By Peter Mitchell

Nothing changes - last season I complained that Forest Green Rovers sold too many away tickets for this game and, once again, Town supporters were packed like sardines - unlike the situation in any other part of the ground. Many were unable to see anything and no ponchos were handed out to help fend off the rain on the uncovered terraces. What a good job Rovers rarely have to deal with the problem of a sizeable crowd.

The result of this local derby was hugely disappointing for visiting Swindon Town after such first half dominance and a two-goal lead. In retrospect they will see the result as a decent point that leaves them still top of the league by three points, but the performance should have extended their run of wins to eight.

It is a very long time since I’ve seen a home team so outplayed, outclassed and out-thought, by a team in the same league, as FGR were in the first half.

Rovers were sitting far too deep and giving Swindon all the room they wanted. Both Town goals came from Eoin Doyle - who else? - which means that a goal on Boxing Day will see him equal a 93-year-old Club record of scoring in eleven consecutive league games.

Doyle swept in the first from a good cross by Rob Hunt, and his second came when Kaiyne Woolery headed into his path and he crashed the ball home.

Jerry Yates should have got a third before the break, and that surely would have put the game beyond Rovers' reach.

There must have been a salvo of rockets fired in the home dressing room at half time because Rovers came out fully charged up for the restart. They pushed forward more and Swindon sat back too complacently. I was already regretting my half time comment that Town hadn't conceded since Paul Caddis made his comeback! With rain making conditions difficult, the second half was an even contest with both sides creating an equal number of chances. However, the difference was that Rovers took theirs.

Rovers at last were beginning to show why they were league leaders not long ago and Town were allowing them too much room on both flanks.

Purton's Joseph Mills proved to be Swindon's Nemesis. He found the target from a right-wing cross and then, deep into injury time, from a corner he fired the equaliser high into the roof of the net. Richie Wellens will be unhappy about the manner of both goals.

There were excellent individual displays from Mathieu Baudry, Paul Caddis and Anthony Grant (again), and Steven Benda, with much improved distribution this week, looked pretty solid between the posts.

There are no "gimmes" coming up for the Town over the Festive Season. Starting at home with Cambridge United, Swindon will be hoping for a bumper crowd, but then tough away games against Port Vale and the improving Plymouth Argyle will test their resilience and stamina to the full. If we can open the New Year still topping the charts, we can all look positively and confidently to the final four months of the season.