3 October 2026
By Alex Morgan
Swindon Town’s difficult start to the 2026–27 Sky Bet League Two season took another turn on Saturday when a last-minute goal condemned Ian Holloway’s side to a 1–0 defeat at Rochdale. Cian Hayes headed the winner in the 88th minute at the Crown Oil Arena, three minutes after Kaelan Majekodunmi had been sent off for a second bookable offence. The result left the Robins 13th in the table on 11 points from nine league games, with three wins, two draws and four defeats.
The afternoon had been framed by Holloway’s own words. In an interview with BBC Radio Wiltshire before the trip to Spotland, the manager described himself as a “dead man walking” if results did not improve. He said the club had 13 players unavailable, close to half the squad, and that he had never seen an injury list like it. Captain Ollie Clarke, Matty Virtue and Paul Glatzel were among those ruled out, forcing late changes that brought Tom Nichols, Billy Kirkman and Antwoine Hackford into the side.
For long periods Swindon looked capable of taking something from the game. The first half was short of clear chances at both ends, and the visitors will have been satisfied with the way they frustrated the hosts. After the interval Town started the brighter. Hackford was denied by Rochdale goalkeeper Nils Ramming, and Connor Ripley was not seriously tested until the closing stages. Dajaune Brown missed a clear opportunity for the home side on 66 minutes, getting his feet tangled as he met Glenn Middleton’s cross.
The match turned in the 85th minute. Majekodunmi’s second yellow card reduced Swindon to ten men, and Rochdale kept the ball in the Town half through a run of set pieces. Aden Flint’s knock-on fell for Hayes, who glanced a header beyond Ripley. A point that had looked within reach became a fourth league defeat of the campaign, and another blank on the road. Before kick-off the Wiltshire side had already gone 630 minutes without an away goal in all competitions and had collected only a single point from their travels.
That away record sits in contrast to the form Swindon have shown at the County Ground. Wins over Cheltenham Town, Port Vale and Colchester United, plus a 1–1 draw with Accrington Stanley last weekend, had produced 10 of the side’s 11 league points at home. Joseph Hungbo’s header rescued that point against Accrington after Josh Woods had put Stanley ahead inside the opening minute. Away from Wiltshire the picture has been much harsher: a goalless draw at Northampton, then defeats at Oldham Athletic, York City, Salford City and now Rochdale. York’s 4–0 win on 12 September remains the heaviest league loss of the season.
Holloway, who has been in charge for almost two years, has not hidden his frustration. He told local radio that the team needed more backing, that 11 points was well short of what had been wanted, and that the away form had to change. The cup competitions have offered little relief. Swindon went out of the Carabao Cup at Cardiff City in August and have lost both EFL Trophy group games, 2–1 at home to Crystal Palace Under-21s and 2–0 to Newport County.
Attention now turns to Saturday 10 October, when Crewe Alexandra visit the Nigel Eady County Ground. The fixture has been brought forward to a 12:30 kick-off for live television. Further league meetings with Walsall, Barnet, Bristol Rovers and Rotherham United follow before the end of the month. With the injury list still long and the away goal drought unbroken, Holloway knows the next home Saturday is about more than three points. Another slip, and the phrase he used before Rochdale will be repeated far beyond the radio studio.
Swindon Town have played at The County Ground since 1896. The all-seater stadium sits just east of the town centre on County Road (SN1 2ED) and holds around 15,000. It is a proper old English ground: four distinct stands, a tight pitch, and a matchday that still feels local rather than corporate. From 2024–25 it has also been known as the Nigel Eady County Ground.
Visiting supporters are housed in the east end of the Arkell’s John Trollope Stand, the covered single-tier stand along the north touchline. The usual allocation is about 1,200–1,300 seats. Views are generally good, especially nearer the pitch; two roof supports can spoil the sightline if you sit high and central, so mid-to-low rows are kinder. For bigger followings the club opens the Stratton Bank behind the east goal. That end is seated but has no roof, so pack a hood in winter. Wheelchair spaces for away fans sit at the front of the Arkell’s in a covered bay; book early through the club.
Away turnstiles are off County Road, marked and stewarded. Coaches drop beside the away section. There is a ticket collection point next to that end. Payments inside the away concourse are cashless. A kiosk serves pies, pasties, hot drinks and cold drinks until fifteen minutes into the second half. Bar 71, by the away turnstiles, usually opens from noon on Saturdays and from 6pm for evening kick-offs, subject to demand. Facilities are compact rather than plush; many travellers still eat in town first.
Opposite you is the Don Rogers Stand, the newest and smartest side of the ground, opened in 1994 with a cantilever roof and the family area. Behind the west goal is the Alan McLoughlin Town End, the noisy home end, covered but with pillars. The pitch runs roughly east–west, so the two side stands are the long ones and the ends are shorter — that is why the diagram is drawn that way.
Swindon station is about a 10–15 minute walk: Station Road, Corporation Street, left onto Manchester Road, right onto County Road. From the M4 use junction 15, then Queen’s Drive and County Road. On-site parking is limited and should be booked via [email protected]. Cheaper first-come options include Swindon Cricket Club (SN1 2ED), St Joseph’s Catholic College on Ocotal Way (SN3 3LR) and Drove Primary School (SN1 3AH), typically around £5. Town-centre multi-storeys are a short walk if those fill. Street parking exists but watch signs and leave valuables out of sight.
The cricket club bar, when there is no cricket, is a practical pre-match stop for mixed colours. The Merlin on Drove Road is another away-friendly option a little further out. The County Ground Hotel on the doorstep is generally home-only on matchdays. Stewards are used to travelling support; follow the segregation and you will be fine. Check your club’s allocation on the day — if Stratton Bank is in use, dress for the weather and you will still be close to the action at one of the EFL’s more characterful grounds.