Swindon Town

Raffaele De Vita, Matt Ritchie and Adam Rooney all found the net while it was a day to remember for Miles Storey who scored his first senior goal. 

Paolo Di Canio made a number of changes to the starting XI: Alan McCormack was pushed across the defence to play at right full back, John Bostock started in midfield while Paul Benson led the line up front with Miles Storey lining up alongside him. After initially being named in the starting line-up, Troy Archibald-Henville was withdrawn and replaced with Tommy Miller after falling ill in the warm-up.

After the disappointment of losing at Crewe in midweek, Town began brightly on a very chilly afternoon with both Matt Ritchie and Miles Storey having chances.

With 16 minutes on the clock, Raffaele De Vita scored his second goal in as many games to give Town the lead. Storey’s cross from the left found Ritchie at the far post. The winger nodded back across goal for the waiting De Vita who allowed the ball to come onto his left foot before hooking it into the net. 

Swindon began to dominate proceedings with a fine passing move almost ending in a second goal but Ritchie could not reach a deflected effort. Ritchie did have his name on the scoresheet minutes later as he doubled Town’s tally. Arnold’s punch reached the winger on the edge of the area. Setting himself to shoot, Ritchie drove an effort through a crowd of players that seemed to deceive the goalkeeper, flying through his legs and hitting the back of the net. 

Then, Alan McCormack went on one of his marauding runs forward and was brought down in the area. The referee had no hesitation in pointing to the spot. However, like at Hartlepool, Tommy Miller stepped up and could not convert. 

Town did add a third goal with seven minutes of the half to play. Academy graduate Miles Storey, starting his first game of the season, notched his first senior goal, heading home Matt Ritchie’s cross. 

After the break, Town remained in complete control of the game. Storey went close again but could only hit the side netting and he saw his header brilliantly tipped over the bar by Arnold. 

Having replaced the youngster seconds before, Adam Rooney scored Town’s fourth goal. Bostock’s neat pass played him in on the right hand edge of the area and the Irishman stroked the ball inside the post. 

With the result now beyond doubt, Town’s ability to keep the ball with some slick passing brought cries of ‘ole’ from the travelling supporters and there was still time for Bostock to fire wide from a free kick and for Darren Ward to head narrowly wide from a corner.

Four goals and a return to winning ways comes at the perfect time ahead of the visit of Aston Villa to The County Ground on Tuesday evening.