Ian Holloway hails ‘ugly’ win as Swindon ease relegation fears

Ian Holloway praised his Swindon strugglers for winning ugly as they downed relegation rivals Barrow.

Nnamdi Ofoborh notched in his first Town league goal after eight minutes before Harry Smith’s late clincher to lift the Robins eight points away from the drop zone and level with their beaten opponents – who responded by sacking manager Stephen Clemence later in the evening.

Holloway said: “From the start to the end the lads showed great desire, a great work ethic and a great team spirit. We needed it all in a very ugly game.

“I want nicer football. We’re working towards how good they can be. But we look a real solid team now.”

After help stem relegation gloom after taking over in late October, Holloway wants to aim higher but is desperate to string two wins together.

He said: “My players knew if we could win this one, we could start looking higher up. So that was a massive game.

“My lads are starting to show in the arena what they show me on training run every day, and that’s all that matters.”

Ofoborh gave Town the perfect start when he worked some space 25 yards out and picked his spot with a vicious dipping drive.

Robins left-back George Cox cut inside and shot well wide before captain Ollie Clarke flashed a header across the goal from a corner.

After the break Gavin Kilkenny slammed into the side netting and Will Wright’s inswinging corner had Paul Farman scrambling to tip over.

Tyler Smith nearly levelled with a near-post diving header but keeper Jack Bycroft reacted well.

With Barrow struggling to create any danger, despite keeping up the pressure, Smith won a 50-50 with the keeper, picked himself up off the deck and slotted in from an acute angle.

Aaron Drinan then hit the post after a rare neat passing Swindon move.

Clemence, who won just nine of his 32 matches as Bluebirds boss, said before his sacking was announced: “We have got to make better decisions with the ball because we didn’t really look like scoring other than Tyler had a header where the keeper’s made a good save.

“I don’t feel they have had to do very much to score two goals against us and that’s the disappointing thing.

“They haven’t cut us open left, right and centre all day. It’s just two disappointing goals to concede and you do that and you normally get beat.

“Every defeat hurts. Of course, the boys know what situation we’re in. I know what situation the club’s in and there’s only the players, the staff and the help of the supporters that can get us out of this.

“But we know we’re not in a great place, we’re not stupid.”