Brentford

When you have played 15 minutes, your goalkeeper has been sent off, you've gone 1-0 down from the resulting penalty and you've been struggling to win games for 4 months, you feel the worse.

I did tonight but I am glad to say that I was proved very wrong.

An unchanged starting side from Sunday (bar De Vulgt in for Jenkins) started well and Kris O'Leary forced a good save from their keeper and from the resulting corner Smudger picked up a knock that saw him limping as he ran back.

Then came the sending off incident where their man broke unchallenged into the box and was tapped down by Rog. No doubt about the decision from there - penalty and a red card - the first of his career.

Carl Mounty came on for Keegan and was helpless on the penalty. 0-1

Soon after Bound replaced Smith after he was felled by an X rated tackle which aggravated the earlier knock and the rest of the first half passed with a chance each which kept the score at 0-1.

The feeling at half time was one of despondency as we realised that Rog would pick up a likely 3 match ban and no news on Smith.

No changes at half time but what was to follow was one of the most entertaining 45 minutes at the Vetch for many a season.

First off was the Lacey goal. The ball was played into the area where Verschave won it well in the air and as it fell at Savarese's feet you felt goal - the keeper saved from point blank range but following up well was Damien Lacey who struck it into the empty net. 1-1.

Before the mobile phone users could report this to those at home (or in my case while they were still on the phone) Brentford again broke clear and the ball was smashed under the advancing Mounty 1-2.

Following this was possibly the best 15 minute spell we have played this season.

We played football - passing and moving style - and we were good. Very very good. Price's equaliser was top drawer.

A shot had come back to him and ignorning all shouts to 'hit it' he killed the ball and pulled it left taking the two defenders out of the game and curling a perfected shot into the far corner 2-2.

This gave Price confidence, something he has been lacking and as he put his head down a few minutes later he looked up (thats right he looked up) and spotted the run of Verschave. The ball across was near perfection and one inch further back would have been spot on for 3-2, but sadly it was not to be.

Romo then had a free kick which was tipped over the bar from the keeper and we also had a good break on the left which resulted in a cross come shot rolling agonisingly wide.

The 2000 Swans fans were sensing that we were playing well and rose to the occasion to try and lift them.

Sadly, this 15 minutes seemed to take it out of us and Brentford came back at us again and had a couple of free kicks from the edge of the box blocked well by the wall.

Savarese though did have a chance when fed by Verschave for a clear run on goal. His first touch was poor allowing the keeper to smother the ball and again you felt the luck was out on the night.

With 3 minutes left they gained a corner which resulted in a sloppy goal from point blank range.

The 4 minutes of injury time saw us unable to create anything and the 2-3 result was not, in reality, what we deserved.

The NB realised that second half we showed what we can be capable of and the applause rang loud around the ground for the performance.

A Man of the Match is hard to judge although I would single out Jason Price for his second half performance after the stick he has had recently.

We now have to build on this second half showing on Saturday as we do not want to hear more of the 'on this form we'll be OK' as it doesn't work that way unless we win.

I have no doubt that had this game been this time last year - the same performance would have given us a win.

Minus Points - the upcoming ban for Roger and we can hope that Smith's injury is not a bad one.