Swindon Town were eliminated from the FA Cup after falling to defeat on penalties against fellow League Two opposition Accrington Stanley.

Tyler Walton opened the scoring in the 17th minute but a Grant Hall header and a Joel Cotterill curled effort saw the Robins head into stoppage time 2-1 up.

Walton got his second of the game in the 91st minute after he capitalised on poor clearances to send the tie to extra-time before the hosts won 4-1 in the shootout.

Here are five points we picked out from the late heartbreak.

The desire and grit from the 10 men was impressive

Despite having gone 1-0 down, Swindon had a good grasp onto the game and were creating chances alongside having momentum. Town kept their heads but Danny Butterworth didn’t help their chances as he saw red in the 41st minute after a studs-up challenge on Liam Coyle. After going down to 10, the visitors held their ground very well, they didn’t stop running and were not going to end the game without giving their all. For long periods of the fixture, they were the better side and if they can transition that determination into the league, results could start to go in their favour.

Town shot themselves in the foot

Overall, there were many areas to be positive with despite losing. However, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Swindon could have easily seen the game out with numerous chances and decisions. Harry Smith had the chance to score from the spot but he was denied by Billy Crellin and later had two huge opportunities. After great work from Aaron Drinan on the right, the forward was in the box ready to receive a pass across goal, but he strode offside in a situation where it was easy to stay onside. If he stays on, it becomes a huge chance. He was through on goal later in the game too but calmly struck his effort straight at Billy Crellin in what was another huge opportunity wasted. Football can be cruel sometimes, but wasted chances aren’t the only the reason the game went beyond 90 minutes. It’s also down to no substitutions late in the game. The players were getting tired and were bombarded with pressure from Stanley opposition who had fresh legs, so why not fight that by making chances of their own?

Harry Smith is huge for the build-up and attacking options

He did miss opportunities today, but if you take those chances away, he was superb. It’s hard to not praise the forward after what has been a great run of form since he came back from suspension as he has transformed into a new man. He dropped back and used his height and build to be a target for the Robins when the team were looking to get forward and craft attacks but he also provides an option in the box too. Smith has started to prove himself as the player that Swindon signed in the summer.

Tunmise Sobowale was an energetic addition that Swindon needed

Sobowale made his first appearance since the away defeat at MK Dons and he was a great addition to the side. After not appearing in the team last week due to training performances, he made sure that Holloway would have to include him again. His energy and pace down the right brought quality and he ran all game. Even when he had to slot in as a centre-back during extra-time, he did fantastic. An absolute pleasure to watch.

The loss will bring its own problems

After going into the relegation zone for the first time ever in the club’s history, the loss on penalties is not just a set-back on the pitch and a brief one mentally, it will instead have a big effect on all levels. The chance of a good payday in the third round was a possibility and would have been a great opportunity for players to test themselves on a bigger stage. The players were so close to victory after a great effort and not only will they be drained, they have to regroup and go again for the game against Colchester on Tuesday, which is another big game as the Robins look to turn their fortunes around.