THERE was nothing tried and tested about Town’s excellent victory at Bolton Wanderers and throwing caution by the wayside paid off in more ways than one.

First of all, chucking in four new signings – three of whom are relative unknown quantities and two of whom had never played in League One before – was nothing more an almighty gamble, even if you wanted to make the argument that injuries and suspensions necessitated their inclusion.

Swindon knew what to expect from the returning Ben Gladwin and midfielder Charlie Colkett may have previously featured for Bristol Rovers but Fankaty Dabo and Islam Feruz were complete newcomers.

Then, you had the personnel selected to make up Town’s diamond-shaped midfield – frankly, it was supremely attack-minded.

Yaser Kasim may operate in the pivot but the Iraqi isn’t a destroyer, someone that revels in breaking up opposition play and halting attackers in their track.

In front of him, Swindon’s more central points were the tall Gladwin, a match-winner of a midfielder who will drive forward time and again with the ball at his feet and newbie Colkett, a creative playmaker whose modus operandi was seemingly to attempt to unlock the Trotters’ back line at every opportunity.

And at the sharpest point of the diamond was the dainty John Goddard, a ‘number 10’ in the truest sense of the term.

Post-match, head coach Luke Williams revealed that he knew he wouldn’t expect his midfielders to produce crunching tackle after crunching tackle, and instead challenged them to earn the right to play by endeavouring to close down Bolton whenever possible and now allow their team to be overwhelmed on the counter, which they did.

Swindon’s first goalscorer Gladwin was able to provide a fearsome offensive performance from a deep position and Colkett orchestrated a host of fine Swindon moves and played a key role in both goals.

Elsewhere, Dabo looked nothing like a young man making his professional debut at left-back and Feruz was able to give glimpses of what his searing pace could provide his new team.