On a blustery County Ground, the Terriers coped better with the poor conditions after a shaky start in which Martyn Margetson had to save from at Danny Invincible at point blank range after Guiliano Grazioli had put in a great cross.

With Eric Sabin's pace a danger at all times the Terriers had to work hard to neutralise the threat and had themselves hit the post through Danny Schofield with Andy Booth and Leon Knight lurking with intent.

The first half was played against the prevailing wind and stormy conditions and on a pitch which was heavy and cut up in places.

The second half was significantly better for the improving Terriers when, with the wind at their backs, they proceeded to dominate the second half with some aggressive attacking play mixed with some suitably Terrier-esque deep defending which worried the travelling supporters at times.

Knight and Schofield were causing problems with their tricks and skills and Andy Booth was always handy in defence for those increasingly rare long punts upfield by the home side.

The Terriers got a swift reward for their attacking play in the 53rd minute when Chris Hay connected with Craig Armstrong's knockdown from Steve Jenkins' cross to poach a superb goal from close range.

Town should have capitalised on their lead and bagged a few more through Hay, Booth and the on-song Knight but they started to defend deep once again.

Fortunately, only Danny Invincible troubled the Terriers defence as Swindon's attack were fighting the weather as well as a comfortable performance from Nathan Clarke and Adrian Moses.

Leon Knight provided several moments of sheer panic for the home side as he caused mayhem on several of his runs upfield.

The comfort zone was completed as Town could afford to hit the woodwork again in the second half without paying the penalty as Swindon piled on the pressure at the end to no avail.

Read Mel Booth's match report in the Examiner on Wednesday. Have your say in the messageboard below - your comments will be considered for publication in the Examiner.

MATCH FACTS

Swindon (4-4-2): Griemink, Willis, Gurney, Howe (Young 81), Sabin, Invincible, Heywood, Hewlett, Grazioli (Duke 65), Robinson (Edwards 88), McAreavey
Subs not used: McKinney, Foley

Town (4-4-2): Margetson, Jenkins, Moses, Clarke, Evans, Irons, Schofield (Holland 87), Booth, Knight, Hay (Heary 90), Armstrong
Subs not used: P. Senior, Gray, Wijnhard
Booked: Jenkins
Scorer: Hay 53

Referee: Joe Ross (London)

Attendance: 5,400

Match points follow on subsequent pages

FULL TIME

95 mins: Griemink panicked and palmed the ball away after he was caught out of his goal by a long clearance by Armstrong!!!

94 mins: Chris Hay got a standing ovation as he was removed in the dying seconds to be replaced by Thomas Heary.

94 mins: Knight was flagged offside when it looked clear that he was on after a well weighted pass from Gareth Evans.

94 mins: Jenkins aimed for the corner flag but he gave the ball away.

93 mins: Clarke was hit in the face while clearing the ball!

92 mins: Swindon chucked everything at Town in an effort to score in added time.

91 mins: McAreavey's cross drifted out as Town defended manfully to prevent Swindon from grabbing a last minute equaliser. 3 minutes of added time was indicated!

89 mins: Swindon were desperate with a corner as the came came to a close finish!!

87 mins: Moses hit it long for Leon Knight - he went one-on-one with Griemink but couldn't get past the Dutchman with a blast from a narrow angle. Booth came in for the rebound but couldn't capitalise as his shot went over the bar!

85 mins: Knight went past two defenders and left them for dead before driving his shot wide. Danny Schofield was withdrawn for Chris Holland.

84 mins: Andy Booth headed the ball away.

84 mins: Swindon won a corner after Evans lost sight of the ball after a successful challenge and backheeled it behind.

81 mins: Jenkins chased a lost cause and won a throw-in. Town were preparing subs.

80 mins: Clarke cut out a long ball by Howe.

79 mins: Town were containing the home side but only just.

76 mins: Margetson didn't have a save to make but the defence worryingly gave the Swindon men enough room to advance and hit an effort well over his bar.

75 mins: A ball meant for Hay was intercepted and cleared by Robinson.

74 mins: Andy Booth held up the ball from a free kick and laid it off to Danny Schofield who confidently struck a shot which had to be saved by Griemink.

73 mins: Knight was kicked in the ribs after he looked to receive a ball from Evans.

71 mins: Town were dropping deep yet again, inviting the pressure from a Swindon side with plenty of height in attack.

70 mins: Hay struck the post after another flowing ground passing move. Evans backheeled to Knight who switched passes with Booth and Irons to provide Hay with the chance.

69 mins: Sabin fell to the ground but the referee waved pay on as the action continued.

67 mins: Moses headed into the air and Armstrong cleared as Swindon pumped long ball into the Town area - Macari waved his men upfield frantically.

66 mins: Knight broke free but was shepherded wide. Swindon had gone to 3-4-3, pushing one of their defenders upfield as they tried to make their long ball game pay dividends.

66 mins: Chris Hay's delivery was too high for Booth and fell to Griemink.

65 mins: David Duke was on as Swindon tried to mix things up.

64 mins: Invincible was pulled up for tugging Nathan Clarke's shirt. The Town management felt that the Swindon man was also offside.

63 mins: Griemink made the save with Knight and Schofield lurking.

62 mins: Hay's volley forced Griemink to save at the far post with Booth closing in.

61 mins: Margetson had to make a save with Invincible dashing in to meet a cross from Grazioli- the pressure was bearing down on the Terriers as they stopped attacking.

60 mins: Town were playing deep and inviting trouble once again.

58 mins: Willis was holding Knight back, the linesman flagged but the referee waved play on as the young striker still managed to get his cross in with Armstrong rushing into the box.

