SWINDON Town manager Mark Cooper was pleased to provide an answer to those who had doubted his side with a 3-0 success at Chesterfield.

After a run of three games without a win, including a defeat and a draw at the County Ground, there were murmurs that Town had been found out.

Instead, they looked clinical in front of goal against the Spireites and kept a clean sheet for the first time since beating Barnsley away last month.

Rather than opting to man-mark Swindon as they tried to play from the back – a fruitful tactic for both Rochdale and Colchester in recent games – Chesterfield took the game to Swindon and, for large spells, looked the better side.

But Town, who welcomed back skipper Nathan Thompson, held strong and got their rewards when Yaser Kasim netted from a free-kick in the 29th minute.

Nathan Byrne, who caused problems all game down the right, doubled the lead four minutes later.

Andy Williams then came off the bench in the second half for Jonathan Obika, who had missed an open goal and hit the post earlier, to wrap up the three points with 20 minutes left.

“I am pleased with 3-0, but I am more pleased with the nil than the three after what has happened in the last three games and there were a lot of doubts outside of the camp, definitely not in it,” said Cooper.

“I thought we played quite well. It was a tight game to start with but we always looked a threat on the break.

“The goalkeeper (Wes Foderingham) made a couple of key saves for us and I felt once we went in front we were going to be difficult to catch. We looked as though we could score a number of times.

“I thought they all gave a tremendous performance and they are all out on their feet.

“I know Paul (Cook) as a manager and there was no way they (Chesterfield) were going to defend.

“I spoke to him before the game and he said we could be as bad as you defensively at the moment so he said ‘we have got to go for it’.

“As soon as I heard that, I knew it was going to be an end to end game and I think it made for a good spectacle.”