HEAD coach Ben Garner praised the response of both his players and the home crowd on Saturday after Louis Reed’s late goal gave Swindon Town a 2-1 win over Barrow.

With Town leading thanks to Josh Davison’s first-half finish, Barrow defender Matt Platt scuppered the hosts’ plan to see out their 1-0 lead in the 83rd minute.

However, just two minutes later, Reed danced past a couple of Bluebirds defenders before thumping home the winner in front of a delirious Alan McLoughlin Town End.

Relieved his team were let off the hook after missing a number of gilt-edged chances throughout, Garner thanked the fans for staying with his team immediately after the late setback.

He said: “I thought we played ever so well in the first half, we really did. We just should have been 3-0 up, we should have been comfortably ahead.

“We missed further chances in the second half, and in the back of the mind you’re aware that they’re a huge threat of set-pieces, and with the long-throws and balls into your box.

“They got that goal, but I thought the response from the players and from the crowd was amazing.

“There are times when stadiums might turn at that point, they might jeer and boo, but they didn’t.

“They got behind the team, and the response from the players was fantastic. We got what we deserved – we thoroughly deserved it.”

Reed netted for the third time this season, and all of his goals have come during Town victories.

Describing the moment prior to the winner, Garner joked that his midfield maestro was out of position.

Garner said: “It was fantastic composure – I’m not sure what he was doing there if I’m honest! But no, it was fantastic composure.

“I had a good angle behind it, so I knew as soon as he hit it that it was going in. It was a fantastic moment, and a huge three points for us, but we’ve got to make sure it counts next week.”