Swindon Town players rated after defeat to Mansfield Town

Lucas Akins gave Mansfield the lead after a dominant first half for the hosts, but Paul Glatzel and Aaron Drinan both scored to level the game with Davis Keillor-Dunn and Will Swan putting Mansfield back into the lead.

So, how did the players fare as individuals at the One Call Stadium?

GK: Jack Bycroft – 6

Three goals that did very little to demonstrate another display in which Bycroft pulled off a string of wonder saves as Swindon went back to neglecting to defend. I thought his kicking was a little bit off, but he was being asked to play into very tight windows.

RCB: Tom Brewitt – 3

This might not be the most important thing, but his attempt at a long throw that barely made it two yards and then followed by his throwing the ball straight out was a tough watch. He was given the chance to come back in and he struggled massively trying to defend space as Mansfield ran riot.

CB: Conor McCarthy – 4

A rare display in which he looked shaky, with the ball squirming under his foot early on and as a trio Swindon didn’t seem to know where Lucas Akins was at any point. He had stretches where he was looking like himself, but there were just too many errors.

LCB: Frazer Blake-Tracy – 4

He made one really strong drive into midfield to create Swindon’s only good chance in the first half for Charlie Austin, but this was the only time he made use of that space. Then, much like the other defenders, he was culpable for a plethora of errors that cost Town big.

RWB: Zac Elbouzedi – 7

Defensively, especially in the first half, he looked very much like a player who had never played as a wing back before, Stephen Quinn greatly enjoyed making runs into his space when Elbouzedi was nowhere to be seen. But he recovered and was a real threat when Town sorted themselves out, he can be very inconsistent but he was certainly on and his assist for Drinan was exactly what you want from him.

CM: Saidou Khan – 2

As the normal holding midfielder, you would expect him to be at least partially responsible for Keillor-Dunn, but he was allowed the freedom to do whatever he liked. Khan and Swindon were overrun in midfield for much of the game and he offered very little throughout.

CM: Dawson Devoy – 3

Devoy was also part of the midfield that struggled greatly to compete with Mansfield. He was never really able to get on the ball and do his thing. Teams like Mansfield and MK Dons are the bar for League Two midfields and both times Swindon looked way off them.

LWB: Udoka Godwin-Malife – 6

During a very poor first half, Godwin-Malife was one of the few bright spots as his surging runs were able to get Swindon up the pitch. As the game became increasingly stretched he had space to move into and was a very useful outlet.

CAM: Paul Glatzel – 7

That goal will be big for him as he has been cruelly denied a lot of late. He was the other player who stood up to be counted in the first half and whilst not everything he tried came off, he was a positive force. He was picking up space and making things happen throughout as he continued to show himself as someone to build around for next year.

ST: Aaron Drinan – 7

Another player who you felt needed that boost of the ball hitting the back of the net. Even before that, he was a nuisance as a physical presence, but after that, he grew and made a great run to set up what should have been the equaliser.

ST: Charlie Austin – 3

I have always felt that Austin’s aerial ability inside and outside the box varies massively and this game was a good example of that. He was winning absolutely nothing in the first half and was a complete non-factor. In the second half when he could get the ball to his feet he improved a bit, but he was not really involved.

Substitutes:

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy – 4

The duality of Hepburn-Murphy summed up in one moment as he made a great run on the counter, received a pass from Drinan and then spooned it over the bar. This was his big chance to be the hero, but he failed to be cool in the when it arrived.