Planet Swans ArchivesNo flyer likes any turbulence, but no flyer minds as long is it is followed by a smooth landing.So Swansea City can testify after their plane ride to Darlington proved worthwhile in the end.
The warning lights were flashing in Kenny Jackett’s face at a little after 3.01pm on Saturday, when Darlo exposed some shambolic defending to take an early lead.
But thanks in part to a couple of brave substitutions, Swansea eventually overcame their League Two hosts to secure the passage to the FA Cup third round.
“The start was comic really,” Andy Robinson confessed. “But we came back into the game well and that’s five games unbeaten now.
“We’re well-placed in the league and we’re getting a little cup run going, so we’re well pleased.”
When they last took to the skies for an away fixture eight months ago, Swansea lost at Blackpool on a desperate Easter weekend which put paid to their hopes of automatic promotion.
Things looked to be going the same way when Robinson slipped over and poked a pass towards Dennis Lawrence.
The Trinidad & Tobago international scuffed his attempted clearance straight at Simon Johnson, who beat Kevin Austin to the ricochet and teed up Martin Smith to put the home side in front.
After six wins in his first six matches as Darlington manager, former Vetch Field skipper Dave Penney must have been dreaming of a plum tie in the next round.
But Jackett, who has not had much joy in the FA Cup with Swansea, had other ideas.
In what goes down as an admission that he got his selection wrong – and as a very bold move – the Swansea manager withdrew the unfortunate Tom Butler for Bayo Akinfenwa, switching from 4-5-1 to 4-4-2 in the process.
The reason? The 96.6TFM Arena’s heavy turf.
“I didn’t think the pitch was receptive to 4-5-1,” Jackett explained. “Trying to pass the ball through the middle on the floor and using the spare man in midfield is all right on a great pitch, but that wasn’t a pitch to do it on.
“We conceded the goal, but I didn’t think it looked right anyway and I pretty much knew almost as soon as the game started. We had to get a centre-forward on.”
In fairness to Jackett, he would have fielded two strikers from the off but for sickness in the team hotel.
Akinfenwa had flu and Rory Fallon had a stomach bug, so Lee Trundle began the contest up front all alone.
“I didn’t know what either of them would give me because neither was 100 per cent,” Jackett went on. “Basically, Bayo was the less ill of the two so we sent him on.”
It proved a shrewd move.
Within two minutes of the change, Swansea were level. Akinfenwa was not directly involved as Trundle collected Willy Gueret’s long-throw down the right flank.
But the big man’s presence in the penalty box occupied Darlington’s retreating defence, allowing Leon Britton time and space at the far post to bring down Trundle’s centre before stroking home his fourth goal of the season.
It was a finish that oozed class, and it was Swansea’s greater quality in front of goal which would ultimately tell.
With Jackett’s rearguard much less assured, Darlo pressed hard to regain their advantage before the break.
Gueret made good saves from Alun Armstrong and Michael Cummins. Armstrong aimed a header too high, Neil Wainwright lashed a shot just the wrong side of the upright and Cummins hooked a 20-yard volley onto the bar.
When debutant Sylvain Meslien – the left-back got a surprise start after Marcos Painter and Izzy Iriekpen were left at home injured – was booked for a forceful slide into Wainwright, Jackett made his second tactical switch of the first half.
The dropped Kevin Amankwaah trotted on at right-back with Alan Tate switching to the centre of defence and Austin taking over from Meslien on the left.
“Sylvain had been booked once and he is a very aggressive player,” Jackett said. “I could see it going one way and me being down to 10 men, so I made the change.
“I still think Sylvain can offer us something – he has good heading ability, a nice left foot and terrific athleticism. But he was probably over-aggressive and perhaps coming into a game like this when he had never played in English football was a tough call for him.”
So, another selection error then. But it all came together after that. Tate, who like Britton has joined Andy Robinson and Lee Trundle as treasured relics of the squad Jackett inherited, transformed Swansea’s hitherto shaky defence after moving across from the flank.
Darlo’s threat in the second half was minimal – Swansea were now the side exposing frailties in Penney’s defence.
Craig James’s ill-advised back-header saw Trundle pounce after the restart. The Scouser was preparing to shoot when he stepped inside Patrick Collins’s challenge, but Darren Pratley, arrived like a locomotive and took the ball off his colleague’s toes.
Swansea’s captain fired a low 20-yard shot which Sam Russell could only parry and Robinson did the rest, sweeping the rebound around the prone goalkeeper and into the net.
“I’m delighted to score again,” said Robinson, who netted 19 goals last season but was celebrating for only the third time this term this weekend.
“I felt after that I could score a few more and I came close on a couple of occasions. It didn’t quite happen but hopefully I can kick on from here.”
The midfielder hit the outside of the post with a late free-kick, but no matter. Another Swan who has suffered an uncharacteristic goal drought had wrapped up victory.
Fed by Robinson on the left of the box, Akinfenwa poked the ball home via the far upright before taking a bow in front of 300 travelling fans.
“Just like Robinson, you could see Bayo’s confidence lift after that,” reckoned Jackett. “Hopefully they can both go on from here.”
And with that Swansea had negotiated a second tricky away tie in the competition with relative ease.
Thankfully there were no coins thrown this time around – just an £800 bill heading for the away dressing room after Jackett’s squad agreed to pay for their flight north. If Swansea really fancy themselves as a Championship club in waiting, they should probably be paying for their players’ plane tickets.
Still, at least their bonuses for reaching round three should comfortably cover the cost this time.
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