Planet Swans ArchivesIt’s taken six games to win but that is exactly what the Swans managed at the Vetch this afternoon – and a vital win at that as second placed Scunthorpe were beaten thanks to a brace from Lee Trundle.
Wit an early kick off because of the rugby international being played at 4, Kenny Jackett was on hand to make the changes in his side as he looked to return his side to form in a game that they simply probably had to win.
Into the starting line up came both Kris O’Leary and Lee Thorpe whilst there was no place in the matchday squad at all for captain Roberto Martinez nor the dropped Andy Robinson. Back from suspension was Garry Monk and he emerged with the captain’s armband in the absence of both Martinez and Gurney – the latter of whom had dropped to the bench.
Gueret
Ricketts Iriekpen Monk Austin
Forbes O’Leary Bean McLeod
Trundle Thorpe
Subs: Murphy, Tate, Britton, Gurney, Connor
It was a nervous start from both sides as play was centred much around the halfway line as both us and Scunthorpe seemed content to not make any errors and hand the initiative to the opposition.
From the Swans point of view the return to midfield of Kris O’Leary was a welcome addition to the side as they seemed to win more balls in midfield. However, we did still sit too deep making me wonder if a combination of Bean and O’Leary will work but it certainly was unsettling Scunthorpe and stopping them coming at us quite so easily.
The first change of the day was in officials when the linesman left the pitch with a hamstring injury and was replaced by a man who was to prove to become very unpopular as the match wore on.
Neither side was stamping any authority on the game when the Swans took the lead. No great surprise in the scorer but more as to where the goal came from. It was a second attempt at a corner from Kevin McLeod that was floated into the middle of the park and there was Trundle – Swansea’s leading scorer to head home a goal – Swansea’s first from a corner in an eternity (rumours that it was 1974 prove so far to be unfounded)
The Swans were ahead and for the next five minutes or so threatened to get another as Scunthorpe were penned back in their own half although in fairness to them there was no clear cut chances during this period,
With the Swans now on top, it was somewhat predictable that we should concede an equaliser. And once again the defence fell from not being able to defend a set piece properly.
The free kick was lofted into the area and with Swansea unable to get any real touch on the ball it eventually fell to Butler who hammered home from close range and give the visitors the equaliser.
Trundle fired a free kick well over the bar soon after and after a lengthy stoppage time which saw Forbes receive long treatment the two sides went in at 1-1 with the game there for one of them to take.
Swansea were forced into a defensive change at half time as Austin left the field – presumably injured – and Gurney came on to slot in at right back with Ricketts moving to the opposite flank.
And swapping flanks was the order of the day as Forbes and McLeod swapped with increasing regularity to try and unsettle the Scunthorpe defence. Scunthorpe were playing a close game with offside and many of them were hotly disputed by the centre stand crowd behind the linesmen.
It was from one of these offside ploys that Swansea got what to prove was the winner. Trundle sent Thorpe clear and with his first touch he took the ball over the keeper and was set to score. As he waited for the ball to come down so he could stroke it home, he was bundled over by the chasing defender, Angus and the referee wasted no time in pointing to the penalty spot.
Once that decision had been made then the follow up was inevitable as the red card was shown to Angus who disputed the call, clearly believing that he had not fouled Thorpe. He was to get little sympathy and as Scunthorpe continued their protests, Kell was on the end of a yellow card himself.
All through this, Trundle was waiting ball on spot and there was no disappointment with the penalty as he sent the keeper the wrong way and the Swans were ahead again.
And this was a lead that they weren’t to lose as they fashioned the best of the remaining half hour of the game. More close calls offsides followed (many nowhere near offside) and McLeod had one disallowed for the same. Bean and O’Leary were tireless in the middle of the park – maybe in contradiction to my earlier comment it can work? – whilst Forbes and McLeod were always willing outlets for budding Swansea attacks.
At the back, the defence was becoming more composed with Monk at the heart of the action and there were no catastrophic moments from Izzy who played one of his better games in a Swansea shirt.
Trundle was full of running maybe sensing a hat-trick and a couple of wrong decisions again could have cost us dear but today was to be our day as we moved level with our visitors on points.
The performance was an improvement on recent weeks with the Swans more hungry to win the game – co-incidental that the must maligned Kris O’Leary was back? You judge for yourself, my view is quite simply, we have missed him. And for that reason alone he would get my nod as man of the match although there were many decent performances today including Thorpe who maybe not combining as well with Trundle as Connor does, definitely won more in the air.
Are the Swans back? Time will tell but we needed this one and it should give us a lift for the challenges to come.
