By Tim Dudding, at Withdean

Albion's four-game unbeaten run came to an end on a frustrating afternoon at Withdean.

Gus Poyet's side came close to dispatching the playoff chasing Robins, especially in the first half, but it was Charlie Austin's 14th goal of the campaign midway through the second period that eventually separated the two sides.

Poyet kept faith with the 4-5-1 system that has proved so fruitful in recent weeks, and it was the lone striker, Glenn Murray, who was at the centre of Albion's best attacking play.

His chested control on the edge of the area allowed Andrew Crofts to shoot left-footed but the ball whizzed narrowly the wrong side of the post, while his header later in the first half from a brilliant Elliott Bennett cross was cleared off the line by Gordon Greer.

Soon after Murray appeared to be tripped by Greer as he turned sharply in the area, but referee Grant Hegeley was not convinced and Swindon survived a good shout for a penalty.

It seemed Albion's dominance would continue after the break when Bennett raced onto Gary Dicker's threaded pass, but the midfielder shot wildly over the bar.

But having failed to convert any of their chances, Albion's grip on the game began to soften and Swindon started to create at the other end - most notably when Austin capitalised on an error from Adam El-Abd, but could only place the ball past the far post.

Greer then forced a good save from Brezovan with a header that was creeping into the bottom corner.

Almost immediately afterwards, Bennett skipped into the Swindon area, but substitute Robins keeper Phil Smith was brave to smother at the winger's feet.

When Austin did eventually strike in the 69th minute, it only made Albion's near misses all the more difficult to swallow. Jon-Paul McGovern controlled Mark Marshall's cross before laying off to the former Poole Town forward, and he calmly stroked the ball past Brezovan and into the bottom corner.

Poyet restructured and threw Chris Holroyd and Nicky Forster into the mix, but Swindon's defence remained solid. Kazenga LuaLua shot straight at Smith in the dying stages, but Albion will now be hoping to start another unbeaten run when Brentford visit on Tuesday night.

Albion: (4-5-1) Brezovan; Calderon, El-Abd, Elphick, Painter (Forster 75); Bennett, Crofts, Navarro (Holroyd 71), Dicker, LuaLua; Murray. Subs not used: Walker (GK), McNulty, Carole, Hoyte, Hart.

Swindon: (4-4-2) Lucas (Smith 12); Cuthbert, Greer, Darby, Sheehan; McGovern, Douglas, Ferry, Ward (Easton 46); Austin, Pericard (Marshall 33). Subs not used: Timlin, Ritchie, Amankwaah, Jean-Francois.

Attendance: 6946 (434 Swindon).

Referee: Grant Hegley.