Swindon Town 2 Cheltenham Town 2

From James McNamara@The County Ground

Martin Allen has continued to back much-maligned striker Elvis Hammond – and last night the former Leicester and Fulham man showed a glimpse of just why the Cheltenham manager continues to champion the former Leicester and Fulham frontman's cause.

Utter disbelief among most of the Cheltenham supporters was the instant emotion when Allen offered his former charge an 18-month contract following a indifferent trial spell at the end of last year.

Allen, however, will at least start to feel justified after Hammond produced clinical finishes of the highest order to claimed two goals that brought an end to a seven-game losing streak, which has left Cheltenham marooned at the foot of League One.

They remain their this morning after Hammond's heroics were not enough to register a victory at the home of their West rivals on a night when Swindon supporters were expecting nothing less than victory to aid their own ever-increasing battle against the drop.

Allen will have gone away the happier of the two managers, considering the off-the-field financial problems that continue to blight Cheltenham's fast-fading bid to find a glimmer of light at the end of a tunnel that is seemingly going to end in League Two football next season.

Swindon could still join them – encouraging performances in recent weeks, perhaps, but little progress made in terms of league position and with games continuing to run out at a rapid pace.

The only negative on an otherwise encouraging night for Allen was a serious looking injury to striker Ashley Vincent on the back of a rudimentary challenge by Swindon midfielder Michael Timlin that saw him leave on a stretcher just before half-time.

Vincent had almost marked his return to the side with a goal as early as the third minute when he latched onto a well-measured through ball from Ian Westlake before guiding the glorious one-on-one chance wide of the far post.

Swindon striker Billy Paynter was similarly culpable of spurning a good opportunity three minutes later as the game started at a frenetic pace due to the greasy surface. McNamee collected a high pass with a delicate touch before clipping over a deft cross that was volleyed wildly over the bar by Paynter when offered time and space to have done a lot better.

Defender Jack Smith then went close when finding himself in a position usually reserved for a centre-forward only to glance a diving header wide from Cox's pin-point delivery.

Robson-Kanu had already tested Cheltenham goalkeeper Scott Brown with one low effort from the edge of the box before finally handing the initiative to Wilson's side with a carbon copy effort. This time the powerful effort eluded Brown's desperate dive and nestled in the bottom corner of the net – but the lead lasted less than 60 seconds.

Cheltenham striker Elvis Hammond hammering in an even more spectacular effort from the edge of the other penalty area after being fed by Josh Low almost straight from the restart. Cox scuffed an opportunity to put Swindon back in front on the stroke of half-time by firing across goal and wide when the ball fell to him kindly after a moment of weather-induced pinball inside the Cheltenham penalty area.

That missed chance proved costly little under ten minutes after the restart when Hammond put the Allen's men in front with the first real opening of the second-half.

One of Lee Ridley's specialist long throw-ins was launched into the six-yard box to allow Hammond to take the ball out of the air deftly before swivelling away from his marker and adding a clinical finish.

Wilson had seen enough soon after and made what turned out to be an inspired substitution with the introduction of Kevin Amankwaah for Jamie Vincent.

Amankwaah made an instant impact by levelling the game within two minutes and two touches by rising highest to bullet a header home from Robson-Kanu's corner.

The noise around the County Ground went up an octave to drive Town on towards victory – and but for Brown between the Cheltenham posts they probably would have got it. Jack Smith was left to hold his head in his hands when Brown managed to repel a blistering effort from distance. Cox was the next to suffer at the hands of the Cheltenham stopper before Peter Brezovan had to perform similar heroics at the other end when Nicholas Bignall looked all set to claim a late winner.

Swindon Town (4-4-2): Brezovan; J Smith, Ifil, Greer, Vincent (Amankwaah 64); Robson-Kanu, Timlin, Peacock (Allen 46), McNamee; Paynter, Cox. Subs not used: P Smith, Marshall, Jean-Francois.

Cheltenham Town (4-3-3): Brown; Bird, Duff, Gallinagh, Ridley; Finnigan, Westlake, Low; Vincent (Bignall 45), Connor (Spencer 76), Hammond. Subs not used: Puddy, Durrant, Hemmings