History: Town blunts Blades' attack for away win (From This Is Wiltshire)

History: Town blunts Blades' attack for away win

1:00pm Tuesday 9th February 2010 in

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Monday, February 9, 1970: SHEFFIELD UNITED 1 SWINDON TOWN 2

On a dreadful wet and windy night in the steel city, Town battled both the elements and a United barrage to bring two well deserved points back to Wiltshire.

Just 48 hours earlier, Town had had a strength sapping FA Cup tie against Scunthorpe on a heavy rain-sodden County Ground pitch.

But it rarely showed as they blunted second-placed Blades for long periods.

Town’s man of the match was workhorse Roger Smart. Not only did he twice go close to increasing the margin of victory – when only desperate defending denied him – but at the other end he chased and harried the hosts whenever they threatened to break through.

Swindon grabbed the opening goal eight minutes before half-time. Don Rogers swung over a corner which was only partially cleared to Frank Burrows.

The big Scot found John Smith on the right and he surged between two United defenders. The midfielder’s initial cross was blocked, but his second attempt was perfectly placed for John Trollope to charge in and send a powerful header past Alan Hodgkinson.

Town doubled their lead 12 minutes after the break, following another Rogers flag-kick.

Trollope turned provider, sending a teasing cross into the box to tempt out the ex-England goalkeeper.

The invitation was accepted and he was beaten to the ball by Arthur Horsfield, who gratefully nodded home.

United clawed their way back with a goal just nine minutes later, when Eddie Colquhoun punted a high ball into the Town area.

Len Badger evaded both Burrows and the diving Peter Downsborough to find the net, although the centre-half claimed afterwards that the United full-back had used a hand to help guide the ball through.

But in the end no damage had been done, Burrows and skipper Stan Harland held the Town defence firm for the final quarter of the game, to record their fifth successive victory.

They climbed to fifth place in the League, where they were to ultimately end that campaign, just three points short of a first ever promotion to the top flight.

Sheffield United: Hodgkinson, Badger, Heaton, Barlow, Colquhoun, Powell, Woodward, Currie, Addison, Salmons, Reece.

Swindon Town: Downsborough, Rod Thomas, Trollope, Joe Butler, Burrows, Harland, Smith, Smart, Horsfield, Peter Noble, Rogers.

Sub (not used): Chris Jones.

Att: 22,711.