Five things we learned as Swindon Town beat Colchester United

It was a nervy tie as Colchester went ahead through Harry Anderson, but substitute Joel McGregor levelled the game with seven minutes to go, which gave the hosts and important boost to go on and win the game.

Here are the five noteworthy points we logged from the game that puts the Robins into the second round.

High-intensity football is the standard

To play under Ian Holloway, you need to be physically fit and prepared to run the whole game. Every player was always involved (especially in the first half) and the midfielders and forwards never remained still and were always on the move. Gavin Kilkenny and Ollie Clarke in the first period of the tie were two players who covered a lot of ground as it was just them two in the middle. This meant they had to work hard the whole game, whether that was tracking back in transition, or building up from the back and trying to penetrate the Colchester defence.

Selection dilemma at right wing-back

Under Mark Kennedy, Tunmise Sobowale slotted in as the right centre back in the back three, but the new boss might want more defensively minded players in those roles in defence. Sobowale made many appearances in that role under Kennedy, and suited it well because he could offer a lot going forward but that may not align with how Holloway wants his team to play. This means Swindon could have three players competing for the place on the right when every player is available for selection. This competition will make the players work even harder to be selected, which can only be a good thing.

No wingers is not a problem for Swindon

Many Holloway sides have opted for a front three throughout the years. Having recruited no wingers as Kennedy's reign was not planned to end so quickly, Town had to make do with what they have. The front three consisted of Harry Smith, Aaron Drinan and Tshimanga. Their roles were simple – free roam whilst remaining forward. During the times they were on the pitch together, you could not put a stamp on which of the three was in what position, as they were hardly still and always rotated. This made it difficult for the Colchester defenders as they were dealing with new players over the whole period of the game. The front three almost operated as inside forwards, as their main aim would be to start wide and come inside towards the middle when on the attack. Paul Glatzel would fit into this system like a glove and when he is fully fit and back into the starting 11, he could reignite last season's form.

Joel McGregor celebrating his equaliser (Image: Andy Crook) The attacking changes were a huge risk but worked superbly

Being 1-0 down with 10 minutes to go means you have to take risks to get something out of the game. The approach from Town was to go for it. As Sean McGurk, Danny Butterworth, Joel Cotterill and Joel McGregor came off the bench, their job was to ignite a spark. It worked as McGregor’s dramatic late equaliser sent the game to extra time. However, it was a huge risk long-term. The midfield of Ofoborh, Butterworth and Cotterill offered little stability on paper as it was unbalanced, but they worked hard and managed to see the result out. 

Will Wright is vital to the team

When we signed the defender in the summer, it was a transfer that raised a few eyebrows as he opted out of League One to come to the County Ground. In the first 20 minutes, I was sceptical that his potential may not be maximised under Holloway as he was not pushing up as usual and was playing like an ordinary centre back. But as the game went on, he grew into it and showcased what he can bring to the side. He offers so much going forward whilst being solid defensively, and is quite similar to John Stones as he can go into midfield when in possession. He is a defender many teams in this division would love to have.