FULL TIME: Swindon Town 1 MK Dons 0 (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

FULL TIME: Swindon Town 1 MK Dons 0

4:57pm Saturday 25th August 2012 in Sport By Sam Morshead

SWINDON Town have beaten MK Dons 1-0 in their League One clash at the County Ground.

The Robins most of the game and lead at the break after Matt Ritchie’s cross made its way into the bottom corner, with James Collins claiming the final touch.

Dons were reduced to 10 men for the fourth time in four matches this season when Dean Lewington lashed out at Simon Ferry, while Andy Williams hit the crossbar late on for the hosts.

Here are the key moments from today’s match:

Nine mins: Town go close to opening the scoring. Matt Ritchie’s free-kick from the right lands at the feet of Aden Flint inside the area.

Flint has two tries at firing the ball goalwards, the second of which cannons of Dons stopper David Martin’s chest and away to safety.

11 mins: Ritchie’s corner finds Andy Williams at the back post but, off-balance, the striker fires ovee the crossbar.

16 mins: Martin is called into action once again, getting down well to smother Raffa De Vita’s volley from 15 yards after James Collins’ initial shot deflected into his path.

23 mins: Swindon continue to dominate and only the reactions of Martin in the Dons’ goal prevent the visitors from falling behind.

Ritchie delivers from the right, Collins gets ahead of his marker and his flicked header seems destined for the roof of the net, only for Martin to paw the ball over the bar.

25 mins: After a succession of Swindon corners, Collins sees his volley on the turn on the edge of the area cleared for, guess what, another Town corner.

26 mins: Ryan Lowe takes aim for the Dons from distance, but it really is speculative at best and the ball dribbles out for a goal-kick.

40 mins: MK Dons are making an unhappy habit of having players sent off this season, and it’s continued at the County Ground.

As the lightning forks in the background over, Dean Lewington lashes out at Simon Ferry as the Robins midfielder tries to get the ball off him to take a quick free-kick.

He catches Ferry with a forearm to the face and it leaves referee Phillips with little choice but to brandish the red card.

Four dismissals in four games for MK Dons this season. Unforgiveable.

45 mins: GOAL 1-0 (Ritchie) Town open the scoring in fortunate fashion against Crawley in midweek – and it’s in a similar style that they have taken the lead today.

Ritchie cuts in from the right and crosses on his left foot. Collins goes for the ball at the near post but doesn’t appear to get a touch and the centre ends up beating Martin.

Both players claim it. It doesn’t matter. What matters is Swindon lead at the break.

51 mins: Swindon start the second half strongly and Tommy Miller’s drive from distance sails over the crossbar.

58 mins: Flint has another glorious chance to put the hosts pretty much out of sight.

Ritchie’s corner finds the centre-back making strides, unmarked, in the middle of the penalty area – but Flint can only get minimal contact on the ball and cannot direct his header on target.

59 mins: Collins lets fly from the edge of the box but, while his shot is fierce, it’s well wide.

63 mins: When Miller’s shot from 20 yards breaks to Williams, on his own, the former Yeovil man should do better than fire tamely at Martin.

82 mins: After a long spell of Phoney War games from both sides, Town suddenly get a golden chance to put the game to bed.

With play stretched, Williams gallops from halfway and into the MK Dons box before letting fly with a rasping effort that cannons back off the crossbar. Oh, so close for Swindon.

87 mins: Ritchie has a fantastic shout for a penalty turned down when he appears to be hacked to the ground in the box by McKenzie.

90 mins: MK Dons stage a final rally and Darren Potter fires from distance. Wes Fdoeringham fumbles the initial save but leaps on the loose ball to calm a few Town nerves.

SWINDON TOWN: Wes Foderingham; Joe Devera, Alan McCormack, Aden Flint, Jay McEveley; Matt Ritchie, Tommy Miller, Simon Ferry, Raffa De Vita (Alan Navarro, 73); Andy Williams, James Collins (, Miles Storey, 77)

Substitutes not used: Leigh Bedwell, Chris Smith, Nathan Thompson , Oliver Risser, Luke Rooney

MK DONS: David Martin; Jon Otsemobor, Dean Lewington, Gary McKenzie, Adam Chicksen (Jabo Ibehre, 80); Darren Potter, Luke Chadwick; Daniel Powell, Jay O’Shea (Shaun Williams, 42), Dean Bowditch; Ryan Lowe (Charlie MacDonald, 64)

Substitutes not used: Ian McLoughlin, Delli Ali, Mason Spence