WE’VE been here before, haven’t we?

An early-season home game for Swindon Town against newly-promoted opposition?

Surely a straightforward win and the chance to build some solid foundations for the League Two season?

Well, a win - yes. But straightforward? You must be joking.

Just as they had done against Macclesfield Town in their season opener a fortnight previously, Town made agonisingly hard work of Saturday’s win over Tranmere Rovers before again triumphing by the same 3-2 scoreline.

Although this victory over Tranmere did not have quite the same drama as the stoppage-time success over Macclesfield – the points were in the bag for Swindon with 17 minutes to spare this time around – the failings which so nearly cost them two weeks ago were the same.

Credit though, to the Town players for having the guts and gumption to pull off the great escape once again.

And further acknowledgement too for finding a return to winning ways after three straight losses in all competitions.

But they will not get away with it every time.

Slack work at the back allowed first Jonny Smith and then James Norwood to put Tranmere 2-0 to the good inside 13 minutes.

However, Rovers were then the masters of their own downfall as a straight red card for Jay Harris for a crude challenge on Martin Smith turned the game on its head.

The hosts would have a numerical advantage for more than 70 minutes and swiftly made it count as on-loan Fulham striker Elijah Adebayo cut the gap before the break with his first goal for the club.

Town then went for the jugular after the restart and Marc Richards marked his comeback from injury with the equaliser before young central defender Joe Romanski completed the stunning turnaround with a scrappy winner from a corner.

Swindon boss Phil Brown was as relieved as he was honest in his post-match debrief, acknowledging his side will not continue to be so fortunate to climb the considerable mountains they make for themselves.

Pre-match, Brown made just one change to the side that started the midweek defeat at home to Forest Green Rovers in the first round of the Carabao Cup, with Jermaine McGlashan coming in for loanee Sid Nelson.

That saw young defender Romanski revert to his natural centre-back position, while Richards and James Dunne were notable inclusions on the bench, returning from injury and suspension respectively.

Tranmere were the first to threaten and were inches away from the opening goal inside three minutes. A corner was played short to former Swindon loanee Ollie Banks, whose drilled effort to the near post was deflected narrowly wide.

Town’s first sight of goal also came from a set-piece when Michael Doughty was hauled down midway inside the Tranmere half, however, Matt Taylor’s free-kick was blasted straight into the wall.

The action soon went back up the other end and Rovers capitalised on some hesitant Swindon defending to break the deadlock after nine minutes.

Connor Jennings found space on the left-hand side of the Town box and drilled the ball across the face of goal, where the unmarked Jonny Smith was able to tuck home at the back post.

The hosts were again left to ask questions of themselves after falling two goals behind after only 13 minutes.

Olly Lancashire was beaten in the air by Cole Stockton when leaping to meet a long ball forward from Rovers keeper Scott Davies, and Norwood was able to brush off the attentions of Romanski to run in and beat Lawrence Vigouroux.

However, Town were given a lifeline in the shape of a red card for the visitors shortly afterwards as Harris was shown a straight red for a late lunging challenge that caught Martin Smith above the knee.

Swindon would get to play against 10 men for 73 minutes and needed just three to take advantage when they reduced the deficit.

Doughty fed Adebayo on the edge of the box and he wriggled away from Jake Caprice to plant the ball under the advancing Davies.

Swindon boss Brown responded by introducing another striker, Richards, in place of holding midfielder Toumani Diagouraga, and the hosts continued in the ascendancy until the break – although no equaliser was forthcoming.

A good spell of pressure on the half-hour mark, which saw Doughty make a nuisance of himself in the box, ended with Smith winning the ball and floating in a cross, which just evaded Adebayo.

Adebayo was then just not quite able to get on the end of a cracking ball in by Taylor, who himself then saw a fizzing low drive ushered behind by Davies for a corner.

As time half-time neared, Adebayo saw a shot blocked but was able to help the bounce-back into the path of Keshi Anderson, but he had to stretch and could not keep his effort down as Town remained in arrears as they headed back to the changing rooms.

Town remained on top after the restart but were initially restricted to long-range efforts from Doughty and then Smith, neither of which was close to the goal they craved.

Cracking work from McGlashan on the right looked to create a clear-cut chance after 53 minutes when he picked out Smith in the box after a good run and cross, but again the effort was off-target.

An even better chance went begging five minutes later when Richards found Adebayo in space in the box, but his connection was poor and the ball dribbled safely into the diving body of Davies.

Thankfully, Town did not have to wait too much longer for the equaliser they deserved as Richards hauled them level on the hour.

Steven Alzate, who had only been introduced six minutes prior for Smith, danced his way into the box and picked out Richards on the penalty spot to slam a low first-time shot into the bottom corner.

After an extended spell on the back foot, Tranmere suddenly enjoyed a good spell of pressure and twice threatened to get back in front.

First, Jennings cracked in a first-time effort that was well-gathered by Vigouroux, and the Town keeper then made another fine stop to beat away a curling effort from Norwood.

Town heeded the warning and completed their comeback after 73 minutes when Romanski bundled them in front.

Although they deserved their lead, the goal was a comical one, as a corner was played short before Alzate drilled it low into the box where although Romanski failed to get a clean strike on the ball, it still trickled towards goal and Davies could not get across in time to keep it out.

Town then almost got themselves a fourth when a whipped 25-yard free-kick from Taylor took a wicked deflection off the way and looped just wide of the Rovers goal.

Swindon continued to dictate play in the latter stages and Richards saw another chance to kill off the game for good deflected over the top in stoppage time as the hosts comfortably saw out the game without much alarm, handing their supporters another early-season win that will live long in the memory.