Swindon boss Michael Flynn said his in-form side’s 2-1 victory over Grimsby was among their most pleasing wins of the season after seeing them claim the points despite not firing on all cylinders.
Town equalled a club record as they made it nine league games unbeaten to start a season, but they were made to work hard by a Grimsby side struggling in the bottom half of League Two.
Goals in either half from Dan Kemp and Jake Cain put Swindon in charge but Grimsby pulled a goal back through substitute Donovan Wilson to set up a nervy finish for the high-flying Robins.
Flynn said: “The way the players stuck together really got them through that. It wasn’t a good second half from our point of view.
“We have played a lot better than that and thrown points away.
“It was probably up there with the most pleasing win this season. We weren’t at our fluent best in the second half, but we dug in and made blocks, and followed our runners.
“I know that they had one or two chances, but so did we to put the game to bed.
“It was a pleasing win because you can’t just win every game with total football.
“They put the ball in the box, they kept the pressure on, and they gave everything, so for us to stand up against that was really pleasing.”
Swindon took the lead after 26 minutes when Charlie Austin chipped the ball through for Kemp to fire into the bottom right-hand corner.
Home goalkeeper Murphy Mahoney kept the hosts ahead with impressive saves from Harry Clifton and Danny Rose before Cain made it 2-0 in the 64th minute when he latched onto a superb through-ball from Kemp.
Wilson made an instant impact off the bench, turning Frazer Blake-Tracy before finishing neatly into the near post to make it 2-1 in the 70th minute, but Grimsby could not find a leveller as they slumped to a fourth defeat in their last five competitive games.
Mariners boss Paul Hirst was frustrated his side were made to pay for the same mistakes once again.
He said: “I just feel like it’s Groundhog Day at the minute. We’re getting punished for small mistakes but obviously they matter and at the other end we had enough chances.
“I think they (Swindon) had very little in that second half. But we know we leave pointless and very frustrated.
“They are unbeaten and right up there. And I felt that we started the game better and were the better team. I thought we were on to get a point or something.
“I’m kind of sick of saying but I think that we look a decent side and we are well in games.
“I think you risk making yourself look silly, or people think that because if it’s the same thing you know, same results, same outcome – everyone will see that we got beat.”