TWO goals in five second-half minutes were enough to hand Swindon Town their first defeat of the league campaign, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at home to Sheffield United.

After looking defensively stable in the opening hour of the game, Neill Collins was able to get his head to a corner in the 70th minute, with the bounce deceiving both Anton Rodgers and Lawrence Vigouroux behind him.

Just five minutes later the Blades all but wrapped up proceedings when Martyn Woolford played in Billy Sharp, who slotted home low into the corner.

With Nathan Thompson ruled out with a groin injury and Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill tweeting this morning he would be absent due to illness, there was a re-jig at the back for Mark Cooper.

Jordan Williams paired up with Raphael Branco at the heart of a back four, with Jordan Turnbull replacing Ormonde-Ottewill at left-back and Kevin Stewart dropping in to play at right-back.

The first real chance of the game came Town’s way in the fifth minute when Fabien Robert linked up well with Yaser Kasim and the Frenchman tried an audacious chip from the edge of the box, but it cleared Mark Howard’s crossbar.

Nathan Byrne, playing on the right side of a forward three, should have then done better with his chance in the eighth minute when he was set up by Turnbull on the edge of the box, but his effort was tame.

The visitors found their way back into the contest when Louis Reed tried his luck from 30 yards out and forced Vigouroux to concede a corner with a diving save to his left.

From the resultant corner the Blades had their best chance when Town failed to clear the ball and, with it bouncing around in the six-yard box, Connor Sammon connected with it on the turn but it rattled off the crossbar and was eventually cleared from danger.

Robert again attempted the spectacular on the half-hour mark as he went for an overhead kick from Stewart’s cross, but it went wide of the target.

Branco, who had made a fine start to the game, then won his side a free-kick in a dangerous position after halting a dangerous looking United break away.

Rodgers took the set-piece and found the big centre-back at the far post but the Brazilian could not get enough on his header to steer the ball towards the goal.

Kasim sent a warning shot before the break when he was urged by the fans to shoot from the edge of the box and his effort hit the stanchion behind the goal.

After laying down solid foundations in the first half, Town started the second half with a bit more intent going forward and had two early chances from good balls in from the right but neither Michael Smith, nor Robert could apply the finishing touch.

Miles Storey was brought on for Smith, who had struggled with little service up top on his own.

With 25 minutes remaining the Blades who went down the other end and punished Town.

Collins rose highest at the back post and his header into the ground appeared to take a touch off Rodgers on the rise and loop over the top of Vigouroux into the net.

Nigel Adkins’ side doubled their advantage 10 minutes later when Stewart was caught out too high up the pitch and substitute Woolford was able to slide in Sharp who made no mistake with his low effort into the corner.

Things nearly went from bad to worse for Town three minutes later when Vigouroux rushed from his line but was beaten to the ball by Sharp, well outside his area, before clattering into the forward and escaping with just a yellow card.

Swindon were unable to mount any sort of come-back as they surrendered their unbeaten league record.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux, K Stewart, Williams, Branco, Turnbull, Traore, Rodgers, Kasim, Byrne, Smith (67’ Storey), Robert

Unused subs: Belford, Brophy, Barry, Marshall, Randall, Iandolo

SHEFFIELD UNITED: Howard, Freeman, Basham, Sharp, Collins, Sammon (Higdon 90’), McEveley, Campbell-Ryce (Alcock 88’), Reed, Adams (61’ Woolford), Edgar

Unused subs: McNulty, Long, McFadzean, McGahey

Referee: Christopher Sarginson

Attendance: 8,614 (1,117)