Swansea 2 Lincoln 2

With both Brad Maylett and Kieron Durkan injured, Brian Flynn opted to line his side up as follows

Freestone

Duffy O’Leary Iriekpen Howard

Britton Johnrose Wilson Robinson

Nugent Trundle

The biggest cheer pre-match was for Roger Freestone for his 600th league appearance which seems a bit strange when it was only his 597th but these things don’t matter. Within fifteen minutes though there was no cause for celebration as Roger found himself picking the ball out of the back of the net twice.

The first came when he miscued a goal kick straight to a Lincoln player who in turn miscued it to Michael Howard giving the defender ample time to clear the ball out of play. However, Howard clearly hadn’t learned the lessons of Hull on the last day of last season as he opted to play with the ball and when he mis-controlled it a further comedy of errors occured in the box leaving it to Butcher to put the visitors ahead and put the Swans behind for the first time this season at the Vetch.

Within five minutes it was 2-0 as Lincoln were awarded a penalty for a handball against Duffy and the spot kick was calmly put away by Mayo. Swansea were shellshocked and after the previous home results it was looking as if this would be a second consecutive defeat for the former leaders.

Robinson though wasted little time in pulling one goal back for the Swans when he picked up the ball after a Trundle step over and drilled it hard and low into the bottom corner of the net. The goals were continuing to flow.

Lincoln were well organised and dangerous looking on the break whilst Swansea’s defence, hampered somewhat by a bright sun, did their best to assist the visitors attacks and looked disjointed. A clearance from O’Leary on the line after Roger seemed to lose the ball in the sun summed up the first half and Lincoln went in 2-1 ahead and despite the goals being gifted to them probably deserved that scoreline.

Keith Alexander, the Lincoln manager, was verbal about the refereeing decisions which in truth were poor at times but in true Arsene Wenger style he believed they were only poor when they went against his side. Brian Flynn on the other hand was accepting the decisions at times with a wry grin and less verbals to the linesman and fourth official.

Swansea pushed harder in the second half although Lincoln always seemed to have an extra man or two as they closed the midfield down quickly and gave Trundle and Nugent up front little change. Niggling fouls were coming into the game and the yellow card started to see some action as Lincoln became more physical in their attempts to hold their lead.

Paul Mayo was a victim of this flurry of cards when he picked up two in the space of two minutes and was sent off – both bookings in my opinion deserved – the first one for persistent fouling was a correct decision. The melee following the card also seemed to bring a yellow for Lee Trundle although this does not seem to show in the match stats anywhere?

Five minutes later it was that man Trundle who grabbed the goal which brought the game back to 2-2. Firing across the goal the ball was deflected into the net by a Lincoln defender but was credited to Trundle although I wonder whether it would have gone in were it not for the deflection but at the end of it all what does it matter?

From then on it was Swansea pushing for the winner as Lincoln resorted to long clearances looking for their attackers. Jenkins and Nugent both had chances as did Robinson but today it was not to be and as the final whistle blew the Swans looked disappointed with just a point but from 2 goals down you have to take it.

Mysteriously the sponsors gave their man of the match to Trundle who in truth had a quiet afternoon and the decision for that seemed to be based on one goal. My personal choice would be Robinson with Britton and (wait for it!) Kris O’Leary running them close. As usual with O’leary he comes in for criticism but on two or three occasions this afternoon he saved us and had it been Izzy or Smudger he would have taken more plaudits.

Not the result that the near 8,000 crowd wanted this afternoon but a point won rather than two points lost and still in the promotion places. Thoughts on the opposition – well organised and chase the ball but will not be in the shake up come the end of the season as they seem to lack real goalscoring power – strange statement considering they breached us twice but both could have been avoided.