Cooper bemoans poor first half-performance after defeat at Swindon

Posted Wednesday, February 13, 2019 by PA

Forest Green manager Mark Cooper was left to bemoan a poor first-half performance as his return to old club Swindon ended in a 2-0 defeat.

Goals from former Forest Green loanee Kaiyne Woolery and Theo Robinson earned Swindon an important win over their fellow promotion chasers.

Cooper said: “If we would have played the first half like we did the second, we did not ever think we were in danger.

“We gave two horrendous goals away and we end up 2-0 down. The second half performance was good but give credit to Swindon, they defended really well.

“We had chances in and around the six-yard box and we couldn’t get that goal that I think would’ve made it an interesting game.

“They managed to see the game out. We had some good chances at key moments that can change games. We have to dust ourselves down.”

Woolery opened the scoring nine minutes before half-time with a fierce strike from outside the area which went in off the far post.

Home debutant Robinson doubled Swindon’s lead with only two minutes of the half remaining to ultimately seal the points.

Robinson cut inside his man and slotted into the corner at the break for his first Swindon goal to put his side in charge.

George Williams was Forest Green’s biggest threat all evening and came close to scoring on more than one occasion. Williams’ early lobbed effort dropped narrowly over the bar.

He also had a low drive tipped onto the post by Swindon goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux nine minutes after the re-start and came close again later with a second daisy-cutter which went wide.

Woolery almost got his second soon after but only found the side netting, while Dion Conroy slid in well to prevent a dangerous low cross.

Swindon manager Richie Wellens said: “It’s a very pleasing performance. I thought it was a tough game because they turn up and they keep the ball well.

“It’s not the worst I’ve seen them play, because they still kept the ball well but they didn’t penetrate us in the first 75 minutes, so we must’ve been in a good shape.

“When I have watched them against other teams, they can play good football, but they can cut people open.

“We wanted to press high and we knew they’d be wide open on the turnover, it took us 38 minutes but we were very good.”