More worryingly, our defence seemed panicky and lacking in height compared to the opposition. However, having survived a few scares we seemed to be holding our own when, after 37 minutes, Miglioranzi broke down the left flank and crossed the ball towards Cureton in the box. Despite the attendance of two or three defenders, the former Cherries player managed to turn and drill the ball low into the net past Stewart’s right hand.
To be honest, I can’t remember us having any attacks of note during the first period, except an ambitious volley by Hayter from the edge of the area after good interplay with Dani.
HT: 1-0
Things didn’t improve after the break. First Cureton missed a sitter, blasting the ball over the bar. Then just over 5 minutes into the half, he forced Stewart into an excellent one-handed save. Unfortunately the ball merely ran to Miglioranzi who could hardly miss. 2-0.
Going a goal down had failed to galvanize the Cherries, but going two goals down seem to do the trick. With O’Connor getting forward down the right flank and Foley moving to centre midfield, we started to look as if we meant business and immediately had Swindon on the back foot. Just seven minutes later Hayter turned his man nicely on the right-hand side of the box before crossing the ball perfectly for Dani at the far post. The Portuguese controlled the ball with his chest before rifling it high into the net. Game on!
We were now looking like a different team and deservedly equalized nine minutes later when Cooper bent the ball in with the outside of his right boot for Hayter in the box. Another nifty turn by our diminutive striker drew a clumsy challenge from Comyn-Platt and the ref pointed to the spot. Hayter got up to bury the spot kick in the bottom left-hand corner for his 15th goal of the season (hope no-one noticed!)
The Cherries now scented an unlikely victory and were still in command ten minutes later when disaster struck. Jenkins chased a lost cause to the by-line on the right, the ball appeared to have gone out of play, but there was no flag and his lofted cross was headed in by Fallon. 3-2.
Although substitute Peacock nearly made the game safe for the Robins shortly afterwards, we still looked capable of snatching a point. However, in injury time Stewart, who seems to fancy himself as a sweeper, had a rush of blood when he - quite unnecessarily - came racing out to the corner of his box, got tangled up with his own defenders, and Peacock was on hand to pass the ball into an empty net.
So a disappointing result after coming from behind so magnificently, but with such an inept defensive display, we only had ourselves to blame.
James Hayter AFCB: Stewart, O'Connor, Hart, Young, Cooper, Purches, Browning, Tindall, Foley, Rodrigues, Hayter
Subs: Moss, Fletcher, Howe (for Tindall), Coutts, Pitman
Ellis Griffin, Chertsey