Planet Swans ArchivesThe phrase ‘A Game of Two Halves’ was surely made for a game like this as the Swans put behind them a pretty dire first 45 minutes to rip Notts County apart for the second period and run out deserved 4-0 winners with the truth behind it being it could very easily have been so many more.
Few that witnessed this game will have predicted the second half display when they think back to a first half that was only lightened by hitting the bar inside the first 60 seconds and Lee Trundle’s superbly placed free kick one minute before the break.
After the disappointments of three of the four previous league encounters it was vital that the Swans got this win against one of the league’s bottom clubs and on the evidence that we saw today it is easy to understand their league position.
Alan Tate moved up into midfield to fill the gap left by injury to Kris O’Leary with Izzy Iriekpen replacing Garry Monk who sat out the first of his four game suspension.
Gueret
Gurney Iriekpen Austin Ricketts
Forbes Martinez Tate Goodfellow
Connor Trundle
Subs: Murphy, Anderson, Jones, Pritchard, Nugent
The first half promised much when Goodfellow’s first minute free kick was met with a downward header from Connor (?) which bounced up and struck the bar with shouts for handball twice while it came back down but that was in truth as good as it got. The Swans defended too deep, gave too much possession away with sloppy passes and lacked creativity for much of the 45 minutes that remained as the poor league form of late looked set to continue. Luckily for us, Notts County were just as bad and could not capitalise on a couple of good chances of their own as the first half drew to a conclusion that had goalless written all over it.
But that soon changes when you have someone like Lee Trundle in your side. Swansea fans will often be frustrated by their front man but know that he can turn the game on a piece of brilliance and that brilliance came as the Swans were awarded a free kick on the right hand corner of the penalty area.
It was set for a left footer and it could only be Trundle and as the wall split down the middle Trundle found the gap with perfection and the ball hit the back of the net before the keeper hit the floor. Swansea were 1 up, probably undeserved at this point but frankly no-one cares when you score a minute before the interval.
It wasn’t the end of the first half action as Alan Tate lunged in late for a tackle with studs showing but thankfully for the Swans the punishment was just a yellow card, would there have been many surprised reactions had the colour been red? The referee had set his own precedent by letting a couple of Notts County bookable offences go unpunished earlier in the half – had he booked them then Tate very probably would have walked. He didn’t and the rest as they say is now history.
1-0 at half time immediately produced the thoughts of would we defend too deep or would we look for more goals but there was no doubt that Kenny Jackett sent his side out looking for the latter as the Swans were a completely different side in the second half.
It wasn’t all plain sailing but there was only one team that looked like they were going to be winners as they found space, width and the ability to pass to their own man for 45 minutes. County were reduced to long shots at goal and on two occasions the referee decided that their shooting was so bad that shots must have taken a deflection when the reality was their shooting was indeed that bad!
Trundle saw another free kick curl wide of the post before he doubled the Swans advantage with a trademark Trundle goal 20 minutes from time. Turning to his right inside the area he placed the ball into the near instead of the far corner and Swansea had daylight between themselves and the opposition and didn’t they make the most of that daylight.
Connor was soon in on the act with the third – a header at the far post and Swansea looked as if they could score at will at this point. Shots rained in on the county goal at all angles – especially so from Trundle who sniffed a hat-trick as the rain poured down on the Vetch Field.
Forbes and Goodfellow were also shooting at will and Gurney had a forty yard free kick blocked by an unfortunate defender before Connor saw what he thought was his second of the afternoon ruled out by an offside flag after the keeper could only parry a Forbes shot.
Trundle hit the bar from a free kick as County realised that they really had no answer to this onslaught before Trundle was given the chance to complete his hat-trick in the last minute.
The ever impressive Sam Ricketts set off on another run down the left before cutting into the penalty area and as he looked to pass across goal he was unceremoniously upended in the penalty area and there was only one outcome – penalty to the Swans.
No-one was going to take the ball off the man of the moment and he stepped up to complete his hat-trick and the scoreline read Swansea 4 Notts County 0 – it really was that comprehensive.
There was still time for Swansea to break again and as Notts gratefully cleared for the corner it was too much for the visiting keeper who picked a fight with his own defender no doubt exasperated by the ease at which the Swans had cut through his defence during the second half.
Looking back on the day you would say that the Swans of the first half will struggle to get promoted – the Swans of the second half will be up before Easter. The question that remains unanswered is which one is the real Swansea City?
Man of the Match has to go to Trundle – a hat-trick will always get the plaudits but in the second half could you pick out someone that played badly?
Roll on Kidderminster……
