Swindon's automatic promotion hopes suffer huge blow after 3-0 defeat to Colchester

Swindon’s automatic promotion in League Two hopes suffer a huge blow after 3-0 defeat to Colchester on Friday night.

The hosts had the chance of going ahead 11 minutes in, Ellis Iandolo and Jack Payne hitting the woodwork, before Swindon went down to 10 men in the 29th minute with James Ball receiving a straight red card for a foul on Fin Barbrook. Also being shown a read card was Swindon’s Ian Holloway, in the 83rd minute.

Colchester took the lead early second half, Arthur Read with a deflected shot past keeper Connor Ripley, six minutes after that, the U’s doubled their lead through Will Goodwin. Harry Anderson made it 3-0 on 69 minutes.

The result going into the rest of the weekend’s action, sees Swindon 5th with 74 points after 43 games played, they and 4th place Cambridge are 2 points from 3rd place Notts County. Colchester meanwhile are 13th with 60 points from 42 games played.

Swindon assistant manager Marcus Bignot said, per bordertelegraph.com: “It was a really disappointing night, result wise.

“But we’ve got some good senior players in that dressing room and even though tonight is hugely disappointing, I’m sure they’re going to bounce back.

“Goals win games and to concede those two early goals, I think everyone would agree it was a long road back then.

“Because of the reward at the end of this, a win would have put us second.

“There was a lot of expectation and hope and belief going into it, so that’s probably added onto the result.

“We’ve got three big cup finals and I don’t think there’s much room for error now.

“Three wins gets you 83 points – I’m not Mystic Meg but I think that could be enough to get automatic, so that will be our objective.

“Tomorrow is a big day – the top four play each other and we don’t know how that’s going to play out.”

Colchester’s Danny Cowley said: “I thought it was a really good performance from us. We had a brilliant energy and intensity about us in the opening 25 minutes.

“We totally dominated the game and created chance after chance and did everything but score.

“We got into some really good areas. We put a lot of stress on them and forced them to maybe make the mistake and get caught up in the emotion and get the sending off.

“It probably made it hard for us really and our worst passage in the game was probably 25-45 (minutes) even though we had a lot of the ball.

“But I thought in the second half, the boys were excellent. We ran so hard for each other and created some really good chances.

“We played with such a positive energy and there were so many good performances.”

Here’s the social media reaction after Swindon’s automatic promotion hopes suffer huge blow with a 3-0 defeat to Colchester…

@FoolsRushInSTFC:PatheticEmbarrassingUnacceptableI dare any coach or player to try and explain why they served that 💩fest upFans deserve better– Fyfie

@MikeHoefling: for those of you that had a go at us for chanting were fucking shit, go fuck yourself. happy clapping wankers watch that shit and still say ‘well done lads, we will just have to settle for play offs’. fucking idiots. don’t get me started on Wright and Nichols too

@stfcdacky: Fuck off and walk home. Holloway get fucked now.

@Tylercoups: absolutely fucking shit. how the fuck are we in contention for promotion when we play like that. utter dyer performance from practically everyone. i think without ripley that could’ve easily been 5/6 goals conceded. holloway need to also stop having temper tantrums the c***

@evan_mitch311: nice one holloway on yet another fantastic team selection. Will Wright and Tom Nicholls make me want to gouge my eyes out

@BatchStfc: Absolutely pathetic And you can pass that on to worzel, and his red to avoid the post match. PLAY YOUR BEST TEAM FROM THE START.

@RoloStfc: wright, nichols and ball should not play again this season. low effort week in week out

@PhilStaynings: Embarrassing given the importance of the game. We’ve been poor since Bolton and everybody can see it apart from Holloway. As for his so-called ‘experience’ another red card. Perhaps some time in the stands will actually allow the players to perform for the playoffs. Woeful.

@lclarky17: It gets worse every fucking week every weeks we watch this shower of shit and nothing changes will wright and batty are one of the worse swindon footballer to wear the shirt. Fuck off u silly bunch of pricks

@andyrichardson_: Holloway now a massive problem. Elephant in the room and maybe time for us all to accept that he needs to go. Absolutely dreadful tonight.

@JoshBarclay9: Bye bye Holloway useless

@Droidzoid: When Holloway said “4 more finals” I think he needed to clarify that it shouldn’t be based on the play off final against Preston

@DStevens080885: Well done for that performance lads. Now you can apologise & reimburse al those fans who made the journey and were treated to that!!! Awful!!!!

@stfcinbmth: You know that bloke that’s managed 1000 games? Well, any chance that he could work out his best side before the end of the season?

@mattrussell49: It only takes 3 name and everyone thinks the same… Oldaker, Ball, Nichols 🤮🤮🤮 How were subs not made at half time. How has Oldaker got 90mins. Massive reflection needed. #stfc

@Zack0rius1: Absolutely disgusting performance. Everyone can walk home and fuck off after that. Holloway watches that first half and decides to make no subs, get out you bald headed wanker.