Stockport 2 Swindon 5

Last updated : 18 January 2003 By Tim
Steve Robinson
Stockport had beaten Swindon 1-0 earlier in the season, but this didn't stop Swindon clocking up their biggest away win for nearly 8 years (When we also beat West Brom 5-2) The win also broke the Greater Manchester jinx which has seen Swindon lose nearly all their games in the Manchester area for the past few years (Except the 3-0 win against Bury a couple of years ago)

Swindon started well with Super Sammy Parkin getting his 18th goal of the season after only 7 minutes following a mistake by Stockport player manager Charlton Palmer.

Swindon's lead was doubled on when another Palmer mistake allowed Steve Robinson to score from 12 yards out.

The first half them calmed down a bit with Swindon still having a lot of the play, but not so many chances. Palmer took himself off before half time to try and sort of the Stockport team from the bench.

Swindon did manage to send the ball right across the penalty box but their was never anyone their to hit the ball into the back of the net.

Stockport did have a couple of good chances in the first half with Bart Griemink called into action once or twice, but Swindon's defence held out to go into the break with a 2-0 lead.

Stockport had a lot more of the ball at the start of the second half and looked like the would grap a goal back, but Swindon held out, and then on 74 minutes Alan Reeves scored his second in two games after a Marney cross to make it 3-0 to Swindon. With another 16 minutes still to go a lot of the Stockport fans decided they had seen enough and went home, but then missed another four goals.

Stockport got a goal back a few minutes later after a Lescott shot was helped in by Andy Gurney for an own goal.

Invincibile and Parkin were taken off in the second half to be replaced by Luke Nightingale and Eric Sabin, but this didn't stop Swindon scoring more goals.

Five minutes later on 85 minutes Matt Hewlett made in 4-1 to make sure of al three points for Swindon.

With a minute left to play Stockport scored again with a good goal with a Lambert shot from just outside the box beating Griemink, but Swindon soon made sure of the win when Eric Sabin who had missed two chances earlier in the game including a good shot / cross from by the touch line that went just over the bar. This time Eric made sur he hit the back of the net from close range to send the Swindon fans home happy, the match then kicked off and a second later the referee blow his full time whistle to give Swindon a 5-2 win.

Overall a great game for Swindon, although most of the action was in the first and last 15 minutes of the game. Swindon could have scored at least 10 goals with all the chances we had.

Swindon who are still unbeaten in 2003 now face two home games in a row with the visit for Steve McMahon's Blackpool side to the County Ground on Wednesday night in the re-arranged game which should have be played last weekend.