HUNDREDS of hopeful Swindon Town supporters helped to generate the atmosphere of a mini- Wembley stadium at The Merlin pub on Saturday.

Located only a free-kick’s distance from the County Ground, the pub in Drove Road was filled with excited fans cheering on their favourite boys in white.

But expectation on the faces of adults and children turned to commiseration as the team fell to Millwall.

The drama unfolded at 3pm as dozens of fans – many in red Swindon replica shirts – sat and stood in large clusters around three plasma screens.

Surrounded by England flags and bunting, the supporters were optimistic about their side’s chances, cheering and clapping as the team emerged from the players’ tunnel.

Among the chants which could be heard above the buzz of the room were ‘Come on Swindon’, ‘Come on you reds’ and ‘They’re going to score’.

But the mood started to grow uneasy as bar staff collected up the first round of empty glasses and Millwall threatened to score, netting with a goal which was later flagged as offside.

Then, in the 38th minute, the room filled with groans of ‘no’ and ‘oh my God’ after Millwall put the ball in the back of Swindon’s net.

The mood in the second half was a lot more tense among Swindon supporters as the rain lashed down outside.

Fans covered their mouths or bit the rims of their pint glasses when Millwall had possession, and they roared when Swindon missed chances.

The disappointment started to show in the 71st minute when striker Charlie Austin failed to score when he only had the goalkeeper to beat.

One woman shouted: “I could have scored from there.”

In the dying minutes of the game, fans roared at the televisions every time Swindon got the ball, before falling silent at the final whistle.

Speaking after the game, Swindon fan Paul Barnes, 34, of Toothill, said: “The result was not good.

“In the first half, they just didn’t seem themselves. I think the occasion overcame them, they had lots of opportunities.

“The second half was definitely better.”

DIEhard Swindon supporters looked on in dismay at the Steam Railway in Old Town as their side slumped to defeat.

But most of the crowd remained optimistic about Swindon’s chances next season.

The atmosphere was upbeat early on with many calls of “come on Swindon”, but this seemed to evaporate pretty quickly with Town’s nervous start.

The calls and cheers became more desperate as the match progressed and as time for an equaliser slipped away.

As the final whistle blew, regulars started making for the exit with mixed reactions to the game.

Chis Murphy, 31, from Old Town, has been a fan since he was six, but was unable to go to Wembley because he was working on Saturday night at the Asda superstore.

He said: “We’ll be back next season. At half-time my brother got engaged to his girlfriend.

“It’s the good news and the bad news – I really don’t care.”

Gavin Morse, 27, of Westcott Place, said: “Next year we won’t have the same loan players, this was our one shot, they’re not going to be there next year.

“Losing to Millwall’s not that bad because they are a good team. The way we played annoyed me more than anything – absolutely shocking.”

Ben Thomas said: “Looking back Wembley is an amazing achievement, we weren’t ready to go up anyway.”

Andy Murphy, 30, from Old Town, has been a Swindon Town season ticket holder since 1989.

He said: “We have exceeded expectations. We have a good board who are taking us in the right direction.

“Disappointment today will be hard. But 30,000 people turned up and it brings the town together.”

“We have to look at how everybody’s rallied round.

“Two years ago I feel as a club we were disassociated with the town. This has reassociated the passion that the town has for football and vice versa.”

Niki Frost, 41, from Stratton, who has been a fan since her childhood, said: “I’m disappointed, but I thought we would struggle today.

“We need to take stock, build the team and we’ll go up automatically next season.”

On arrival, the bar was already heaving like a busy Friday night with bar staff inundated with requests.

Many supporters’ eyes were glued upwards towards the numerous television screens, while others discussed the finer points of the game with their mates.

Pub manager Ania Szolc said: “It has been busy, it’s bit different obviously because this is the first time Swindon have gone to Wembley for a while so it’s a big game.

“We thought most people would go there. It’s normally just when it’s the World Cup that it’s like this.”

Many of those in the pub were there to soak up the atmosphere, enjoying the town’s success and supporting the home team.

Anit Cronin, 47, from Westlea, said: “I hate football, I’ve just come for the atmosphere.

”It’s great for the town - I think it brings everybody out and together - united we stand.”

Fans’ reactions told the story as they clapped with relief when Millwall’s early chances came to nothing - until they scored and the crowd went quiet.

At half-time, most fans remained optimistic.

Ben Thomas, 34, from the town centre, whose mother, father and brother were at the game, said: “They were in a position in the Charlton game, they have just to go out there and play - I can’t imagine they could play any worse.”

Richard Rees, 45, from Wootton Bassett, was there with fellow teachers from Commonweal School.

He said: “It’s very disapointing really, they have been slower to every ball, they have hardly had a chance.”

However, in the second half fans’ frustration started to show.

Fans groaned and held their heads in their hands as Charlie Austin’s 72nd minute chance went wide.