WHERE do you start?

This was as bad as it has been for Swindon Town in recent times when it comes to crushing defeats.

The play-off final last season was a bigger blow and felt by greater numbers in the flesh than the hardy souls in Fleetwood on Saturday.

But this, a 5-1 defeat to one of just four teams lower in the league than Town at 3pm on Saturday, was more insipid.

The performance at Barnsley earlier this season was dire, but this was more inept and made worse by the fact that it can hardly have come as a surprise.

That does not mean it is less painful than the 5-0 defeat to Cheltenham Town in the FA Cup last season.

That day at Whaddon Road was a blip in an otherwise positive season, a fluke.

This latest defeat, the first-ever against the Cod Army, was in no way unfortunate.

Town deserved everything they got and more.

On a bitterly cold afternoon a long way from home one side played with skill, ideas and quality, the other did not and were left with a 200-mile return journey to mull on it.

Swindon Advertiser:
Adam El-Abd puts into his own net to open the scoring

An own goal from Adam El-Abd, the most apt way for Fleetwood to open the scoring considering the final result, an Antoni Sarcevic penalty, a good finish from David Henen, a less impressive effort from Tarique Fosu and a pearler from Bobby Grant were the sum of the defeat.

Only Nicky Ajose’s late consolation offered any respite to the travelling Wiltshire men.

In situations such as this everyone looks for someone to blame.

Let us start by excusing Martin Ling. This was his fourth game with a group of players he did not choose, playing in the same formation as the one that brought him his first win last week.

The players must certainly be apportioned their share of the criticism. It was they who failed to carry out the instructions given to them or show any determination to turn around the mess they allowed themselves to get in.

However, what is not their fault is their unsuitability for the roles they are being asked to fulfil.

Some of this current Swindon Town are squad are not League One footballers at this stage in their career and they are certainly not of the ability to play the way they are being asked to.

Those orders come from the top.

Chairman/director of football/occasional manager Lee Power has assembled this team and issued the instruction as to how he wants it to play. He has some serious work on his hands in January if he is to salvage something for his club this season and win back a few doubters.

Swindon Advertiser:
Antoni Sarcevic scores his penalty to make it 2-0

Trying to repeat the trick he managed the previous weekend against Scunthorpe, Ling persisted with the 3-5-2 that brought him his first win.

There were a few changes in personnel, with Wes Thomas selected ahead of Louis Thompson as the fifth loanee and straight into the starting line-up in place of Jonathan Obika.

Yaser Kasim was also reinstated into midfield, with Drissa Traore not fit enough to make the matchday 18.

The opening few minutes were a precursor as to what was to become the story of the half.

Both sides showed plenty of attacking intent, which was allowed space to nurture with neither defence looking particularly capable of keeping their opponents at bay The game started in an auspicious fashion, with Town looking very shaky at the back. With Henen almost immediately threatening in behind the back three, only an alert Raphael Branco snuffed out the danger.

Next Ben Gladwin appeared half asleep as El-Abd tried to find him with a throw-in. The midfielder was unaware and David Ball was allowed a free run at goal. Gladwin had Lawrence Vigouroux to thank for sparing him some grief as the keeper found a good save to deny the former Town loanee.

Ball had another chance minutes later, this time Fosu found him with a low cross from the right, but Branco put the striker under just enough pressure to force his effort on the slide wide of the post.

Although Fleetwood were on top, Town were creating openings. Anton Rodgers had an early shot go just wide and Thomas found Ormonde-Ottewill free in the box after the striker had outfought Amari’i Bell on the left-hand side.

Sadly the wing-back’s first touch let him down and his shot was rushed and did not make its way through the crowd of bodies.

Ball was getting a good run against El-Abd, who could not match the Fleetwood man for pace. The striker got free again just before the half hour from Jimmy Ryan’s delightful pass with the outside of his foot, but placed his effort wide.

For a brief spell Town then took the ascendency. Gladwin found some room across the top of the Cod Army box and created a couple of half-chances, but this pressure was short-lived. Town simply did not have the quality to sustain attacks.

At the other end disaster soon struck. Henen wriggled through a couple of challenges after collecting a throw-in by the right touchline and crossed the ball low across goal. El-Abd was unfortunate to see the ball ricochet off his knee and past Vigouroux.

Sarcevic came close to second before the break, with a fierce volley from 20 yards, but otherwise there was little other action.

Some from Swindon might have wished that was true of the rest of the game, but sadly Town collapsed in the second 45 minutes.

A swift Cod Army attack less than 10 minutes in ended with Vigouroux bringing down Ball, with referee Darren England well placed to award the spot-kick. The keeper was only booked with the attacker well wide of the goal.

Sarcevic’s penalty was a good one, Vigouroux went the right way, to his right, but the ball was firmly struck into the corner.

The midfielder turned provider for the next. Slipping in Henen after getting the better of Branco in the challenge, the striker obliged with a great finish past a despairing Vigouroux’s outstretched hand.

Swindon Advertiser:
Tarique Fosu nets the Cod Army's fourth goal

The next goal was less aesthetically pleasing. Fosu was found by Ryan and the striker’s weak effort was deflected past a wrong-footed Vigouroux by a scrambling Branco.

Ajose’s stooped header from Bradley Barry’s cross did give Town some respite, but it was quite clear there would be no comeback.

Grant ensured that would be the case with a delightful curling effort six minutes from the end which saw Town return home back in the relegation zone and with their goal difference severely battered.