Planet Swans Archives1. Take one football 2. Keep it on the ground 3. Pass to your own players 4. Score a couple of goals 5. Take three points and add to tally 6. Repeat stages 1-5 several times a season
It sounds very basic but that is exactly what Swansea City did tonight – returned to the very basics as they took a deserved win over Crewe into the weekend fixture at (Former European Champions) Nottingham Forest
Make no mistake this was a huge improvement from the performance against Gillingham last weekend and if we can do this week in week out (or as near as dammit) then there will be little criticism and certainly little space between us and the top of the league. But lets not get carried away just yet and enjoy the moment.
As rumoured, Kenny Jackett dropped Willy Gueret to the bench – handing a competitive debut to Andy Oakes in goal with Darren Way in for a start as Tate returned to right back and Rory Fallon back up front in place of the injured Bayo.
Oakes
Tate Izzy Lawrence Williams
Britton Pratley Way Robbo
Rory Knight
Subs: Willy, MacDonald, Amankwaah, Jones, Tudur Jones
Swansea took the game to Crewe in the early stages with some nice passing and some even better movement off the ball. A couple of early half chances had already come our way before Fallon looked to have converted a Williams cross but the ball agonisingly rebounded back off the post and across the box before being cleared. Crewe in response were pretty much content with trying to hit us on the break and trying to use their pace up front to unsettle our defence.
Swansea though were the better side and as Pratley and the excellent Way started to control the midfield we looked more and more likely to score. And when the goal came it was the much maligned Fallon that grabbed it. A nice turn and shot from the edge of the area found the corner of the net and he celebrated in front of an East Stand who, in fairness, had welcomed him back into the starting line up. Maybe the phrase “as good as your last performance” was designed for moments like this.
One nil up and had we had a decent Britton cross two minutes later it could have been two but Knight’s frustrating first half was complete as the ball sailed into the North Stand.
Less than ten minutes later though Crewe were level. A through ball saw the Crewe man beat our defence for pace and as Oakes advanced to the edge of the area he clipped the attacker but a quick advantage from the referee allowed the second striker to take a shot which rebounded back off the post. Advantage over the referee exercised his right to award the penalty but thankfully from our point of view the only other punishment was a yellow card for Oakes. This was good refereeing with the advantage – something rarely seen at the Liberty Stadium (good reffing that is not the advantage!)
Roberts buried the penalty and Crewe were level – a score that was maintained to the interval. Could we repeat the dose second half? Oh yes we could – and with some interest as we controlled the second 45 minutes start to finish.
This was a 45 minutes where the already impressive Way stepped up another couple of gears and was joined on the top plane by Williams, Pratley, Fallon and even Knight raised his game. It was from Williams superb cross (one of many in the second half) that Fallon knocked down for Knight to stab home not long after the start of the second half and from then on the confidence grew.
We won balls that in recent games we have lost, we closed the opposition down. On rare occasions where the ball left the deck we won headers and the two full backs supported their man brilliantly although Tate will be first to admit his crossing nowhere near matched that of Williams on the left.
Fallon looked a completely different player then the one hammered a few weeks back – and evidence of what he can do with the right service. Knight combines well with him and created several chances off his own back and was unlucky to end with just one goal to his name. Robinson came more into it as the half progressed and for the second 45 minutes, Oakes found himself pretty much a spectator as the Swans pushed for, what proved to be, an elusive third goal
The final whistle bought celebration as this was a huge result, even at this early stage of the season, and whilst nobody can claim a corner has been turned, this was a massive step in the right direction.
Man of the match inside the stadium went to the impressive Tom Williams, my personal choice would have been the hugely impressive Darren Way.
Well done one and all.
