SWINDON Town slipped into the relegation zone for only the second time this season as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at fellow relegation strugglers Bury.

Despite the hosts having only picked up one win in their last 20 league outings, a James Vaughan penalty in the 37th minute was enough to see them jump out of the relegation places and condemn Swindon for a spot in the bottom four for the first time since the defeat to Scunthorpe United back in October.

Luke Williams made three changes to the starting XI that faced Oxford United six days prior, with one being enforced less than an hour before the game.

Striker Luke Norris, who was on the original team sheet handed out at Gigg Lane, but missed out on the game as he was replaced by Jermaine Hylton in the starting line-up, with Brandon Ormonde-Ottewill coming onto the bench.

Elsewhere, Rohan Ince was handed a first start for the club since his loan move from Brighton & Hove Albion, as Yaser Kasim dropped to the bench, and Dion Conroy came into the line-up as Lloyd Jones made way, as not to go over the loan limit.

Jonathan Obika returned to the bench, having not featured for Town since the 1-1 draw with Shrewsbury Town at the County Ground.

It was a cagey start to proceedings from both sides as the lack of confidence flowing through the two sides was evident to see at Gigg Lane.

Having seen Reece Brown fire a long-range free-kick just wide and Lawrence Vigouroux palm a Greg Leigh shot around the post, it was the hosts that took the lead in the 37th minute.

When James Brophy turned a deep cross behind for a corner in the 36th minute, it seemed innocuous enough.

However, as the ball was delivered in by Jacob Mellis, referee Mark Brown blew his whistle and pointed to the spot, having judged that Raphael Branco had pulled the shirt of Pope.

Vaughan, fresh from his League One Player of the Month presentation the day before, stepped up and made mistake as he slammed his effort straight down the middle and into the roof of the net.

Swindon went close to levelling matters towards the end of a poor first half when Ben Gladwin saw a dipping effort from outside the box just clear the bar.

Vaughan who looked to double his tally in the 62nd minute as he drove at the Town box before firing just over Vigouroux’s bar.

Just shy of the hour mark, Williams looked to inject some much-needed life into Town’s forward line with the arrival of Obika for Hylton.

However, it was Vaughan who looked to double his tally in the 62nd minute as he drove at the Town box before firing just over Vigouroux’s bar.

Swindon looked to turn the screw in the latter stages as they tried to salvage something out of a game they could ill-afford to lose.

Town’s chance came deep into injury time when Obika found Charlie Colkett in the box in space, but the midfielder dragged his shot wide of the far post and Swindon’s hopes went with it.

SWINDON TOWN: Vigouroux; Dabo, Branco, Thompson, Conroy, Brophy; Ince, Colkett, Gladwin; Hylton (Obika 59’), Ajose

Unused subs: Henry, Thomas, Rodgers, Kasim, Goddard, Ormonde-Ottewill

Attendance: 2,713 (214)

Referee: Mark Brown