SWINDON TOWN confirmed their League One status for next season with a 1-0 victory over Chesterfield on Saturday, although it took until the 77th minute before Yaser Kasim broke the deadlock.

I had gone along to the County Ground specifically to see a back-from injury Kasim – he is always worth the £25 admission price – and he was awarded the man of the match award. Although that gong should have gone to Michael Doughty.

Match-winner Kasim had a fine game; just as his occasional misplaced pass or backward step would get the crowd groaning he’d produce a 40-yard pass to the toe of one of his team-mates and all would be forgiven.

The groans from the slightly agitated crowd as another opportunity to cross apparently coming to nothing stuck in their throats as Kasim played a one-two with Doughty and then nonchalantly passed the ball into the net.

Any neutrals or scouts in the crowd coming to see the division’s most prolific striker Nicky Ajose must have wondered what all the fuss was about. He hardly had a kick. And his strike partner Jon Obika was also predominately an onlooker as Chesterfield had come only to spoil.

Danny Wilson’s side were surprisingly negative given their own perilous situation. They did not press in our half like many teams at Swindon, and their only real chances resulted from sloppy Swindon mistakes.

With Swindon’s centre backs allowed to play and Kasim and Doughty enjoying themselves, Swindon were fluent and positive. It was encouraging but still some way short of perfect.

James Brophy showed promising signs suggesting the disgraced Ormonde-Ottewill may not easily get back in the side. But thank goodness for Doughty, the one Swindon player who seemed to grasp that the object of the game is to put the ball in the net.

I counted six attempts on goal by the midfielder, all on target including two that were deflected behind by defenders.

He did beat Tommy Lee early in the second half only to see the ball hit the inside of the post and dribble along the goal-line. Doughty knew it was not to be his day when Lee could not hold one of his left-footed stingers only for Obika to snatch at the chance to finish off the rebound.

Late on Doughty also chased back 40 yards to try and prevent Jamal Campbell-Ryce from helping the visitors snatch an undeserved draw.

Doughty has been very much a force for good since his arrival on loan from QPR. His form did dip and he was anonymous the day I saw Town at the Ricoh against Coventry but he was firmly back on song on Saturday.

He adds some much needed physical presence in the middle and I suspect both he and his parent club would be happy if Lee Power made him a permanent offer for next season.

IT seems it is not only the ‘laughing gas trio’ who have brought the club into disrepute lately.

Swindon Town’s default policy under current ownership appears to be to ‘ignore final reminder letters’. One result has been a £22,900 fine for failing to set up a Workplace Pensions scheme on time. Mindless.