HOW ironic that at the end of possibly the toughest week in Swindon's season they put up arguably their best display.

And yet how typical of the campaign that even though they dominated proceedings with some exciting football they still ended up on the losing side.

Andy King's words "I am a happy man but an unhappy manager" said it all.

This was a performance to feel proud of but, he knows only too well that pride does not get you points and it does not keep you in a job.

After seeing boss Colin Todd walk out earlier in the week and then wait three days to see who would be leading them out at Meadow Lane, you could have perhaps forgiven the players if their minds had not quite been on the task at hand.

Recent results had seen them pick up only one point from a possible 12 in a run of four games which had yielded just the one goal.

Confidence had been low before Todd walked out. What chance then of Town travelling to the Midlands and getting a result?

Well, they did everything but get three points.

They practically laid siege to the County goal in the second half and created enough chances to have won the match easily.

All credit to Andy King. The charismatic caretaker boss switched and swapped his side around and sent out a team which suddenly had a belief and desire to win football matches.

The fact they did not come away victorious has probably haunted him all weekend.

He asked for the fans to trust him and to show him the same support as they had given Todd. The way the travelling band stood and clapped their team off at the end of 90 minutes certainly pleased him.

King said he would do things his way. And his way was certainly different.

Switching the side to a 5-3-2 formation he partnered captain Alan Reeves alongside Adam Willis and Antoine van der Linden in the heart of the back line with Mark Robinson and Sol Davis on the flanks.

Bobby Howe was given the role of midfield playmaker with Keith O'Halloran and new signing Ian Woan at his side. Danny Invincible was pushed up front alongside Martin Williams.

In driving rain and a whirling wind it was the new-look Town who were first to threaten.

Van der Linden's long ball found Invincible who in turn fed Sol Davis down the left. The defender's cross found Martin Williams at the far post but the effort was held by keeper Paul Gibson.

The last thing Town needed after their week was to find themselves a goal down early on.

But, with their first opportunity of the game, it was the home side who took the lead in only the 12th minute.

Mark Robinson fouled Dennis Pearce on the left wing. he was shown a yellow card before Nick Fenton swung over a dangerous cross which Sean Farrell met with a powerful header and steered it past Bart Griemink.

Bobby Howe just failed to latch onto a long through ball a minute later and then Danny Invincible saw a shot deflected over the bar as Town continued to look lively.

But County then had a great chance to make it 2-0 as Farrell latched onto a miss-hit shot from Joseph, dinked the ball over the advancing keeper and saw his effort roll across the face of goal before Keith O'Halloran was able to clear.

Town did have the ball in the net in the 22nd minute but van der Linden's strike was ruled offside after an initial Woan effort had been fumbled by Gibson.

However, the equaliser eventually came ten minutes before the break when Danny Invincible smacked home a knock down from Alan Reeves after Mark Robinson's free kick had caused problems in the County defence.

It was the goal that Town wanted and caretaker boss Andy King, sitting in the stand, could finally breath something of a sigh of relief.

Unfortunately for King, parity did not last long as County put themselves back in front minutes before the break.

Robinson allowed Pearce to get in behind him and break down the left wing. As he reached the byline, he looked up, knocked the ball across goal and there was Craig Ramage to side foot the ball into an empty net.

Seconds before the break it was almost three as Farrell turned on the edge of the box and scissor-kicked an effort narrowly wide.

King's half-time words of encouragement must have done the trick as within minutes of the restart Town were level, and it was Invincible who scored again.

Howe floated in a corner, Williams and Reeves caused trouble in the box, Gibson missed his punch and Invincible was on hand at the far post to stick out a right foot and guide it into the roof of the net.

Town were on fire.

Invincible almost notched his third on the hour as he picked up on a Williams knock down and curled a left footed effort that just flew wide of Gibson's goal.

Williams almost notched when he flung himself into a diving header from Sol Davis' cross, but the effort flashed wide.

Just when it seemed Town could only go on and win the match they gave away another silly goal.

County had finally found their feet in the second half and after a short period of sustained pressure they got the crucial break that would settle the match.

A free-kick was swung into the Town box and knocked down into the path of Joseph. He turned Davis but the young defender's lunge brought the tricky striker crashing to the ground.

Referee Clattenburg pointed to the spot and Joseph stepped up to chip the penalty over Griemink.

It could have been a crushing blow to Town but they reacted in a way that will give everyone hope and heart for the future. They hit back almost immediately.

A great cross from Robinson almost let in van der Linden at the far post but the defender just failed to get the crucial touch.

Two-goal hero Invincible was replaced by Mark Robertson with only eight minutes remaining as King desperately went in search of an equaliser.

Town continued to push and County had a miracle escape when another deep Robinson cross was dropped by Gibson and fell to van der Linden who turned towards goal and struck a left-foot effort that was heading in but struck defender Anders Jacobsen on the line.

David Duke came on for Davis as King pushed players forward in search of the leveller.

Still the chances continued to come. Mark Robinson floated over another great cross in the 88th minute but Reeves nodded his header over the bar.

And then to cap off a highly frustrating few minutes Duke then missed possibly the best chance of the game as a mistake in the County box let Reeves' long ball land into his path on the left side of the area and the youngster lashed his shot over the bar.

With four minutes of time added on Town continued to press forward but it wasn't enough and heartbroken Town trooped off with nothing but pride to take home.

Click here for our gallery of action-packed shots from the game

Matt Reeder