PREVIEW: Swindon

Swindon notched up the biggest League Two win of the opening weekend when they recovered from going behind early in the second half at Scunthorpe to go on to claim the points in comfort.

Jack Payne levelled things up from the spot, after Ryan Loft had scored in the same manner for the hosts, and the away win was sealed by Ben Gladwin and Harry McKirdy.

Tuesday night took the Robins to Cambridge in the Carabao Cup and it was a tight affair, with neither side managing to find the net in normal time.

On it went to penalties and Abbeymen bagged all of their first three spot kicks, with Dimi Mitov handed centre stage and the chance to prove himself a hero. He didn't disappoint as he saved from Jack Payne and McKirdy to send the home side through.

The Robins were in the headlines for all the wrong reasons over the summer as unpaid wages and rent were accompanied by an on-off takeover saga that brought a message of 'concern' from the EFL.

New manager John McGreal raised more areas for worry when he and his assistant Rene Gilmartin left after just a month in charge.

Things brightened at the end of July when Australian businessman Clem Morfuni confirmed that the transfer of shares from Lee Power was all but complete, and former Bristol Rovers boss Ben Garner was appointed as head coach.

A flurry of incoming activity followed with midfielder Ben Gladwin the first through the door. Striker Tyreece Simpson was next on a season-long loan from Ipswich, with Kaine Kesler Hayden also joining for a season from the Villains. 

Defender Akin Odimayo kept the momentum going, and he was followed by Mohammad Dabre and Harry McKirdy. 

Anthony Grant, Romoney Crichlow and Ryan East completed the cycle of signings just days before the season kicked off.

The capture of Tyreece Simpson from Ipswich for the season should provide the Robins with a good focal point for their forward movement.

He's lively, and a handful, and he'll cause problems with his intelligent movement.

Ben Gladwin is another to monitor. A tenacious midfielder he can make things tick if he's given the room in which to do so.

This game is not available to watch on our iFollow streaming service, but live audio coverage of the fixture begins ahead of kick off.

Click HERE to purchase an audio match pass. 

With match commentary provided by BBC Radio Cumbria, this is a fantastic way to follow your team through this season. 

Click HERE for more information on this season's iFollow coverage.

United and Swindon locked horns in February 2020 at Brunton Park and they couldn't be separated as an early goal from Rarmani Edmonds-Green was cancelled out in the second half by Aaron Hayden.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

It feels like an age since United were at the County Ground in August 2019 for what turned out to be a game crammed with goals and incidents. A nip and tuck first half brought little of note, but that changed after the break when Olufela Olomola gave the away side the lead. Jerry Yates, Zeki Fryers and Kaiyne Woolery flipped the game on its head as the Robins roared into the lead, and the afternoon got tougher for United when Canice Carroll was sent off late in the day. Mo Sagaf bagged his first for the club in time added on, but the home side held on to take the win.

Watch the highlights from that game here:

Swindon Town 0 - 4 Carlisle United, Saturday 17 November 2018

Carlisle United 2 - 1 Swindon Town, Saturday 9 March 2019

Referee - Carl Brook
Assistant Referee 1 - Richard Morris
Assistant Referee 2 - Samuel Ogles
Fourth Official - Andy Bennett
Observer - Simon Snartt

The referee for this game is Mr Carl Brook.

Carl has taken charge of one game so far this season and what a game it turned out to be. Five yellow cards in Tranmere's home victory over Walsall don't quite tell the whole story, with a late red being shown to Chris Merrie with just four minutes left to play.

Now into his second season as an EFL official this is the first time he's been in charge for a Carlisle United fixture.