Stevenage were made to pay for a slow start as they slipped to a disappointing defeat at the County Ground.

Darren Sarll’s men found themselves two goals down within a quarter of an hour and were unable to get themselves back on terms as their winless run stretched to three games.

The home side opened the scoring on nine minutes as Luke Norris stabbed home from Chris Hussey’s corner.

And it was 2-0 just four minutes later when Norris set up Keshi Anderson for a simple finish to leave Stevenage with plenty to do.

The visitors eventually settled into the game, without causing Swindon any real problems, but were glad to see Norris send a shot narrowly wide late in the half.

Stevenage were fortunate not to concede a third soon after the restart as Anderson raced through and fired against a post.

But they gave themselves hope on 51 minutes when great work by Danny Newton on the right set up Matt Godden, whose sliced shot hit the striker and found the back of the net.

Stevenage’s joy was shortlived, though, as swindon restored their two-goal cushion on the hour mark when Joe Martin handled in the box and Norris fired home fromm the penalty spot.

Martin made amends late on with a fine free-kick – not unlike his winner at Cheltenham – but it was only a consolation as Sarll’s men returned to the Lamex Stadium empty-handed.

Stevenage: Fryer, Henry, Franks, Toner, Martin, Kennedy (Whelpdale 63), Smith, Gorman (McKee 80), Pett (Samuel 76), Newton, Godden. Unused subs: Beautyman, Day, Vancooten, Gray.

Attendance: 6,022.