SWINDON Town manager Luke Williams said his side showed great character to overcome difficult circumstances and secure a point against Rochdale.

On a pitch that was sparse of grass in large sections, it was difficult for Town to play their normal passing brand of football.

However, that didn’t prevent them going two goals up in the first half courtesy of a strike from Jonathan Obika and Nathan Thompson’s header.

Rochdale pulled a goal back before the break with a fine effort from Jamie Allen and Matt Lund secured a point at Spotland with Swindon being reduced to nine men before the final whistle.

“Eleven against eleven it may have been different because we put a lot of running into them and we would have been able to impose ourselves on the game,” he told BBC Wiltshire.

“It looked like we were weathering a storm and to go down to 10 and then to nine I think we will never know so after that we will take a draw.

“I have no issue using that word to describe the team today, it was full of character.

“It was a very difficult pitch for us to try and impose our style of play which always gives us an advantage so we have had to try and do things in the game that don’t come natural to a lot of players.

“With a number of our players still developing physically, to play on a rough pitch where the ball won’t sit down and it is hard to dominate the ball is more challenging for those players.

“In order for them to compete character is needed and I think they showed that today.”

Louis Thompson saw red for a second yellow card when Town were still leading 2-1, however it was the red card for Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill in front of the dugouts in the 88th minute that upset Williams more.

“I have chosen to make stance that I would always show the upmost respect to the officials but I am finding the second one very difficult because it was very close to me and I did see very clearly what happened,” he added.

“I am confused with how the referee has come to that decision.

“I respect the officials and I have to trust them to make their judgement.

“When you are on the floor you should be given the benefit of the doubt that you are struggling and that potentially you have an injury.

“For an opposition player (Grant Holt) to try and yank our player off the floor – first of all it is incredibly dangerous and it is also incredibly disrespectful when our medical staff are waiting on the side of the pitch waiting to be allowed to go onto the pitch.

“I find it astonishing that that is acceptable but the player is not allowed to push them away to receive treatment.

“I’m not even going to talk about the fact I think the player stamped on Brandon deliberately because it is not my place.

“I was close to the incident and I feel like I had a good view of it and it is quite upsetting.

“The first one I’m a long way away from the action and I totally trust the officials to make the right decision.”