YOU CAN revert to cliché and categorise it as what the French call a certain je ne sais quoi but at present, Swindon Town are missing a vital piece of their puzzle.

On Saturday, fourth-from-bottom Blackpool were humbled 3-0 at Rochdale, meaning that Luke Williams’ side could have all but safeguarded their status in League One with a win over Bury at the County Ground.

But Town are desperately missing that crucial intangible something-or-other and contrived to slip to a fifth defeat in six games – their winless run now stands at eight matches – to ensure that those nagging relegation fears continue to rumble on, adding a choking air of uneasiness to what will go down as an undoubtedly disappointing conclusion to the current campaign for the County Ground club.

When referee Darren Deadman sounded the final whistle, it was the Shakers who were rewarded with mathematical safety and not Swindon.

Town head coach Williams could be forgiven for hoping that the return of first-choice strike duo Nicky Ajose and Jonathan Obika, who were thrust straight back into the starting line-up after shaking off their respective hamstring injuries, could be what was needed to bring a sea change in his side’s fortunes.

Yaser Kasim was also involved for the first time since suffering a knee injury in early February. Shortly after he was introduced from the substitutes’ bench, a supporter inside the ground let off a red flare and the home side’s chances similarly went up in smoke as Danny Mayor nodded home the only goal of the game.

There was also a debut for emergency loan keeper Jake Kean, brought in from Norwich City on an initial seven-day basis to ease the burden between the sticks following the news on Friday that Tyrell Belford had been ruled out for the remainder of the season, the 21-year-old joining Lawrence Vigouroux on the sidelines.

Ironically, David Flitcroft’s visitors know more than a thing or two about goalie troubles – on Saturday, Chris Neal was their eight different custodian of the season.

Earlier this term, loan spells for Aaron McCarey and Christian Walton, as well as Paddy Kenny’s short-term deal, were all cut short by injury whilst Daniel Bachmann returned to Stoke City in January.

The sidelined Rob Lainton, and Jack Ruddy and Ian Lawlor, have all also featured for the Shakers this season, making Swindon’s Vigoruoux and Belford-related woes look tame in comparison.

For the hosts, Drissa Traore, Jeremy Balmy and Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill were also left kicking their heels, with the trio remaining suspended as a result of their alleged ‘laughing gas’ misdemeanours earlier this month.

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Louis Thompson is chopped down by Cian Bolger

Desperate to bring about an upturn in their fortunes, Swindon started confidently, with youngster Ellis Iandolo having claims for a penalty turned down by referee Deadman when he took an early tumble in the Bury area.

With 12 minutes on the clock, Obika went looking to mark his return to action with a goal as he left Peter Clarke for dead but the striker blazed well wide of the mark after being fed by Michael Doughty on the counter.

But the visitors soon began to carry a threat of their own and in the 21st minute, Leon Clarke, whose every touch was greeted by a chorus of boos, almost punished his former club.

The Bury striker – infamous for his public on-pitch row with then-Town boss Paolo Di Canio in 2011 – ghosted away from the offside trap and poked goalwards from Craig Jones’ right-wing cross but 6ft 5in Kean tipped over the bar to pull of his first major save in a Swindon shirt.

The visitors’ John O’Sullivan, who was sent off at the County Ground when in Rochdale colours earlier this term, then wasted a golden opportunity for Bury when he elected to skew an effort horribly wide, rather than rolling a simple pass into the path of the unmarked Dan Gardner.

With seven minutes of the first period remaining, Shakers skipper Tom Soares headed wide from a Chris Hussey corner as the away side remained on the front foot, but the two teams went into the break at level pegging.

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Jake Kean pulls off a superb first-half save to deny Bury’s former Town striker Leon Clarke

In the second half, Town once again dominated possession in the early throes but despite enjoying far more of the ball than their opponents, their probing passing moves were continually concluded with play breaking down in the final third.

Just past the hour-mark, Swindon did manage to fashion their finest opportunity of the game so far, which was followed by Bury taking the lead moments later.

After Ajose’s strike was blocked in the area, Obika latched on to the rebound and forced Neal to pull off a fine stop down low to his right, and then the visitors stormed up the other end of the pitch.

Full-back Jones looped a cross towards the far post and winger Mayor bundled his way past Bradley Barry to gleefully nod home from just a few yards, with Town’s appeals for a foul falling on deaf ears.

As Williams’ men looked to hit back, Bury’s Peter Clarke made a vital aerial block to prevent Obika heading in from a Barry cross whilst at the other end, substitute Reece Brown almost made an instant impact moments after his introduction.

The full-back – brother of ex-England defender Wes Brown – produced a delightful delivery from the right flank and goalscorer Mayor got to the ball ahead of keeper Kean but couldn’t generate any power with his shot, allowing a recovering Barry to mop up the danger in front of an unguarded net.

With 14 minutes to go, Town’s Doughty was left cursing his luck as his controlled left-footed volley from an Obika cross beat Neal but pinged back off the outside of the upright and away to safety as the hosts launched a late rescue mission.

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Head coach Luke Williams and defenders Raphael Branco and Nathan Thompson trudge off dejected after the final whistle

Swindon battered the Bury area as the clock ticked down and, like Doughty before him, lady luck refused to smile on Obika as his curling effort from the edge of the box flew past a despairing Neal before crashing against the crossbar.

But, after no spot-kick was awarded as Nathan Thompson’s injury-time header appeared to strike Brown on the arm, the Shakers refused to be moved, leaving Town’s campaign to continue to peter out towards a disappointing conclusion.

Williams is currently preparing his troops for a daunting trip to a Walsall side still in the hunt for automatic promotion tomorrow and fate may well end up smiling on Town, with other results ensuring that they needn’t worry about dropping down to English football’s fourth tier.

But ideally, Swindon would want to get the job done themselves.

After some more soul-searching, just maybe they’ll discover what they’ve been missing.