Swindon 1 City 0

THE bookies may have had City down as favourites to beat struggling Swindon but a look at the record books suggested history was not on their side.

The Bantams have only won once at the County Ground since Stuart McCall was part of the team that triumphed 4-1 way back in 1998 on their way to the Premier League.

That success came over a decade ago, when two goals from Steve Claridge and one by Dean Windass secured a 3-2 win back in 2005.

Since then it has been slim pickings, Town winning their previous three home encounters – including a 4-1 hammering last season despite man of the moment Josh Morris putting City ahead with a stunning strike.

That the Robins made it four in a row was down to City's inability to finish some gilt-edged chances, though the hosts played their full part in an entertaining spectacle which could quite easily have finished 4-4 rather than 1-0.

James Hanson – hero of Tuesday night's win over Northampton with a goal in tribute to Bobby Campbell – had several opportunities to add to his tally of four in four games. But it was Marc McNulty who had City's first big chance.

Despite their lowly position, Swindon had already served notice that it would not be an easy afternoon for City's defence when Darnell Furlong headed just wide from a corner.

But on 12 minutes a great threaded pass from Josh Cullen set Mark Marshall free down the left and his cross looked meat and drink for McNulty. However, he stabbed wide with just the keeper to beat.

A goal would have been a much-needed confidence boost for a striker who, according to boss McCall, is clinical in training but has yet to make a big impression in admittedly limited opportunities since joining on loan from Sheffield United.

Hanson's best first-half chances came just before the interval. First, Nat Knight-Percival went on a mazy run from the back and crossed to the big man's favoured left foot but he blazed over when he should have scored.

Minutes later, Hanson shot straight at keeper Lawrence Vigouroux when well placed following another Marshall cross.

By then City were already 1-0 down thanks to a wonder strike from Anton Rodgers – son of Celtic boss Brendan – just before the 20-minute mark.

Stephen Darby misplaced a pass to Knight-Percival, who was forced to concede a foul on Jonathan Obika. But no-one could have expected what happened next as Rodgers blasted into the top right-hand corner from going on 30 yards. It was a strike Beckham or Ronaldo would have been proud of.

In what was an end-to-end half, the Robins could have scored more but for City keeper Colin Doyle.

After Michael Doughty had blazed over, the Irishman saved a shot from former Aston Villa man Nathan Delfouneso and then clawed away Lloyd Jones' header from the ensuing corner before thwarting Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill.

Despite their first-half chances, it had been another sluggish opening for the Bantams which mirrored the defeat at Southend the previous weekend.

They stepped things up in the second period and put the Swindon goal under heavy pressure but were unable to pierce a resolute rearguard action from the hosts.

Cullen, who was instrumental in City's midfield engine room along with Nicky Law, tested Vigouroux with a first-time effort before Hanson came agonisingly close to an equaliser with just under ten minutes to go.

Haris Vuckic made a threatening break to fellow substitute Filipe Morais, who put a lovely cross into the box from the right. There were echoes of Wimbledon away when Hanson nodded in the winner but this time his header was fractions off, the ball hitting the base of the post.

The Bantams went to three at the back in a frantic finale as they threw everything forward but the final ball was lacking. Vuckic blazed a half-chance over and Hanson – again – came close with a header at the back stick from a corner.

It was all City yet Swindon could quite easily have increased their lead with probably the best two chances of the half on the counter-attack.

A great cross from Furlong saw Delfounso head wide from close range with the goal gaping and Obika should have sealed it but missed from six yards.

But the Bantams should have come away with something from the game in which a draw would have been a fair outcome.

McCall was left to rue his side's lack of cutting edge up front as he said: "We've done everything but score but that's the name of the game – you have to take your chances.

"You've seen from the reaction of the supporters, we can't give any more. The players are giving everything – Saturday was about being clinical.

"Swindon have put some great blocks in, to be fair to them. You have to give them credit, they've fought tooth and nail for that clean sheet and got it but on another day we certainly made enough opportunities to win a couple of games.

"Prior to the Southend game we had scored ten in three games – but in the last two away games, for all the play and all the chances we've had, we've drawn a blank in 180 minutes, so we certainly need to improve on the chances for the percentage that we are creating."

With no FA Cup game this Saturday following their exit to Accrington Stanley, City have a long wait to get this defeat out of their system.

Their next game is not until a week on Wednesday, when they host Cambridge in the Checkatrade Trophy, before returning to league duty at home to Charlton three days later.

McCall admits he would have loved a quicker chance to rectify another disappointing road trip, although to get to the end of November before losing on consecutive Saturdays for the first time in the league is certainly not bad going.

After 20 games, the Bantams boss would surely have settled for being firmly ensconced in the play-off places with a six-point cushion.

Attendance: 6,344