IN THE City of Steel Swindon Town showed they were made of strong stuff as Nathan Byrne completed a dramatic comeback with a goal in the dying moments to give his side a precious 2-1 win at Bramall Lane.

Mark Cooper and his young side head back to the County Ground with their noses in front of their play-off semi-final against Sheffield United.

In a fierce atmosphere, Swindon overcame a rusty start and an early goal to earn the win thanks to a Sam Ricketts header five minutes into the second half and Byrne’s late bolt from distance.

The match swung back and forth with both sides enjoying spells of pressure in a terrific game of football for those without bias. For those with Swindon inclinations it cannot have been an easy watch, especially in the moments before the late winner.

Town were out of it for most of the first half and the Blades’ goal from Kieron Freeman was inevitable by the time his half-volley swept past Foderingham.

As the half wore on, inch by inch the visitors clambered back into it. Ricketts' header knocked United’s confidence and when Byrne’s strike found the bottom corner Bramall Lane was rocked.

At the end the United faithful seemed to be trying to suck the ball into the Kop end goal, but ultimately it was the 1,100-plus fans from Wiltshire who left happiest.

Cooper surprised a few with his starting XI, naming Jermaine Hylton, a player with just one start previously.

Otherwise in terms of personnel it was as expected. However Ricketts, a jack of all trades in his time with Swindon, was utilised at left wing-back, a role he played in a mixed display at Ashton Gate in the defeat to Bristol City last month.

The first five minutes were as open as you would wish to see in a play-off game. The Blades were clearly fired up by the rousing chorus inside the Lane, but Town did not appear overawed.

Ricketts' selection on the left was surely with a view to keeping the dangerous Jamie Murphy at bay.

The Blades man showed why he deserved such attention early on as he cut in from the left, beat two men and shot at goal. Thankfully his effort dribbled harmlessly wide.

Almost immediately after, Town fashioned a chance of their own. Ben Gladwin picked up the ball in midfield and drove at John Brayford, easily gliding past him. With a sight at goal the rangy midfielder could only drag his effort wide.

Swindon were struggling to play out, with Nigel Clough’s side pressing high.

Blades full-back Bob Harris was enjoying an easy run down the left. In the space of a few minutes he was given two good opportunities to shot.

He wasted the first, but the second skidded along the floor and almost came to Steven Davies, but the striker could not adjust his feet and get a meaningful touch.

When United’s goal came it was hardly a surprise. Pressure down the home side’s right resulted in a deflected cross which was allowed to come to Freeman far too easily, the midfielder sweeping home on the volley from eight yards.

Town looked rattled and were struggling to penetrate. When Jordan Turnbull put the ball out of play to jeers from the home crowd it summed up the away performance to that point.

Town were going to need something special to get back into the game. In one of their more fluid moves they got it.

Michael Smith found Byrne in right-hand side of the box and he skipped away from Harris and was tripped, he made the most of it, but it was a certain foul and referee Darren Bond pointed to the spot.

Up stepped Gladwin, successful from 12 yards against Rochdale and Walsall twice, stepped up and struck it low to Mark Howard’s right, but it was too close to the keeper who easily saved.

As the half wore on Swindon grew into the game and began to control the ball more. It also had the effect of riling up the home support who became increasingly tetchy with regard to referee Bond’s decision-making.

Town finished the half on the up, but had only a Massimo Luongo shot from distance to show for their improvement.

The second half started in the same manner as the first half ended, with Town on top.

Within five minutes gone the visiting fans were sent into delirium as Ricketts came up with a big moment for his side.

Town won a corner on the right and Byrne swung it in. The on-loan defender, running across goal, rose highest and planted a firm header into the opposite corner and out of the reach of Howard. He looked like he could not quite believe it as he landed and stood still in celebration in front of the travelling fans.

The half evened out and became more end to end. It seemed to suit the hosts and, after the introduction of Matt Done, they rediscovered some of the threat that had whimpered away in the first half.

With just over ten minutes left Town survived a couple of big moments.

First Done tested Foderingham’s palms with an angled drive from the left. Then, with the ball only half-cleared Paul Coutts delivered a measured cross from right and Davies looked odds-on to score.

However the striker could not get a good connection on his header and watched on in agony as the ball inched wide of the far post.

Then the late drama. Byrne picked the ball up on the right and drove at the United back line before unleashing low drive that snuck past Howard in the United goal at his far post.

Cue delirium in the away end.

There was barely enough time to draw breath, but Town head back to Wiltshire with a precious lead.