Swindon Town were humbled in their first home game of the League Two season as they were defeated 4-0 by Walsall.

Josh Gordon made the most of a defensive error after half an hour before Jamille Matt headed in to double the lead in a first half lacking much to get behind from Swindon.

Taylor Allen whipped in a delightful free-kick straight after the break to stifle any glimmer of hope of a repeat of Tuesday before Albert Adomah notched another.

This was Swindon’s biggest home league defeat since shipping five against Luton Town in 2017 and leaves them still looking for their first win of the campaign.

Mark Kennedy made one change from the opening night draw at Chesterfield as Paul Glatzel came in to start alongside Harry Smith.

All eyes were on Jack Bycroft going into this game and he needed just six minutes to show his worth. Some sloppy defending allowed Jamille Matt in behind down the left side of the box and he found Gordon in the middle. On the edge of the six-yard box he side-footed at goal but the goalkeeper sprung across and pushed it away.

Off the back of two wins, it was the visitors making a confident start as they stuck the ball about with precision and purpose. Oisin McEntee was able to maraud down the right and swing in a cross onto the head of Charlie Lakin and he headed wide.

It wasn’t all coming off but after a summer of minimal squad churn compared to Swindon’s overhaul, Walsall showed themselves to be a team who understood each other. After 11 minutes Gordon was again presented with a big chance as he broke in behind from a long ball, but Miguel Freckleton was able to get back and put him off and he scuffed an effort wide.

Town, by contrast, looked scrappy, with passes not quite going where they were supposed to and balls played without runs being made. It was nearly 20 minutes until their first real chance as Glatzel laid the ball off for Miguel Freckleton to cross first time into Smith to nod narrowly wide.

Seconds later Town won the ball back and Smith looked to catch the ‘keeper out and smashed an effort against the woodwork before it bounced nicely for Tommy Simkin.

Bycroft was again called upon to keep Swindon level after half an hour as Liam Gordon’s cross went to the back post for Josh Gordon and he headed back across goal only to be foiled by the outstretched wrist of the 22-year-old.

Walsall wouldn’t be kept at bay for much longer as Grant Hall seemed to short-circuit as a long ball was played towards him. He tried to turn but allowed Gordon to nip in, run through, and slot coolly into the net.

The goal seemed to make Swindon retract into their shells and it wasn’t long until Walsall had another. Allen was afforded space to cross into the middle for Matt to rise highest and nod into the corner.

In front of a home crowd not sure what to expect from a new-look side as they saw them for the first time, Swindon did little to excite them. A stony silence from the home sections watched on as the team laboured through the thirds with very little attacking verve or moments of excitement. Muted boos met them as the half-time whistle sounded.

With changes pretty clearly being needed, Kennedy used the half time break to shift to a 343 as Aaron Drinan replaced Nnamdi Ofoborh.

This didn’t get off to the start Town would have wanted as after Ollie Clarke gave a free kick away on the edge of the box, Allen stepped up and whipped it into the top corner.

The duality of football fandom was laid bare in the Nigel Eady County Ground. As the players in red sheepishly passed around praying for it to be over with their fans staring on wondering how it was happening again, the travelling Saddlers were having a party in the corner, enjoying their status as week two table toppers.

Adomah was then able to dig further down to extend Town’s depths of despair as he latched onto a cross and swivelled to fire a shot into the near post and make it four.

This goal was the straw that sounded a major crack in the camel’s back. Hoards of fans realised they had seen enough and there was more to be done on a sunny Saturday afternoon.

Having ended last season with a tepid draw with floundering Morecambe, the home faithful were not presented with anything that would give them hope that the course was being corrected. Aimless sideways passing was replaced by half-hearted long balls to strikers too starved of chances to take much interest.

STFC starting XI: Bycroft, Wright, Ofoborh, Cotterill, Clarke, Glatzel, Smith, Longelo, King, Freckleton, Hall.

STFC substitutes: Evans, Sobowale, Cain, Drinan, Minturn, Kirkman, Mitchell.

WFC starting XI: Simkin, Barrett, L. Gordon, McEntee, Farquharson, Lakin, Matt, J. Gordon, Allen, Jellis, Stirk.

WFC substitutes: Hornby, Maher, Earing, Williams, Okagbue, Weir, Adomah.

Attendance: 7,786 (607 away).