A 2-1 defeat at home to Scunthorpe United was enough to condemn Swindon Town to League Two football next season.

A sun-drenched day at the County Ground soon saw the dark clouds close in as a fortuitous goal from Murray Wallace in the sixth minute gave the visitors a first-half lead.

When Scunthorpe substitute Sam Manton scored midway through the second half, it left the task for Swindon to avoid the drop an impossible one, despite Rohan Ince’s late wonder goal.

Both teams named unchanged sides from their previous outings, with Luke Williams sticking with the XI that lost 1-0 away to Walsall on Easter Monday.

It took less than six minutes for promotion-chasing Scunthorpe to be gifted the lead in rather fortuitous circumstances.

Coming to claim a routine cross from David Mirfin, Lawrence Vigouroux was unable to gather ahead of Wallace who the ball bounced off, what Town players were claiming to be his arm, and into the Swindon net to the home crowd’s disbelief.

Town fans were dealt a further blow just moments later as news starting spreading that Bury had taken the lead in their contest to leave Swindon needing a win to stave off relegation for at least another week.

There was little on the pitch that could lift spirits either as miss-placed passes off the pitch were the most Williams’ side could muster.

In the 14th minute, Vigouroux had to be alert and was able to atone for his earlier error as he turned a Josh Morris free-kick, won by Ivan Toney, around the post.

From the resulting corner, the ball again dropped kindly for Wallace in the box, whose attempted bicycle kick ended up well wide of the target.

Dion Conroy was left looking like a statue moments later as Morris took a nice touch midway into Town’s half to take it around the Swindon centre-back, but his shot from the edge of the box flew just wide.

At the other end, very little was finding its way into the Scunthorpe box, but on the 22nd minute Charlie Colkett delivered a peach of a ball from the halfway line, but it was headed wide by Ben Gladwin.

Jonathan Obika was trying his best from the limited opportunities he had, with two shots from distance being scuppered by Mirfin and Joe Anyon respectively.

Off the pitch, the atmosphere was beginning to turn sour, with fans who made an attempt to direct their frustrations toward the bench were escorted away.

Scunthorpe had the chance to double their advantage from the break when Branco conceded a foul on Toney on the edge of the box and Morris stepped up to see his effort cannon off of Vigouruoux’s bar.

The visitors looked to start the second half off on the same foot as Morris was afforded too much time down the left and his cross found Paddy Madden, whose effort was tame and straight at Vigouroux.

Moments later, Obika was trying his third attempt from distance but despite Anyon not being able to handle the shot, the Scunthorpe stopper got just enough on it to see the ball fly away to safety.

While Swindon were lacking much inspiration up front, a shot from substitute James Brophy the closest the hosts were coming to a leveller, things took a bigger turn elsewhere as Shrewsbury put themselves 1-0 up against Southend United.

Swindon were dealt a hammer blow in the 71st minute when Manton, who had barely been on the pitch a couple of minutes, was found in space in the box and despite Vigouroux getting a hand to the ball, the Town stopper could not deny Scunthorpe’s second.

Town’s relegation was all but confirmed minutes later when news of a second goal for Bury.

Ince was able to give Swindon the slimmest glimmers of hope in the 85th minute when he was encouraged by Town fans to shoot from distance and duly obliged, finding the top corner with aplomb.

It was too little too late however, as Town’s fate was sealed when Nicholas Kinseley blew the final whistle, with Bury scoring a third at the same time, and met by chants against the club's chairman Lee Power.

SWINDON TOWN XI: Vigouroux; Dabo (Norris 71’), Branco, Conroy, Barry (Brophy 60’); Ince, Colkett (Goddard 70’) Thomas, Gladwin; Obika, Ajose

Unused subs: Henry, Ormonde-Ottewill, Rodgers, Starkey

Referee: Nicholas Kinseley

Attendance: 7,579 (363)