Ian Holloway cajoled his 10-man Swindon side to an unlikely last-gasp 1-1 draw against Gillingham after an energetic display bouncing between seats in the main stand.
Holloway officially takes charge on Monday after Town sacked Mark Kennedy earlier in the week, but saw his new charges get off to the rockiest of starts when Grant Hall was dismissed in the ninth minute before Tim Dieng’s opener for Gills seven minutes later.
However, Harry Smith’s stoppage-time header lifted the gloom and Robins coach Gavin Gunning, who selected the side, predicts the good times will return for the League Two strugglers under Holloway.
“He’s charismatic, a big character. Fans are going to love him,” said Gunning.
“Obviously, the fans are not happy at the moment, but he’s going to drag them back and we’re going to be getting big crowds again, because the football is going to be good. It’ll be off-the-seat stuff.
“It’s a coup to bring in someone with such experience and wealth and knowledge as Ian Holloway. We’ll be learning an awful lot.
“He was a jack in the box. It’s going to be really infectious for the fans here. I just think it’s going to be a really successful time.”
Hall deservedly walked after going through Dieng, and Gunning said: “I didn’t really see the red card, to be honest. My eyesight is terrible. I need glasses.
“I can only be happy for the boys, I think they showed great character. We had 10 men for 90 minutes but the boys dug in.”
Early in the match, Robins keeper Jack Bycroft had parried Oliver Hawkin’s effort on to the woodwork before the Gills frontman hammered wide with the goal at his mercy.
However, the visitors went ahead in the 16th minute when former Town striker Jacob Wakeling latched on to a long ball and squared for Dieng to tap in.
Bycroft then pulled off a stunning save to deny Dieng’s firm downward header, but Swindon raised their game after the interval and, with seconds remaining, their pressure paid off when Tunmise Sobowale swung in an enticing cross which was met by Smith’s firm far-post header.
Frustrated Gillingham boss Mark Bonner said: “It feels like a defeat, obviously, when we’re so close to taking three points from the game which, frankly, we deserved.
“It’s a hard one to take for us, for the supporters and for the players.
“We controlled the first half well. We didn’t penetrate and get enough bodies high up the pitch. We had chances but didn’t get the second goal, which is the killer in the game.
“If you don’t kill that beast, they’ll come back and fight you and they did right at the end there.
“We go home with a point, which is a positive from ending a losing run, but not when you’re so many minutes in the lead.”
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