Dan Kemp brace ends Swindon Town four-game losing run

Dan Kemp opened the scoring with a low drive before Matt Taylor flicked home an equaliser 15 minutes from time, but Kemp cropped up again to get the win.

In stoppage time Forest Green had a penalty that Taylor hit up the middle, but Lewis Ward had a chance to play the hero again as he saved it.

Swindon have put an end to their second four-match losing run of the season and climb back up to 12th in League Two.

Morton goes through on goal (Image: Andy Crook)

Michael Flynn had three fit centre-backs for the first time in three matches as Tom Brewitt and Udoka Godwin-Malife returned to the starting line-up. After going off during the first half on Boxing Day, George McEachran was deemed fit enough for the bench.

Within a minute Forest Green had a glorious chance as Callum Morton was sent in behind the Town defence. He looked to go around Ward and went over under the challenge of the goalkeeper, but Scott Simpson said that the goalkeeper won the ball.

Khan nutmegs Dabo (Image: Callum Knowles)

In a half that was desperately short of quality, there was excitement to be had in the 13th minute as Saidou Khan cleanly nutmegged Fankaty Dabo on the halfway line before running around the outside of him like Gareth Bale in the Copa del Rey final and charging forward. After eventually running out of ideas on the edge of the box, he played the ball to Tyrese Shade, who won a corner.

Tom Brewitt inadvertently put Swindon under pressure as he miscued a clearance into the path of Teddy Jenks. Brewitt was able to recover and put him under enough duress for Ward to have an easy time with the shot.

After 20 minutes Remeao Hutton slipped Young in down the right. With Charlie Austin and Dan Kemp in the middle, he tried to find the former but played the ball too close to the defender and it was easily dealt with.

Young looks to pick out Austin (Image: Callum Knowles)

Harrison Minturn misjudged the flight of a long ball and allowed Kyle McAllister to make a run into the right channel. He worked the ball back into the middle and Charlie McCann took aim from the top of the box, but Ward was able to get his body behind it.

A corner from the visitors led to another effort on goal as after an initial flick-on, Matthew Stevens was able to flick a toe on the ball and diverted it at Ward, but the goalkeeper was not overly taxed to deny him.

Brewitt makes a challenge (Image: Andy Crook)

Four minutes into the second half space opened up for Khan as he came inside and he tried his luck from range. It was stuck with enough force that Daniels parried it away, the ball looped up in the direction of Kemp but just over his head.

Kemp then moved the ball out to Shade, who squared up to Marcel Lavinier. He was able to find a yard of space on his right foot and saw his shot ricochet over the crossbar.

The goal finally arrived as Hutton played Young in down the line. He tried to find Austin, but his ball deflected into the path of Kemp. He took the ball down and left a defender for dead before drilling the ball into the bottom corner.

Ward claims a cross (Image: Andy Crook)

A minute later Forest Green could have levelled as they had a three-v-three on the counter. McAllister left Minturn in the dust, and looked to pick out the top corner but an almighty bobble saw the ball fly miles over the bar.

The visitors were adamant they should have had a penalty when Stevens appeared to be dragged down in the box before Udoka Godwin-Malife could clear. The referee waived away their claims and eventually booked Troy Deeney for his protests.

Shade was millimetres away from extending Swindon’s lead as he received the ball on the left, settled himself to shoot and tried to curl one into the far corner. A defender got in the way, flicking the ball over his goalkeeper but it struck the crossbar and went behind.

Forest Green found an equaliser as a ball into the near-post saw substitute and County Ground pantomime villain Taylor find the space he needed to flick the ball beyond Ward.

Shade’s renaissance continued as he made a driving in behind Forest Green and he drilled a low ball into the near post, which Kemp galloped onto and smashed it beyond Daniels.

In the 96th minute, a high boot from Young gave Forest Green a penalty and a chance to spoil the party. Taylor stepped up and went up the middle, but Ward stayed where he was and beat it away to keep hold of all three points.

Kemp on the ball (Image: Andy Crook)

STFC starting XI: L. Ward, Hutton, Young, Khan, Kemp, Brewitt, Godwin-Malife, Kinsella, Shade, Minturn, Austin.

STFC substitutes: Evans, McEachran, Cain, Dworzak, Hart, Obodo.

FGR starting XI: Daniels, Bernard, Inniss, Jenks, McAllister, McCann, Stevens, Robson, Dabo, Bunker, Morton.

FGR substitutes: Searle, Lavinier, Johnson, Taylor, Bendle, Robertson, Welch.

Attendance: 9,075 (495 away).