REPORT: Swindon 1-1 MK Dons: Obika snatches a late point for Swindon

Swindon Town scored in final minute to secure a vital point in their battle for survival as MK Dons squandered numerous chances in the 1-1 draw at the County Ground.
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Kieran Agard's first half penalty separated the sides at the break after Charlie Colkett downed Ben Reeves two minutes before the break with Dons having by far the better chances in the opening 45 minutes.

And it was more of the same in the second half too, with Ed Upson missing three great chances before defender Paul Downing gifted Obika the ball in the final minute to rattle home an equaliser.

After serving his suspension, George Williams returned to the heart of Dons' defence at the expense of Paul Downing, while top-scorer Kieran Agard replaced Robbie Muirhead up front. Having made two consecutive league starts, Lee Nicholls kept his place in goal despite David Martin returning, taking up a place on the bench.

The home side, fighting for their lives in League 1, certainly made the more lively start but it would be the visitors who would have the better of the chances in the opening 20 minutes.

Stuart O'Keefe, who opened the scoring against Charlton on Tuesday night, came within inches of opening the scoring when his sensational turn, which dropped three men, struck the outside of the post. But the best chance fell to Kieran Agard, but with just Lawrence Vigouroux to beat, fired straight at the Swindon stopper.

Ben Reeves was slow to find his feet in the match, but with 10 minutes before the break, began to show what he was capable of. Sending a couple of free kicks over the top and forcing a good save from Vigouroux, he was sythed down by Charlie Colkett with three minutes to go before half time, earning Dons a penalty. Agard made up for his earlier miss by converting the penalty, low into the bottom corner to give the visitors the lead at the interval.

Swindon should have been level within three minutes of the restart though, but Johnny Goddard squandered their best chance of the game when, racing through on goal, took an eternity to get his shot off, firing into the chest of Nicholls when Nicky Ajose was completely unmarked in the centre of the penalty area.

With their League 1 lives very much at stake, Swindon were throwing everything at Dons and were the width of the post away from levelling when Jon Obika's glancing header clipped the up-right, prompting Robbie Neilson to bring on defneder Paul Downing for Reeves and reshuffling his pack.

The reshuffle also saw Robbie Muirhead replace goal-scorer Agard, and the Scot almost turned provider within three minutes of his introduction, nodding down Barnes' deep cross into the path of Upson who, had he found the target, surely would have doubled the lead. As it was, he fired just wide of the mark.

He had another fantastic chance barely four minutes later and after chopping Nathan Thompson, Upson's lofted effort clattered off the cross bar as Dons looked to make the game safe.

And when Dons had a three-on-two in the 89th minute, it appeared they'd do just that, but when Upson's strike went wide, they were made to pay for it.

As Swindon piled forwards, substitute Downing played a suicidal ball across to Dean Lewington but Jon Obika read it like a book to intercept, burst into the area and fire across Nicholls to equalise.

But the action didn't stop there. Having missed three chances earlier in the half though, Upson was gifted one more to try and win it deep into stoppage time, picked out by O'Keefe as Dons broke, but he fluffed his lines completely, shanking his effort well wide with the goal gaping.

The result doesn't do a lot for Robbie Neilson's side on the grand scheme of things, remaining 12th.

Referee: Graham Salisbury

Attendance: 7,956

Swindon Town: Vigouroux, Thompson, Thomas, Obika, Goddard (Gladwin 60), Ajose, Colkett, Dabo (Brophy 68), Ince, Conroy (Barry 73), Rossi-Branco

Subs not used: Henry, Rodgers, Starkey, Barry, Norris

MK Dons: Nicholls, Baldock, Williams, Walsh, Lewington, Potter, Upson, Reeves (Downing 57), Barnes (Brittain 89), Agard (Muirhead 64)

Subs not used: Martin, Bowditch, Tilney, Thomas-Asante

Booked: Walsh, Brophy, Lewington