Louie Barry and Josh Davison score two apiece as Swindon thump Harrogate

Posted Saturday, April 16, 2022 by PA

Swindon offered a timely reminder of their play-off credentials as Louie Barry and Josh Davison both bagged braces in a thumping 4-1 win at Harrogate.

Luke Armstrong grabbed the hosts’ consolation in the fourth minute of stoppage time, but the victory kept Ben Garner’s men, who had gone into the game without a win in three games, on the coat-tails of the top seven.

Harrogate, meanwhile, have still not mathematically secured their Sky Bet League Two status for next term following a seventh defeat in nine contests.

Swindon totally dominated a one-sided first half, with Jack Payne seeing a deflected edge-of-the-box effort hit an upright before Barry opened the scoring in the 24th minute.

The on-loan Aston Villa teenager was left unmarked at the far post to head in Mandela Egbo’s right-wing cross from three yards out.

He then added a second on the half-hour mark when he was left unchallenged again in the same position to meet another Egbo delivery after Louis Reed’s excellent ball through the right channel.

The visitors should have taken an even bigger lead into the interval as Barry fired straight at Joe Cracknell when given a clear run on the home goal and Davison side-footed wide from six yards.

But Davison was more clinical in the 51st minute when he netted from eight yards after Ellis Iandolo’s powerful run from the halfway line into the home box.

He then doubled his personal haul for the afternoon, firing inside an exposed Cracknell’s near post from 10 yards after being played through the right channel by Payne.

The visitors also went close to adding a fifth when Iandolo’s spectacular late strike clipped the crossbar before Armstrong pounced from close range after Jojo Wollacott had parried Simon Power’s firm drive.