Rovers were appealing for the chance to level the scores soon afterwards when Reuben Reid went down in the Swindon box but referee Dean Whitestone waved away the claims before booking the striker for his protest.

But that was the last chance for the visitors as Town closed out the remaining minutes without further alarm to continue their upturn in form and push towards promotion.

SWINDON TOWN: Charles-Cook; Lancashire, Robertson, Preston; Knoyle (Gordon 77), Dunne, Anderson (Purkiss 83), Banks, Iandolo; Woolery (Mullin 76), Norris. Subs not used: Henry, Goddard, Brophy, Taylor.

FOREST GREEN ROVERS: B Collins; Gunning, Rawson (Laird 28), Hollis; Wishart (Whittle 88), L Collins (capt), Grubb (Marsh-Brown 75), Osbourne, Monthe; Doidge, Reid. Subs not used: Pickering, Simpson, Brown, Spurrier.

Referee: Dean Whitestone

Attendance: 7,062