23 November 2021

Ben Garner hails Jonny Williams after ‘best performance’ for Swindon

23 November 2021

Swindon head coach Ben Garner praised the performance of Wales international Jonny Williams after he scored in a 3-1 win over Hartlepool at the County Ground.

Tyreece Simpson also scored before Jack Payne rounded off a brilliant home display for the hosts with a stoppage-time stunner that handed the Wiltshire side just their second home victory of the season.

Garner said: “It was great to respond after conceding and it was nice to get the third goal at the end.

“We probably could have had one or two more goals in the closing stages but it was a pleasing result with lots of positive elements to the play, with some fantastic individual performances.

“I have to give credit to the group for a really good win.

“Hartlepool came in and sat with a back five that made it very difficult to break down in the first half. But we worked the ball really well and that tired the opposition out.

“I thought Jonny Williams was excellent tonight and it was great to see him score. I thought it was his best overall performance since he came to the club and I thought it was a great overall team performance.

“As a group, everyone did their role and we have fantastic team spirit.”

Williams lifted spirits among home fans with a powerful header, leaving keeper Ben Killip rooted to the spot, as Swindon took the lead following a goalless first half.

However, their joy was short-lived as Hartlepool’s Matty Daly equalised with a shot from the centre of the box, having already hit the bar moments earlier.

Simpson punished United with his 69th-minute effort nestling in the back of the net after the visitors failed to take their chances.

Hartlepool were unable to rally and were left stunned as Payne’s 92nd-minute long-range strike put the game to bed.

Pools’ stand-in manager Antony Sweeney said: “Frustration is an understatement. The difference was one team took the chances on offer, the other team didn’t.

“Games are defined by big moments – we at this moment in time don’t win any of those big moments. We had counter-attacking opportunities.

“Whoever is next in this job will find it tough. Four defeats in a row, can’t do anything until January anyway.

“We as a club know the areas we need to improve, improving those areas is a different matter. It is plain for people to see what those areas are.

“But we have to find something within us to grind out results, especially away from home and come to places like this which are tough.

“We need to be more resolutely aggressive in defending our goal, if you are not you are going to suffer many more defeats.”

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