Charlie Austin said that he felt he needed the rest that Michael Flynn afforded to him by taking him out of the starting 11.

After starting Swindon Town’s first 18 league games of the season, Austin has been used from the bench during their last three outings, being introduced during the final ten minutes of their wins against Mansfield Town and Accrington Stanley.

The 34-year-old had an impact in both of those wins, winning the header that led to Jake Young’s stoppage-time winner against Mansfield, before netting his fifth goal of the season at the Wham Stadium.

He was introduced off the bench during the first half against AFC Wimbledon after an opening to the game in which Flynn said his side were “so poor.”

Austin said that he was pleased to be able to make an impact from the bench and that he felt that he had been helped by having time out of the starting line-up.

He said: “I think when you come off the bench you are just trying to put yourself about and do what the manager asks.

“The Mansfield one was great, I hit the post and Young scores, so we rode our luck a little bit there as Young plays a one-two with the post.

“The Accrington one was good, after I came on we had been battering them the whole game and I scored, then ultimately the score flatters them at 4-3.

“For me it was nice, but in the bigger picture I probably needed to come out, and now I am back, and I played a bit more time today, so we will see how we go on.

“Sometimes you do need to come out, as much as players don’t want to, you have to trust the manager to take you out and that is absolutely fine.”

Flynn explained after initially taking Austin out against Mansfield that he felt the striker needed the rest after an energy-intensive start to the campaign.

He said: “This is a squad game and Chaz [Austin] has been brilliant for me.

“I told him that he probably needed a bit of a rest as he has put his heart and soul, not just in the games has he given his all but in training. He doesn’t miss a day of training and he works his socks off.

“It is hard because we have got a small squad, but he understood, and he is fine.”