F
reestone
Gregson – Bound – Todd – De Vulgt
Fabiano – Cusack – Phillips – Morgan
Watkin – Verschave
Subs: Mounty, Mumford, Mutton and M.Thomas (all the M’s)
Overall a disappointing game with not much football on view. Not easy for the neutral to tell which were the Football League team and which were the League of Wales team.
A nasty injury to one of the CQ defenders after 10 minutes, led to him being stretchered off. A tackle by Gareth Phillips which did not even merit a free kick.
Two minutes later, CQ were denied the lead after De Vulgt lost his man on the right wing and his cross picked out a forward who beat Freestone but his shot cannoned back into play from the inside of his far post.
Swansea did have their opportunities but a mixture of good defending and the keeper spreading himself well, prevented Swansea from opening their account. Fabiano started in left midfield but quickly changed to his preferred position on the right. His speed on and off the ball was good, but time and again his fianl pass lacked accuracy.
Verschave playing up front with Steve Watkin looked very fast and was always looking for the ball long to outrsprint his marker for.
HT 0-0
Second half was a carbon copy of the first with Cusack getting into more and more forward positions without any end result. Bari Morgan forced two good saves out of their keeper before being replaced by Martin Thomas.
Andrew Mumford also came on for Lyndon Gregson and Mutton (like Phillips back from his loan spell at Merthyr) replaced the dispapointing Steve Watkin.
The one that caught my eye tonight was Paul Futcher playing central midfield for CQ. He was up and down the middle with an economical pace and his tackling and distribution were excellent.
With the 4 minutes of added time running out, a cross from Mutton on the right, saw Verschave swivel, and shoot low in to the net off the inside of the post.
A word on the 2 debutants (sorry no accents on my keyboard): Both looked fast and quite good in the skill dept – but in all honesty (on this first showing on a cold Llanelli night) looked no better nor worse that the reserves we already have. I’d be surprised to see more than one make the bench for Sunday’s game v Millwall.
Let me stress that I would never judge them on this one performance – as that would Aizlewoodesque – but I know there are people waiting to hear what they were like and so my comments are to be taken with that proviso.
Swansea will now receive a home draw in the semi-final stages unless they are heavily beaten in their final group match at home to TNS.