CLINICAL Eoin Doyle came to Swindon Town’s rescue on Tuesday night, scoring in the final minute to mask a frustratingly poor performance against bottom club Stevenage.

For the second time in four days, Doyle turned before drilling a powerful shot into the opposing ‘keeper’s far corner to snatch a win from the jaws of what would’ve been a reality-crushing draw.

Three points it might be, but the bigger picture suggests Town’s rocky road to April will meet more stumbling blocks than Richie Wellens had perhaps bargained for.

The visitors’ 5-3-2 approach worked excellently – Town couldn’t work it out.

Passes were – generally - slow, forward movement was restricted and shots were consequently hard to come by.

Fans have been promised the blip will end. And this could just be the scrappy win Wellens had been hoping for.

A weekend trip to Crawley is likely to tell us more.

Wellens made three changes to his side that disappointingly lost at Crewe on Saturday.

In came Zeki Fryers, Michael Doughty and Kaiyne Woolery. Keshi Anderson (fitness) was rested, as was Gabriel Zakuani.

Jordan Lyden (suspended) was the other to miss out.

Little happened in the game’s opening exchanges – Stevenage comfortably dealt with back-to-back Town corners on eight minutes while Watts and Guthrie’s sprints into the hosts’ penalty area were comfortably dealt with.

Emmanuel Sonupe went closest. His turning shot from 40 yards certainly wasn’t wild, but it still flew over Benda’s crossbar who was caught slightly off his line.

Town’s performance in the opening 20 was flat. Playmaker Doughty often refused to take the ball forward – and when he did possession was cheaply given away.

Baudry, Fryers, Isgrove too – few players were immune from making basic errors that no Town fan could’ve dreamt of being made little over a month ago when the promotion march was seemingly ignited at Leyton Orient.

There was a glimmer of positive play with 24 minutes played. Isgrove escaped his man on the right by the corner flag and delivered a cross that Doyle could only nod into both of Farman’s hands.

Another chance fell to Town on the half-hour mark as Stevenage’s lull in front of goal continued.

Doughty’s pass pierced the visitors’ central defenders and Vancooten on the wing, granting Donohue the chance to cross in search of Yates from the byline. Yates met the ball, but skied his effort over.

Stevenage fluffed their best chance of the half with 39 minutes on the clock.

Byrom’s in swinging corner was well met by Stevenage skipper Cuthbert, but he nodded wide of Benda’s far post.

It was a tame half littered with basic errors – plenty to improve on in the second.

Neither manager opted to make a change at half time, though Town boss Wellens remained seated in the director’s box – a vantage point he opted for during the game’s first half.

Stevenage’s defensive approach was maintained, and it forced Isgrove to whip in a dangerous cross from far out a couple of minutes into the half.

Woolery controlled the ball before Donohue’s follow up effort was comfortably claimed by Benda.

Isgrove was at the centre of Town’s attack five minutes later. After winning a 50-50 inside the hosts’ half, the pocket-sized winger neglected Doyle and Yates’ runs and proceeded into the penalty area himself.

Calls for a penalty after Isgrove went to ground following a nudge were waved away before play was brought to an anti-climactic halt when the linesman flagged for offside.

A turning Yates on 54 minutes couldn’t find the net either as he struck the post – the post that holds the goals net in position that is.

Grant was the next to squander a chance, though it must be said he did well to even get contact on the ball. Yates and Donohue linked up close to the left byline before the latter’s cross was nodded over by loan signing Grant.

As tame as home fans’ calls for a penalty were minutes earlier, a scattering of home supporters had every right to feel aggrieved when referee Alan Young waved away cries for handball after Chris Stokes got in the way of Isgrove’s cross.

Frustration was evident – and it ultimately led to Fryers picking up a yellow card when attempting to block a rare Stevenage counter.

Amid Town’s slight upturn in form, Stevenage should’ve snatched a goal of their own.

When top scorer Guthrie scrapped to win a 50-50 tackle, substitute Parrett’s eyes lit up as he advanced into the penalty area relatively unchallenged from a tight angle.

To his disappointment, Benda watched a rare shot drag hopelessly wide of his far post.

The game took a slow, ugly – rather League Two – turn in its concluding minutes.

Stevenage were evidently satisfied to settle for a point, that’s from minute one.

But their defensive approach hurt them with minutes remaining. The excellent Doyle turned to net Town’s winner – a timely goal that provided a timely, and needed, three points.

Swindon Town: Steven Benda, Zeki Fryers, Mathieu Baudry, Lloyd Isgrove (Gabriel Zakuani, 90’), Jerry Yates, Michael Doughty, Kaiyne Woolery (Diallang Jaiyesimi, 64’), Rob Hunt, Eoin Doyle, Dion Donohue, Anthony Grant.

Stevenage (5-3-2): Paul Farman, Chris Stokes, Scott Cuthbert, Charlie Carter (Michael Timlin, 66’), Joel Byrom, Emmanuel Sonupe (Dean Parrett, 62’), Terence Vancooten (Craig Mackail-Smith, 84’), Kelland Watts, Kurtis Guthrie, Ben Nugent, Tyler Denton.