57 mins: Schofield and Evans combined once again to deny the home side their space. The Terriers, however, had dropped off again and started to allow their hosts a chance to get back into the game.

55 mins: Chris Hay recovered Irons' poor delivery and combined with Schofield to produce a super strike which whistled wide.

54 mins: Willis conceded a last ditch corner after Andy Booth's knock down fell to Knight who was slightly too slow to react to the gift at his feet.

53 mins: Chris Hay was ecstatic after he finished off a goalmouth scramble - Armstrong competed for the back post cross and distracted the defenders from Hay's run and poached goal.

52 mins: Knight's long chase for the ball was in vain as it escaped him. Knight scared Willis into giving the ball away.

52 mins: Knight came back to stay onside during Margetson's long clearance which bounced once anf then into Griemink's arms.

51 mins: Andy Booth's flicked header fell to Griemink with Knight lurking.

50 mins: Hay provided Schofield again but Matt Heywood cleared in a panicked fashion.

49 mins: Schofield turned Bobby Howe inside out on a mesmerising run but his cross fell straight into the Griemink's arms. Chris Hay had provided the pass that set Schofield off on his run.

49 mins: The Terriers were playing well but their back 4 were dropping deep.

48 mins: Chris Hay's rasping left footed shot was wide after he went inside his full back.

47 mins: Griemink's goal kick didn't reach the half way line due to the strong wind blowing across the County Ground.

46 mins: Hay crossed for Armstrong but he was wide of the mark with Booth lurking as Town started well in the second half.

HALF TIME

A decent first half was played in difficult conditions. Martyn Margetson made a point blank save and the Terriers struggled early on but they got their passing game together and soon had a great chance for Danny Schofield who hit the post with great support work from Leon Knight and Andy Booth.

The Terriers will look forward to the second half when, with the gusty winds in their favour, they may get a just reward for their neat passing game towards the end of the first half.

47 mins: Kenny Irons planted a great pass into the path of Leon Knight but he had slightly overhit it and Knight couldn't control it.

46 mins: Moses comfortably cleared.

45 mins: Griemink caught a flighted ball in the air but dropped it on the way down and Swindon panicked before the ball was cleared.

45 mins: Schofield broke free and tried to find a clear shot but a crowd of defenders had collected and, when he tried to find Andy Booth, it was cleared.

44 mins: Town were playign smart one-touch football in a good passage of play. Evans and Schofield were impressive as was Kenny Irons.

43 mins: Knight showed great skill as he tried to make headway in the Swindon wrea but Willis cleared. Hay's infield ball to Booth was poor.

41 mins: Schofield found Armstrong who switched play with Hay on a flowing attack but Willis cleared as far as the dangerous Sabin who was decked by Gareth Evans during a legal challenge.

38 mins: Margetson was positive he had not conceded a corner after Sabin's cross came in but the referee disagreed.

37 mins: Clarke headed clear and tried to find an opening for Danny Schofield but the pitch wasn't helping matters as it slowly got muddier in the centre.

35 mins: Knight went down under pressure and won a free kick near the corner flag. Irons' set piece was cleared.

34 mins: A Danny Schofield shot rattled the post as Knight and Booth lurked with menace. Booth knocked down a Knight cross and allowed Schofield the chance!

33 mins: Town were beseiged in their own half as Swindon pumped in long balls.

32 mins: Moses got his head to a set piece from Howe but conceded a corner.

30 mins: The game was moving from end to end but with little pattern possible in the biting weather conditions.

28 mins: Irons tried to find Jenkins with a looping ball but Griemink collected.

25 mins: Willis came across and slid the ball away from Schofield after the Terriers made great progress up the left side.

24 mins: Knight was offside just inside the Swindon area as Hay tried to break out with a long ball - the home side were playing a high line.

23 mins: Invincible was robbed by Nathan Clarke when he found the ball at his feet in the swirling conditions.

22 mins: Schofield went round the outside of the defenders and tried to chip Griemink from the edge of the box under pressure but the Dutchman saved.

18 mins: Griemink had to make the save after Schofield and Knight combined brilliantly. Knight cut inside and squared for Armstrong who tested the Dutchman.

16 mins: The home side were working hard to pressurise the Terriers who were making unforced errors and leaving Leon Knight alone and isolated upfront.

15 mins: Town went on the attack but it broke down when Hay couldn't control the ball.

13 mins: Town won a corner. Booth went up but the ball was cleared.

12 mins: Irons was floored by a Swindon player, who got away without a booking.

10 mins: Jenkins was sold the dummy by Sabin but he left his foot in and conceded an unfortunate foul for which he was booked.

9 mins: Booth's defensive header was picked up by Sabin who nutmegged Booth but the ball was quickly cleared by a Town defender.

8 mins: Steve Robinson latched onto a poorly cleared long ball but blasted clean over while trying to be clever with a chip.

7 mins: Sabin ran round Jenkins but was thwarted by Moses with a sliding block tackle - conceding a corner.

6 mins: Swindon's corner was hooked away by Craig Armstrong but Steve Robinson punted it back into the fray - they were definately playing the long ball game and hoping for mistakes by the nervous Terriers.

3 mins: Margetson pulled off a great point blank save from Grazioli after Invincible got on the end of his cross with Town defenders nowhere. The Terriers had started poorly, defending deep.

2 mins: The game started quietly at the County Ground.

There was a minute's silence preceding this match as former Swindon manager Bert Head passed away at the weekend.

Lou Macari had Steve Jenkins and Kevin Gray available after suspension but only chose to replace Thomas Heary with Steve Jenkins. Kevin Gray took his place on the bench after Adrian Moses and Nathan Clarke's excellent performance at the weekend.

The pitch looked heavy in places and was still being rolled by the groundsmen prior to kick off.