Swindon 2 Charlton 1:Charlie Austin continued his fairytale season to help Swindon gain a deserved but slender lead over Charlton after the first leg of their Coca-Cola League One play-off semi-final.
Austin was playing non-league football for Poole Town at the start of October but Danny Wilson’s gamble on the 20-year-old has paid dividends in a big way as he headed home his 20th of the season to cap a man-of-the-match display.
Danny Ward grabbed a quick second for Town on the hour mark to ensure the pair capitalised on a dominant first-half display in which they missed three great openings between them.
But Deon Burton put his head where it hurts in the 65th minute to ensure Charlton, who also hit a post through skipper Nicky Bailey, left the encounter finely poised heading into Monday’s second leg at The Valley.
Credit must go to Swindon who, bidding to reach the second tier for the first time in 10 years, also hit the woodwork through Vincent Pericard but emerged triumphant without the services of 26-goal leading scorer Billy Paynter as he was hit with a late hamstring injury.