Swindon celebrations set to go on into the early hours after late drama

Posted Saturday, December 30, 2023 by PA

Swindon assistant manager Wayne Hatswell said that he will not be getting much sleep after the joy of their 2-1 victory over Forest Green.

Robins goalkeeper Lewis Ward saved Mathew Stevens’ penalty deep into stoppage time to earn the hosts a first win in five in League Two.

Daniel Kemp had scored a brace either side of Matt Taylor’s equaliser, while Rovers boss Troy Deeney was sent off in the 86th minute for a second yellow card as his wait for a first win in the dugout goes on.

Hatswell said: “I think the adrenaline will last until about three in the morning after that and then I will be up at four in the morning with my 10-month-old, so I won’t get much sleep tonight.

“I will have the day off tomorrow and I will be a lot happier than if that goal would have went in, I will put it that way.

“I have seen it back briefly and it doesn’t look like a penalty, he waited a hell of a long time to give it and I think he couldn’t wait to give it, if I am honest.”

Forest Green goalkeeping coach Dan Connor, conducting post-match media duties in Deeney’s absence, defended Stevens.

“We actually thought that was a great spectacle in terms of the derby, our fight amongst our players and how we tried to play was really, really good,” he said.

“And unfortunately, we actually believe that the evening was ruined by a few decisions that didn’t go our way.

“OK, it’s easy to vent at Matty but he’s been an excellent player and servant of the football club and what a great bloke too and look he will bounce back from that.

“I think it’s easy for players to go in and start pointing fingers and all the rest of it. But actually, the game should have been dead and buried long before Matty’s had to step up from 12 yards.

“And I think that’s the main message in the changing room, it’s easy to go for the penalty taker who misses in the 90th minute in a derby.

“It’s easy to do that, but actually the previous 94 minutes before the penalty is the difference in the game, not that moment.”