TOWN will have to settle for a place in the League One play-offs after going down 3-2 away at Millwall this afternoon.
The result from this fixture was academic anyway, with Leeds beating Bristol Rovers 2-1 at Elland Road to claim the second automatic promotion place.
It means Swindon finish fifth in the table and will face Charlton in the play-off semi-finals.
Danny Ward gave the visitors the perfect start when he volleyed home on just three minutes, but the Lions soon took control.
Paul Robinson went close with a header, before Jonathan Douglas fouled Shaun Batt inside the box and Steve Morison equalised with the resulting penalty.
After the break, Gordon Greer turned the ball into his own net from close range before Morison netted a long range effort thanks to a huge deflection.
With five minutes remaining Billy Paynter headed in but it was no more than a consolation for Danny Wilson's side.
Here are the key moments from today's game:
2 mins: Liam Trotter's through ball looks easy for Alan Sheehan to deal with but as it skips off the surface the full-back misses it.
Lewis Grabban races clear but drags his shot from a tight angle wide of the far post.
3 mins (GOAL 0-1 Ward): Jonathan Douglas chips a free-kick into the penalty area. Millwall can only half clear and Danny Ward strikes a volley which flies past Lions keeper David Forde and into the far corner.
The 2,200 travelling supporters behind the far goal errupt and it's a dream start for Town.
9 mins: Scott Barron's inswinging free-kick from the right flank is met by the head of captain Paul Robinson but, stooping and under pressure, the Millwall centre-back nods into the side netting.
13 mins: Douglas dallies on the ball for too long just outside the area. Shaun Batt nips in to rob him and as he gets into the area, goes down under the midfielder's challenge. Referee Keith Stroud has no hesitation in pointing at the spot.
14 mins (GOAL 1-1 Morison): From the resulting penalty, Steve Morison steps up and sends Swindon keeper David Lucas the wrong way, drilling low into the bottom left-hand corner.
20 mins: Darren Ward meets Chris Hackett's corner with a looping header which is goalbound until a superb fingertip stop from Lucas to deny the defender.
35 mins: News filters through that Max Gradel has been sent off for Leeds and the Whites are down to 10 men, while still drawing 0-0 at Bristol Rovers.
The door is still open for Town to snatch that second spot.
40 mins: Some sustained Millwall pressure ends with left-back Scott Barron swinging a cross into the danger zone.
Lucas comes racing off his line to punch clear but is beaten to the ball by Liam Trotter. The Lions midfielder leaps highest but his header flies harmlessly over the bar.
43 mins: Charlie Austin's deep cross from the right flank is tipped behind by Forde. It's their first corner.
However, Jon-Paul McGovern's flag kick fails to beat the first man, with Mr Stroud blowing up for a foul on the keeper anyway.
51 mins: Both sets of supporters begin celebrating as the news comes through that Bristol Rovers have taken the lead at Elland Road.
As it stands, Charlton are in second place, but a winner for either Town or Millwall would see them promoted.
58 mins: A loose ball lands at the feet of former Swindon full-back Jack Smith fully 35 yards out. He tries his luck but it's going to have to be something specal to beat Lucas from there are ends up in the top deck of the stand behind the goal.
63 mins (GOAL 2-1 Greer own goal): A ball down the right flank sees Steve Morison race away from Lecsinel Jean-Francois, who had got the wrong side of his man.
The striker strides forward before drilling a low cross which evades Lucas' palm but hits Gordon Greer and sneaks into the far corner.
67 mins: Having been one behind and down to 10 men, Leeds have fought their way back to be 2-1 up at Elland Road. If it stays that way then the result of this game is academic.
69 mins: A deep corner from McGovern is fired goalwards by Douglas. Forde parries and the ball drops kindly for Paynter bu, from eight yards, the prolific front man somehow blazes well over when he should have at least hit the target.
73 mins (GOAL 3-1 Morison): A long ball bounces up for Morison around 30 yards out. The front man tries his luck from distance, with his shot taking a huge deflection and looping over Lucas to send the home fans wild.
79 mins: Town's afternoon is summed up as Austin misses a sitter.
Alan Sheehan chases a long ball down the left, and his cross is headed across the box by Paynter.
Austin gets ahead of his man to connect inside the six yard box but somehow misses it altogether and a great chance goes begging.
85 mins (GOAL 3-2 Paynter): Swindon are making a fight of this. Sheehan goes for goal from a central free-kick, only for Paynter to stick his head in the way and nod past Forde.
It's goal number 29 of the season for the striker and it gives the visitors a bit of pride.
MILLWALL (4-4-2): David Forde; Jack Smith, Paul Robinson (c), Darren Ward, Scott Barron; Lewis Grabban (Marc Laird 67), Jimmy Abdou, Liam Trotter, Chris Hackett; Steve Morison, Shaun Batt (Neil Harris 54)
Subs not used: John Sullivan, Andy Frampton, Tony Craig, Jon Obika, Gary Alexander
TOWN (4-4-2): David Lucas; Stephen Darby (Kevin Amankwaah 76), Gordon Greer (c), Lecsinel Jean-Francois, Alan Sheehan; Jon-Paul McGovern (Alan O'Brien 76), Simon Ferry, Jonathan Douglas, Danny Ward; Charlie Austin (Frank Nouble 86), Billy Paynter
Subs not used: Phil Smith, Scott Cuthbert, Craig Easton, Michael Timlin
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