Three goals, a dugout dust-up and the theatrical villainy of Jason Price: Swindon’s win against Morecambe, with goals from Jake Jervis, Raffa De Vita and Ronan Murray, sounds like excellent entertainment. In reality it was a disjointed and often disappointing game, writes Alex Cooke.

Morecambe looked to be a side with a plan: a plan to tap the ball slowly from one side of the defence to the other. And then back again. In fact, their cautious, lopsided 31312 formation was probably one of the most interesting elements of this stodgy game. It was hard not to be impressed by the flexibility that saw a midfielder drop into the defence when Town attacked but step out once the ball was with a Shrimper again. It was impressive, but not actually entertaining.

But for all of Morecambe’s short, patient passing in their own half the match was less tiki taka and more tactical tedium. Swindon were content to drop off and wait for Morecambe’s pace-less passing to peter out, before pressing in midfield to attack.

The only injection of speed into the lacklustre first half came from the manager himself: Paolo Di Canio quickly returned the ball for a throw-in and it eventually worked itself to Liam Ridehalgh. The loanee fullback swept a high cross into the box which Jake Jervis, displaying the grace of a tossed caber, seemed to shoulder into the net.

Despite their defensive caution, Morecambe did create a pair of excellent chances, primarily due to some neat interplay between the forwards and some defensive sloppiness from the usually reliable Aden Flint and Alan McCormack. Fortunately the excellent Wes Foderingham looked like a goalkeeper who has conceded a mere four times in 12 games and Morecambe shot like a team who haven’t scored in their last 180 minutes of play.

The narrowness of Morecambe’s formation, and having two of their midfield stood on the toes of their central defenders, meant that the only space on the pitch was in front of Town’s two fullbacks: Paul Caddis and Liam Ridehalgh.

And while the Huddersfield loanee was reticent to leave his station, Caddis marauded with abandon. Often Morecambe marshalled him down blind alleys but with support from the ever-willing Ferry and Ritchie he began to pop more and more crosses into the box.

Unfortunately Swindon lacked a cutting edge with Lukas Magera ponderous and lacking in confidence while Jervis fulfilled his usual role of providing boundless, but sometimes, clueless, energy.

Instead the second goal came in a manner which every visiting scout would have noted by now: Ritchie checked and flung an in-swinging cross towards the back post. There De Vita wrapped a rubbery leg around the hapless defender Andy Parrish to score from close range – something he should have done earlier from a much easier chance.

In the middle of the pitch, Ferry was tireless and Jon Smith made the kind of biting tackles that excite crowds, or earn cards from a less tolerant ref. But both players drove Town forward, making light of Morecambe’s numerical advantage in the middle.

Morecambe’s response to Town’s more direct and energetic brand of football was always the same to return to the same slow, sapping pace, tapping the ball back and forward. But mistakes and mis-shapes still frustrated and fragmented both team’s advances.

The Shrimpers still managed to fashion two further chances, one a stinging drive and the other a deft header, both of which the excellent Fotheringham dealt with calmly.

But with the eager Murray replacing Magera, Swindon still offered more in attack. First the Ipswich man tried to beat ‘keeper Roche at his near post before neatly slotting home a Ritchie cutback to make it 3-0.

With the referee adding on plenty of injury time for a technical area shoving match, there was still time for Shrimper’s substitute Jason Price to jostle and shove his way into the ref’s notebook and into infamy with the home crowd.

At least his needless needle proved a noteworthy ending to what was otherwise a strangely uneventful 3-0 win.

Your Man of the Match: Jonathon Smith 32%