TOWN were beaten 3-2 at Brentford after twice taking the lead on Boxing Day.
Ryan Mason and Nicky Ajose had give Swindon the advantage on two separate occasions but the home side battled back to claim all three points.
Mark Cooper made two changes to the starting line-up at Griffin Park. In came Nathan Thompson and Yaser Kasim to replace Jay McEveley and Ryan Harley, who both dropped to the bench.
In a lively opening, Alex Pritchard skipped away from his man on the right flank and delivered a cross towards the arriving Nile Ranger. With the ball slightly behind him, the frontman’s header drifted wide of goal after he had adjusted his body to make contact.
After nine minutes, Town took the lead. Pritchard was again involved, flighting a waist-high ball across the face of the box which the galloping Ryan Mason took in his stride. Advancing into the box, the midfielder struck decisively with his left boot, sending the ball beyond Button and into the net.
Moments later, Luongo, with his back to goal, brought a high ball under his spell inside the area before turning and shooting, only to see his effort blocked by a well-placed red and white-striped shirt.
Wes Foderingham had to tip over Sam Saunders’ free-kick, an effort which would prove to be a sighter for a later attempt. With his sights now zeroed, Saunders stepped up to another free-kick on 26 minutes but slipped in the build-up. After refocusing, he struck the ball with accuracy and conviction across goal and into the far corner with Foderingham rooted to the spot.
The Town stopper did well to keep out another effort before half time, getting down to push the ball away using a combination of his forearm and shoulder, then watching as the ball trickled across goal and wide.
There was still time for the home side to register an appeal for a penalty when a cross was cut out by Darren Ward. The ball ricocheted off his outstretched leg before appearing to strike the skipper’s arm.
With the second half just seven minutes old, Swindon restored their advantage. Pritchard’s shot from the edge of the box deflected perfectly into the path of Nicky Ajose who had time and space to sidefoot home.
Just three minutes later however, former Town skipper Alan McCormack delivered a ball in from the right for Clayton Donaldson to net an immediate equaliser with a diving header.
The Bees then took the lead for the first time in the match through Marcelo Trotta with twenty minutes to play. A bouncing ball inside the box fell between Ward and Foderingham and in stepped the striker to prod home inside the six yard box.
Swindon Town: Foderingham, Thompson N, Hall, Ward (C), Byrne, Kasim, Luongo, Mason, Pritchard, Ajose, Ranger
Subs: Belford, McEveley, Barthram, Harley, Gladwin, Thompson L, Storey
