Swindon Town

A goal from Nile Ranger gave Swindon the lead in the first half before Alex Pritchard notched late on to seal the win.

Mark Cooper made just one change to the squad that drew with Gillingham at the weekend. Alex Smith replaced Jay McEveley at left full-back, with McEveley dropping to the bench. 

The opening twenty minutes was a calm, patient affair with little goalmouth action. Alex Pritchard fired over from a free-kick while, from an almost identical situation, Alejandro Faurlin proceeded to do likewise. Jermaine Jenas, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Bobby Zamora all had efforts that failed to find the target.

With seven minutes to go before the break, Town made the crucial breakthrough. Pritchard danced away from a tackle on the right to create a crossing chance. He whipped the ball across the six yard box towards the lurking Nile Ranger, who slid in to divert the ball into the net at the far post.

At the start of the second half, Austin and Pritchard both shot wide before the former Town man missed a guilt-edged chance to draw Rangers level. Six-yards out, he managed to head wide of goal rather than hit the target. 

The match then seemed to ebb and flow end to end like a pendulum. Substitute Louis Thompson volleyed wide for Swindon before the home side grabbed the initiative. 

QPR did have the ball in the back of the net and, as they wheeled away, the raised flag of the linesman on the far side cut the celebrations short. The home side then laid siege to the Town goal with Andy Johnson failing to connect with a cross and Kasim timing a tackle to perfection as Wright-Phillips was about to pull the trigger. 

In added time, Town sealed their place in the next round with a breakaway goal. A loose ball across the back four from Clint Hill picked out Pritchard instead of a hooped shirt. Advancing on goal, the winger ghosted past the defender and knocked the ball goalwards. Murphy got a hand to it but could not stop it from crossing the line, cueing scenes of mass jubilation in the away end.