Swindon Town’s abysmal record on the road this season continued as they were torn apart 3-0 by Sutton United.

Charlie Lakin headed home inside ten minutes in a first half that could have seen the hosts ahead by far more than just the singular goal.

A freakish own goal and Harry Smith coming back to haunt his old club saw the scoreline more accurately depict the host’s dominance on the field, before Paul Glatzel scored a stoppage-time consolation.

Swindon are still without a win on the road this calendar year and have not won both games on an Easter weekend since 2014.

Gavin Gunning made three changes to the side that had beaten Notts County on Good Friday, handing Nnamdi Ofoborh his first start for the club in place of Dawson Devoy. Charlie Austin and Tom Brewitt also returned to the line-up as Frazer Blake-Tracy and Sean McGurk made way. Academy defender Harley Hunt was also given a place in a matchday squad for the first time.

After five minutes, good football from Swindon saw them break straight through Sutton. Conor McCarthy punched a ball into Glatzel and he worked it out to Williams Kokolo in space. He whipped a low ball across the face of goal just beyond Austin and Zac Elbouzedi at the far post. However, this was not much of an indicator of what was to come.

Sutton had the lead in the ninth minute as sloppy play out of the back from Swindon kept giving the ball back to the hosts. Harry Smith made a fine run in behind and picked out Lakin at the far post to nod into the net.

A corner from Lakin created another good opportunity as he delivered into the near post for Omar Sowumni, but he couldn’t divert the ball on target.

Elbouzedi raced away down the right into a good crossing position and his ball picked out Austin unmarked in the middle. He tried a volley, but his effort went down into the floor and looped up off the turf to bounce harmlessly wide.

The goal had the home crowd getting excited and their team were providing more reasons for encouragement as Josh Coley got away from Kokolo on the right and found Sowumni at the far post, but he couldn’t keep his header down.

A long throw from Nino Adom-Malaki was headed to the edge of the area and Lakin met it first time on the full volley. The ball flew towards the net, but Bycroft managed to get across and make the save.

By the half-hour mark, it was an aerial onslaught from the hosts that Swindon were struggling to put an end to. A series of looping balls into the box were only half-cleared before Joe Kizzi fired narrowly over the top when the ball fell to him.

Another free kick taken by the goalkeeper Steve Arnold fell to Smith in front of goal. He tried to stab it beyond Bycroft, but the goalkeeper managed to get in the way of it before the ball was scrambled clear.

There was still no let-up as Sowumni got forward from the back and fed Smith in the area. He was allowed to turn in the corner of the box and whip a shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Having been gifted two goals on Friday, Swindon nearly had another one handed to them after 35 minutes as Arnold made a mess of a clearance after coming out of his area. Aaron Drinan got onto the ball and went for goal from 40 yards out but couldn’t hit the target.

Two minutes into the second half Sutton had a freak of a second goal as Coley crossed in low from the right, but too close to Bycroft for anyone in yellow. The goalkeeper gathered it but rolled over his own line and the host’s lead was doubled.

Swindon were really rocking and Sutton had another big chance shortly after the goal as Smith found Lakin in space in the area, but he got well under the ball and sent it over the top.

Glatzel was able to wriggle into a bit of space on the edge of the penalty area and get a shot off, but he dragged it just wide of the post.

The host’s aerial prowess continued to be a source of many problems for Swindon as a corner led to a mad goalmouth scramble with the ball smashing against the crossbar after Bycroft got a finger to a stabbed effort.

Sutton had a third as they were able to run free down the right and a driven cross found the head of Smith to turn home from inside the six-yard box.

In second-half stoppage time, Town had a consolation as Glatzel whipped a free-kick beyond Arnold and into the net.

SUFC starting XI: Arnold, Adom-Malaki, Sowumni, Coley, Smith, Beautyman, Kizzi, Jackson, Lakin, Sanderson, Hart.

SUFC substitutes: Kerbey, Goodliffe, John, N’Guessan, Patrick, Clay, Duke-McKenna.

STFC starting XI: Bycroft, Elbouzedi, Glatzel, Brewitt, Kokolo, Godwin-Malife, Drinan, McCarthy, Aguiar, Austin, Ofoborh.

STFC substitutes: Brann, McEachran, McKirdy, McGurk, Cain, McGregor, Hunt.

Attendance: 3,640 (611 away).