A RESURGENCE in the final third of the game proved insufficient for Swindon Town to get themselves out of trouble against Bury and prevent their first defeat of the season at the County Ground.

After changing tack to concentrate on cup commitments in midweek, Luke Williams’ side headed out to hand their League One campaign a boost this afternoon but were ultimately undone by Hallam Hope’s first-half double, despite roaring into the ascendancy in the last 30 minutes of their clash with the Shakers.

Luke Williams made a raft of changes – some enforced – to the team he fielded seven days previous during Town’s 2-0 loss to Oxford United.

The most glaring absences were Michael Doughty, who was ill, goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux and defender Lloyd Jones – the latter two were suspended after their red cards against Oxford.

Anton Rodgers was also only fit for a place on the bench after struggling with a back problem in the week, meaning that there were eight changes from the team beaten by the Us, with teenager Will Henry deputising for Vigouroux and Sean Murray making his first league start for the club.

The likes of Raphael Branco, Jonathan Obika and Jamie Sendles-White were all also brought in, with Nathan Delfouneso also handed a start after opening his account with a goal in Tuesday’s Checkatrade Trophy win over Chelsea’s U23s.

There was also a heart-warming sight amidst the pre-match preparations as academy goalkeeper Declan Lehmann, who was only given the all-clear from cancer earlier this year, warmed up alongside Henry and coach Dean Thornton.

The visitors’ Danny Mayor tested goalie Henry five minutes in with a low side-footed effort while a dangerous delivery from the lively Zeli Ismail was narrowly missed by Hope.

At the other end, Yaser Kasim fired just over the bar from outside the area while Delfouneso, who had made a confident start, curled into the arms of Shakers keeper Ben Williams after being fed by Branco.

But with just 12 minutes on the clock, Bury were ahead.

Ismail got himself into a crossing position on the right flank again and looped a ball to the far post, where Tom Pope’s header was acrobatically palmed away by Henry.

Unfortunately for the Town back line, his strike partner Hope was following up and stroked home into the net to open the scoring.

Kasim had a controlled free-kick tipped over the bar by Ben Williams as the hosts went looking to repair the damage of Bury’s opening goal and just past the 20-minute mark, Obika through he had restored parity.

Murray responded to the crowd’s calls for him to shoot from just outside the area and his effort was diverted in by the toe of Obika, with supporters celebrating and the County Ground’s goal music blaring as the striker wheeled away.

However, it was only then when referee Charles Breakspear spotted that his linesman’s flag had been hoisted aloft and the equaliser was chalked off, much to the ire of the home fans.

Injury was then added to insult in literal terms as Sendles-White went down following a challenge with Bury’s Pope and immediately signalled to the bench that he was in agony, with the defender having to be stretchered off.

Swindon were seemingly rattled and Bradley Barry, Kasim and Branco were all soon booked by referee Breakspear, with the visitors’ Tom Soares also cautioned for crashing into Henry in midair.

The hosts’ frustrations were to spiral into despair just a minute before the break as Murray lost possession and striker Hope bundled his way past Nathan Thompson before maintaining his composure and confidently tucking away his and Bury’s second of the afternoon.

Despite enjoying plenty more of the ball in the second half, the match drifted into a malaise as Town struggled to find a way to break down Bury.

They needed something to shout about and it came just past the hour-mark, with little warning.

Murray pumped a powerful ball into the area and Obika surprised everyone, including the Shakers keeper, with a sumptuous first-time finish, feathering a shot past Ben Williams at the near post to half the deficit.

John Goddard was introduced from the bench shortly afterwards and with his first contribution, he almost teed up Obika for an equaliser but the striker shot agonisingly wide from the midfielder cut-back.

All of a sudden, Swindon had their tails up and Brophy embarked on a jinking run into the box from the left flank before unselfishly laying off into the path of Kasim but he saw his strike beaten away by Ben Williams.

At the other end, Henry held on to a shot from substitute Andrew Tutte but the closing stages were largely defined by the hosts’ hunt for a leveller.

However, for all their promise in the closing stages of the game, the hosts were unable to find a second goal and Bury had done enough to depart with all three points.

SWINDON TOWN: Will Henry, Raphael Branco, Nathan Thompson (C), Jamies Sendles-White (Darnell Furlong 28), Bradley Barry, Yaser Kasim, Conor Thomas, Sean Murray (John Goddard 67), James Brophy, Nathan Delfouneso (Luke Norris 81), Jonathan Obika.

Subs not used: Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill, Anton Rodgers, Tom Smith, Jermaine Hylton.

Attendance: 6,931 (244 away supporters)