A THIRD successive draw ... but Town could, and should, have been going into tomorrow’s tough clash at Carlisle United on the back of a victory.

Antony Kay’s 50th-minute equaliser, after Swindon had responded to Peter Clarke’s early opener with strikes by Charlie Austin and Danny Ward, was the prelude to a second-half onslaught by the home side.

But try as they might, Lee Clark’s men couldn’t force the goal which would have cut the gap between League I’s fifth and seventh-placed sides to two points.

Former Leeds keeper David Lucas pulled off a string of saves while both Michael Collins and Clarke had shots cleared off the line, and Swindon must have headed back to Wiltshire relieved at having another point in the bag.

It’s another point for Town too, and there were plenty of positives to take onto the road, with trips to Hartlepool and Tranmere following the Cumbrian engagement.

Conceding twice was disappointing, especially after giving away just one in the previous four games.

But Town, now unbeaten in seven in the league, delivered some quality balls into the danger zone, and on another day, might have scored four or five.

Jordan Rhodes and Lee Novak were back on starting duty and making their presence felt, while Gary Roberts responded to his return with a determined display on the left wing.

And Australian left-back Dean Heffernan, fit again after a groin niggle, produced his best performance yet, tackling strongly and overlapping effectively.

Town started at high tempo, and after Novak hooked wide an early effort from Anthony Pilkington’s cross, were rewarded in the eight minute with a fine fifth goal of the season by Clarke.

Roberts’ corner from the Town right was cleared, but only as far as the former Southend man on the byline beyond. The captain battled with Simon Ferry for possession, brushed past the on-loan Celtic midfielder’s challenge, kept going as he was hauled back then squeezed a shot past the stunned Lucas his pleasure at seeing the net ripple displayed by clenched-fist salutes to both the Kilner Bank and riverside stands.

Less pleasing to the eye was Swindon striker Charlie Austin cupping his ears to the Town fans behind the goal at the cinema end a minute later.

The former Poole player had just headed home his 12th goal of the campaign from on-loan Bolton player Ward’s cross from the left – and Town were back at square one.

Billy Paynter, Swindon’s 19-goal top scorer, had a header saved by Alex Smithies in the 14th minute, while Pilkington’s free-kick was deflected off its goalward course before Town found themselves trailing in the 28th minute.

Lucas’s long upfield punt fell towards the Swindon left fell to Paynter, who laid the ball off the Ward, the 18-year-old Bradford-born Leeds academy product cutting into the edge of the box before squeezing a low shot into Smithies’ right-hand corner.

It was another big setback, but Town stuck to their guns, with Neal Trotman’s header being saved by Lucas before Collins volleyed just over.

Rhodes shot into the side-netting then had a header saved while Novak was frustrated twice in three minutes just before the break, first when he shot wide when in space inside the area, then when Lucas tipped his firm header from Pilkington’s cross over the bar.

The equaliser finally arrived early in the second half, when Kay headed home his fifth for the club after Trotman nodded on Roberts’ corner.

Cue the search for a winner, with Pilkington’s volley pushed away for a 52nd-minute corner from which Collins shot was cleared off the line by Ferry.

Lucas then denied Novak in the 68th minute, while Kay’s 76th-minute effort was deflected just over.

Substitute Theo Robinson had an 84th-minute shot blocked before shooting wide from a good position with Collins screaming for a square ball.

Then Clarke’s last-gasp header from Pilkington’s inswinging corner was blocked on the line by Brian Easton as Swindon held out.