Boos rang out at full time as Swindon Town and Harrogate failed to give any reasons for excitement during a dull 0-0.

Both teams seemed paralysed by inaction during the first half with very little action at both ends prior to one guilt-edge chance for Swindon in stoppage time.

The second period served up even less excitement as neither team were prepared to move their chess pieces an inch in the stalemate.

This is the sixth time since 1958 that Town have taken less than nine points from their first ten matches of a season, and the three campaigns since the 1960s have all ended in relegation with Swindon sitting 21st in the current League Two table.

Mark Kennedy made just one change from the draw at Tranmere Rovers as Joel McGregor made his expected first start of the season, with Jeff King not fit enough to feature. Rosaire Longelo made a return from an injury of his own to be included for the first time since Crewe Alexandra.

With the potential historical significance of the game presumably not ringing in their ears, the Swindon players emerged in front of the atmosphere of the coliseum, as it is today. Total silence. When I sat and spoke with new signings this summer and they talked of their excitement of playing in front of the Swindon crowd, this is probably not what they had in mind.

The early exchanges saw the home side establish control of the ball and pass this way and that but the fans just sat there. Not supporting nor chastising, just sitting.

Having conceded five on Tuesday, Harrogate were not about to do the same again and set up with an attacking quartet tasked with blocking all passing lanes in front of the Swindon centre-backs. They congested the pitch, obstructed the routes to the fullbacks and watched as long balls went over everyone’s heads and through to James Belshaw.

To be fair to the crowd, there was very little to get their teeth into as Swindon pondered this way and that before hoofing into touch and Harrogate somehow offering even less incision. The speed that would be needed to get the fans off their seats was simply not in the game, it would not even have got tortoise racing fans excited.

The excruciating boredom was finally lifted in the 27th minute when a slick move down the left let George Cox play a first-time cross into Kabongo Tshimanga which was blocked. As play was recycled, Joel Cotterill tried his luck from range which drew a nice save from James Belshaw. You wait half an hour for a shot and two come along at once.

When there were chances to speak of, they were falling Swindon’s way, and in the 38th minute, a long throw by Will Wright was headed as far as the edge of the penalty area. As the ball dropped out of the sky, McGregor lined up a wonderful full volley that was flying towards the top corner before it struck first-half substitute Paul Glatzel who was caught unawares.

The Sulphurites had a chance of their own before the break as Matthew Foulds clipped a cross in for Jack Muldoon at the near post but he diverted the ball just wide of the near post.

In first-half stoppage time arrived a colossal opportunity as Cox’s corner was met by Wright at the far post. Unmarked he headed back across the line and it fell to the feet of Miguel Freckleton but he seemed frozen and couldn’t bundle it in before a defender got back to clear.

Swindon have frequently been a team this season that can make a fast start after half time but this was not one of those days as the incessantly plodding continued into the second 45.

A rare moment of quality saw Cox take a headed touch to get beyond Toby Sims. He got to the by-line and tried a cutback but the defender arrived on the spot just before Glatzel and won a free kick for his troubles.

If anything, the second half had even less excitement than the first. Mark Kennedy attempted to shake things up around the hour mark as Sean McGurk, Nnamdi Ofoborh, and Harrison Minturn were introduced but nothing could alter the course of proceedings.

With 15 minutes remaining, Glatzel made a smart run from right to left in behind Harrogate and was found but the defender was just able to recover and block his shot over the crossbar.

The fans responded to a late change which saw Longelo replace Tunmise Sobowale with “You don’t know what you’re doing” directed towards Kennedy. In a game in which the home crowd had not gotten loud or excited about anything, it felt like a clear message.

STFC starting XI: Barden, Sobowale, Wright, Cotterill, Kilkenny, Freckleton, Tshimanga, Butterworth, Drinan, Cox, McGregor.

STFC substitutes: Bycroft, Ofoborh, Glatzel, McGurk, Longelo, Cain, Minturn.

HTFC starting XI: Belshaw, Foulds, Moon, Cornelius, Duke-McKenna, Daly, Sims, O’Connor, Muldoon, Taylor, Dooley.

HTFC substitutes: Oxley, Asare, Falkingham, Burrell, Folarin, March, Robinson.

Attendance: 6,633 (77 away).