Full-time: Swindon Town 2, Bristol Rovers 1. Simon Cox's double ensured Swindon Town will be playing League One football again next season as the Robins clinched victory over Bristol Rovers in the West Country derby at the County Ground.

Swindon's leading scorer took his goals tally for the season to 27 by netting once in each half in a game which featured some bizarre goals.

Cox was gifted his opener in the fourth minute following a dreadful mix-up in the Pirates' defence.

But the visitors were level after 20 minutes when an attempted clearance by Kevin Amankwaah rebounded powerfully off substitute Darryl Duffy and flew past Swindon keeper Phil Smith.

Cox made certain of victory for Swindon when he fired home after an Amankwaah cross deflected off a couple of Rovers players 10 minutes from time.

The visitors made two changes to the side that had lost 2-1 at home to Brighton on Tuesday, with central defender Steve Elliott returning after a one-match suspension.

He replaced Craig Hinton, whose season is now over after having cortisone injections in both knees.

Aaron Lescott, who had missed the two previous games with a groin injury, returned at right-back. Jeff Hughes remained in the left-back berth, with Craig Disley ahead of him on the left wing as Duffy started on the bench.

Swindon made a dream start and took the lead in the fourth minute – and the Robins' breakthrough was painful for Rovers in more ways than one.

Swindon central defender Gordon Greer aimed a long ball forward and as it bounced near the edge of the Pirates' box, Steve Phillips, Byron Anthony and home striker Billy Paynter all collided.

The ball broke for Cox to roll it into an empty net – and after a lengthy hold-up which saw both Rovers players receive treatment, Anthony was stretchered off and replaced by Duffy.

The early reshuffle saw David Pipe move to right-back with Lescott partnering Elliott at the heart of the back line – and Phillips was soon called into action again to beat out an angled shot from Paynter.

Swindon also saw midfielder Patrick Kanyuka make an early exit. He limped off in the 14th minute and was replaced by Craig Easton.

The home side had a good opportunity to increase their lead in the 17th minute, but Cox missed his kick from eight yards out after Easton had nodded down Hal Robson-Kanu's cross.

If Swindon's opener had arrived in strange fashion, then Rovers' 20th-minute equaliser was even more bizarre.

Amankwaah tried to clear his lines 22 yards out, but Duffy had closed him down and the ball rebounded powerfully off the Pirates substitute and beat keeper Phil Smith's despairing dive to his right as it rolled into the bottom corner of the net.

Rovers twice almost took the lead after 26 minutes, but keeper Smith made an acrobatic, one-handed save to tip Chris Lines' 20-yarder away for a corner. As Swindon failed to clear Stuart Campbell's flag kick, Duffy missed his kick from six yards and Smith was able to gather.

After a poor start, the visitors were starting to look dangerous and Rickie Lambert was left holding his head in his hands when he nodded a good opening over from six yards after Pipe had supplied a cross from the right.

Just before the break, Paynter left fly on the turn from 16 yards but fortunately for the visitors, his strike was straight at Phillips.

Referee Neil Swarbrick played seven minutes of stoppage time after the string of early interruptions, but neither side was able to gain an interval advantage.

The first opportunity of the second period came in the 54th minute when Cox got the better of Lescott to break clear, but the Swindon man's angled shot was blocked by Phillips. Moments later, Hal Robson-Kanu shot wide from 22 yards.

Then, on the hour, Lambert's first-time shot from Jo Kuffour's cross was blocked by Jerel Ifil as the central defender made a vital intervention.

Phillips made a fingertip saved to steer away a downward header from Paynter with 13 minutes left, then Cox glanced a header narrowly wide from Jamie Vincent's cross.

But Swindon were to regain the lead 10 minutes from time – and once again there was an element of fortune about the goal.

Amankwaah supplied a cross from the right and the ball deflected off Elliott and then Campbell before falling to the feet of Cox, who made no mistake in burying his second goal of the game.

And Phillips had to make a fine save to prevent Cox completing his hat-trick in the closing minutes before Lambert stabbed a great chance wide for the Gas at the death.

Swindon Town: Smith, Amankwaah, Ifil, Greer, Vincent, Vincent, Robson-Kanu (McGovern 65), Tudur-Jones, Kanyuka (Easton 14), McNamee (Smith 85), Paynter, Cox. Subs (not used): Jean-Francois, Brezovan.

Bristol Rovers: Phillips, Lescott, Anthony (Duffy 9), Elliott, Hughes, Pipe, Campbell, Lines, Disley, Lambert, Kuffour. Subs (not used): Hunt, Rigg, Reece, St Louis-Hamilton.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancs).

Attendance: 10,977