Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Swindon Town 1 Walsall 3

Ashley Hemmings scored a brace to help see off sorry Swindon.

Hemmings opened his league account for the season with a 20 yard rocket in the seventeenth minute when he drilled in a half-cleared corner.

But Swindon's central defenders gifted Walsall's next two goals.

Two minutes after the break skipper Darren Ward gave the ball to Sam Mantom on the edge of the box.

Mantom then played a neat one-two with Craig Westcarr to leave Ward's central defensive partner Grant Hall flat-footed before drilling a low shot into keeper Wes Foderingham's body. He then then reacted quickest to prod in from close range.

Hall was then left red-faced in the 78th minute when he lost the ball on the left side of the box and it bobbled its way to Hemmings who slotted in from eight yards.

Nile Ranger nodded in a late reply for Swindon in the 83rd minute, but should have buried a six yard header minutes before and saw an overhead kick cleared off the line by Westcarr in the first half.

The game was similar in many respects to the game the Robins won so convincingly last Friday night against Notts County, but this time they were on the receiving end and it was Foderingham who kept the score down to a respectable level - while the Magpies keeper did the same job last week.

Westcarr in particular tormented Swindon and although he saw Foderingham make one smart save to stop him and headed another effort over the bar, we worked his socks off for the team.

It was interesting comparing Ranger and Westcarr. 

While Ranger was always a threat on the ball and showed some lovely touches and skill, Westcarr seemed more aware of his team mates and brought them into play whenever he could. His experience, guile and intelligence proved to be the difference between the two teams.

Saddlers boss Dean Smith was clearly proud of his players after the game and said:

""They're getting better all of the time. I'm blessed to have them. I'm just angry we let one in. It should've been a 3-0 or 4-0 game."

Smith was being kind to Swindon as I counted at least six very good saves from their keeper.

Robins boss Mark Cooper was suffering from a sore throat and so asked coach Luke Williams to attend the post-match conference. Williams seemed to indicate that Copper was carrying a bug of some sort, but it wouldn't be surprising if he had just lost his voice peeling the paint off the dressing room wall! Williams said:

"Credit to Walsall they did their homework. We know that their manager was at last Friday's game and they didn't give us a foot hold in the game. We're disappointed."
My piece from this morning's paper

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