Planet Swans ArchivesThis was a marked improvement on Saturday’s performance and a victory that the Swans deserved. The passing was better, the movement equally so and it was a step back towards the good football of the early weeks of the season. Ironically it was a night when the result was probably more important than the performance but it was an enjoyable game to watch with an atmosphere lifted from the weekend – helped by the presence of 523 Swindon fans who backed their team well.
The post match huddle was a new introduction – maybe picked up from Leeds – and showed I thought a statement of unity within the camp from a side who maybe felt they had something to prove after the criticism of the weekend. Either way it can bode well for the future with a trip to Leyton Orient at the weekend where victory could see us move to within touching distance of the top of the table.
Darryl Duffy was a surprise return from injury for the game and he took his place in the attack alongside Jason Scotland with Warren Feeney dropping to the bench. Also back for a start was Paul Anderson in place of Andrea Orlandi whilst the name of Marcos Painter was greeted with the warmest applause after his comments about the criticism he received personally during Saturday’s game.
Doris
Rangel Monk Lawrence Painter
Anderson Bodde Pratley Butler
Scotland Duffy
The good thing about the Swans in the first half in particular I felt was their willingness to chase the ball down. There was none of the losing the ball and accepting it was lost on display during the early exchanges with both Bodde and Pratley working hard to get the ball back when possession was lost and Butler and Anderson always seemed willing outlets on the flanks. Duffy up front with Scotland though was not always yielding what we wanted but in fairness to Duffy he didn’t look fully fit and maybe it would have been better keeping him back for Saturday considering he only returned to training yesterday.
That aside thought, the Swans were good value for their lead when it came after twenty minutes. Butler won a looser clearance from Swindon and fed Scotland on the left and his low cross was just missed by Duffy but behind him closing in was Anderson who took one touch and hammered the ball home to lift the Liberty and probably take some of the pressure off the home side.
It’s tough when you sit down to write some match reports and you can’t remember much clear goalmouth action but, unlike Saturday, I was enjoying the game. The midfield battle was just being shaded by Swansea whilst at the back Garry Monk was again showing his leadership credentials with an eventual man of the match display.
At half time and one goal to the good the Swans had a great chance to build on their lead and the decision to bring on Feeney for Duffy was probably the right one. Feeney added a little more to the attack and the Swans went in search of the second goal that would probably kill Swindon off. Ferrie Bodde was guilty on more than one occasion of giving possession away cheaply but to his credit he nearly always won the ball back as the game became stretched and the Swans looked to capitalise on the space that was being created.
We had come close on more than one occasion when Swindon found themselves back in the game and soon enough that showed on the scoresheet. The ball found its way to Christian Roberts who worked his way into the area and struck a low hard shot past De Vries and into the net to give Swindon an equaliser. Roberts had been playing a ‘banter’ match with sections of the East Stand which had raised the atmosphere a notch – his goal raised it a further notch or two again which in turn spurred the Swans on.
Some good football was now being played and the game was hugely enjoyable. Thankfully, with the fans behind the team, the second – and decisive – goal was not long in coming. Butler and Scotland combined again and it was Butler’s cross on this occasion that landed on the head of Feeney who couldn’t miss and the Swans were back ahead – a lead they were not to lose. Feeney’s first goal since January and his first for the Swans was a perfect tonic for the majority of the 10,000 crowd. By this time Orlandi had replaced Anderson and Joe Allen was an almost immediate replacement for Jason Scotland as the Swans worked down the clock with some ease to give themselves a deserved victory.
Credit tonight for their performances would go to Monk, Pratley and Anderson although there were some very solid performances alongside that trio which set us up for the win.
And hopefully this will be the springboard for more to come.
Much better.
