The Swansea City striker collected a Mark Gower pass turned, created space, and despatched a low shot past Mark Shwarzer into the bottom of the net to cancel out one of the unluckiest goals the Swans will concede this season.
And it was the least that the Swans deserved after a scintilating display that will earn many plaudits – not least from all of those working on ITV who were gushing praise on the Swans after a display at a level that we watch week in week out.
I get almost fed up of saying it but these times are so special and we must enjoy them. The football we play is outstanding, the technical ability of the players is top class and we have a knack of making teams look ordinary. And don’t forget today’s opponents are a Top 10 Premier League side.
And had it not been for a rare Dorus flap at a corner that allowed the ball to rebound off Garry Monk for the opening goal the Swans would be the first name into the last 8 draw rather than an either or as we will be come 6.30pm tomorrow.
But who is to say that we cannot go to Fulham and win the game – after all we know after today that we certainly don’t have to be in awe of the Premier League team and can more than match our own.
An almost familiar line up for the Swans saw a team of
Dorus
Rangel Monk Williams Tate
Dyer Britton Gomez Allen Gower
Scotland
You start to wonder if Mark Gower is destined ever to score for the Swans and before the game was half hour old he had spurned two very good chances – denied first by the inside of the post and second by Shwarzer.
The first chance was – as you would expect – superbly created as Gower passed inside to Scotland who held the ball up and played a perfect pass into the path of Gower who beat the Fulham keeper but had to watch on in agony as the ball came back off the inside of the post and he was unable to connect with the rebound.
If that was a good chance, the second was even better. A thirteen pass movement from side to side left Rangel to look up and play in a perfect cross to the back post for Gower who met the ball but not with 100% perfection and it was pushed away for a corner to the frustration of the winger.
Swansea were in total control with Britton, Allen and Gomez controlling the middle of the park and Fulham really creating nothing of note. Indeed they went in at half time one goal up but only thanks to an amazing stroke of luck. Dorus flapped at a corner and the ball deflected off Garry Monk – totally unaware – to give the visitors a very undeserved lead.
Roberto’s half time comment was one of praise for his team and the second half started in a similair vein with Gower denied by another good save before Scotland struck with a piece of individual brilliance.
That spurred Swansea into some more fantastic football. Passes were made from left to right from forward to back and everybody was in top form as Fulham at times seemed to be purely chasing shadows. Another goal would have been what the Swans would deserved and it was a mixture of bad luck and desperate defending that stopped it happening.
The FA Cup dream for this season very much though continues to live on and after today’s display then many more will be joining the queue of people who praise one of the best footballing sides I have ever seen. And when an ITV pundit compares it to some of the football that Spain play you just know everything is good.
A very proud day to be a Swansea fan and certainly don’t write us off as yet.
