A pair of substitutes helped Swindon Town to a mad three-minute comeback to defeat nine-man Tranmere Rovers 3-1.

Josh Davison scored from an improbable angle after just seven minutes to give Tranmere a lead to protect as Swindon struggled to find any ingenuity.

Norman was sent off for two yellow cards but Town had to wait until the death for Paul Glatzel, Harry Smith, and Kabongo Tshimanga to create a miraculous turnaround in the space of just three minutes.

Town’s home unbeaten run now stands at seven and they have moved 13 points clear of the relegation zone.

Ian Holloway made just two changes from the side which had won at Newport County on Friday night and that involved handing a first EFL start to Joe Westley after he scored on his debut. The other change saw Joel Cotterill replace Nnamdi Ofoborh amidst uncertainty over whether he would be recalled by Swansea City.

Following an opening seven minutes in which Tranmere had largely been happy just to not have the ball at the feet of their defenders, their first move forward resulted in a crazy goal. Cameron Norman threw the ball down the line to the returning Davison. With one man in the middle, he smashed it into the near post before Jack Bycroft could even move.

The strangeness of the goal had Swindon rocked in a way they hadn’t been for a number of weeks and the Birkenhead club seemed more adventurous. Davison quickly had another effort from outside the area which went over the bar before striking the side netting after a run down the side of the box.

For Swindon’s part, their game just didn’t seem to be coming off. A physical approach from Tranmere was providing them with plenty of set pieces but the delivery was not right or the contact on the headers was not what was required.

Holloway had spoken about how the night when Swindon had possessed 59 per cent of the ball at Colchester without having a shot on target and Nigel Adkins had set up to try and create something similar. The visitors asked the question of whether Swindon could break them down and the answer during the opening 45 minutes seemed to be ‘No’.

With the possession bar full of red, Swindon reverted to a back three to try and find space around Tranmere, whilst they were finding more space, they could not get the ball to stick in forward areas.

Town slowly started to figure out how to play against Tranmere’s low block but Luke McGee had not even come close to being tested as they met a white roadblock every time they reached the final third.

It took 45 minutes for Swindon to have a shot on target as Ryan Delaney’s low cross went into the gloves of McGee, which was quickly followed by George Cox flashing a shot just wide of the far post from the edge of the box.

Swindon shifted about again at the break as Danny Butterworth came on and it didn’t take long to see some results.

A corner from the right was headed back into the middle by Delaney and Harry Smith met it only for a cluster of white shirts to block it on the line.

Seconds later Butterworth picked up the ball and came inside, dropped the shoulder to go beyond a defender and fizzed a shot low which struck the outside of the post.

Tranmere had been able to slow Swindon down before in the 61st minute they handed them a leg up. Harry Smith dropped into receive the ball as Norman clipped his heels. Having already been booked in the first half, he was given his marching orders to give Town half an hour to get something.

Swindon set about working the ball from side to side to make the most of their man advantage and found the space but not their composure. Tom Nichols and Aaron Drinan got in each other’s way after one presentable opportunity had been created and the Mansfield Town loanee was also guilty of taking too many touches on the edge of the box on another occasion.

Holloway emptied all of his attacking toys out of the box in search of something and after 87 minutes it came as the ball dropped to Glatzel inside the box and he smashed the ball home against his old club.

One goal saved Swindon’s blushes but they even completed the turnaround when Tshimanga’s shot deflected into Smith to toe the ball home under pressure. Tshimanga had a goal of his own after a handball in the box gave Swindon a stoppage-time penalty and he made no mistake, for which Declan Drysdale also received a second booking.

Swindon have fast become a team of destiny from one that wilted at the sight of adversity. Their gallop away from trouble took another almighty step as they downed a relegation rival.

STFC starting XI: Bycroft, Sobowale, Delaney, Wright, Cotterill, Clarke, Smith, Kilkenny, Drinan, Westley, Cox.

STFC substitutes: Barden, Ofoborh, Glatzel, Cain, Nichols, Tshimanga, Butterworth.

TRFC starting XI: McGee, Norman, Davies, Turnbull, Davison, Finley, Jennings, Solomon, O’Connor, Wood, Drysdale.

TRFC substitutes: Bradshaw, Hawkes, Murphy, Dennis, Merrie, Saunders, Patrick.

Attendance: 6,180 (122 away).