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Match report |
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Oxford United 3 v 1 Swansea City | |
Swansea
Oxford
Referee
Attendance
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Video clips
Lister view - Clive, David & Gareth Hughes
This being the last report of the season, we hoped at least that
it would be upbeat. So lets get the interesting bits out of the
way first. The weather was much like our season, before the game
bright warm sunshine, which turned gloomy very early on with a
period of drizzle turning back to hazy sunshine but ending back
in the gloom.
OK here goes. A typical end of season game with only flashes of
commitment shown by either team. In honesty Oxford just deserved
the points from the game that showed why the two teams occupy the
bottom two places. The Swans again had a very youthful look to it
with only Rog Bound & Savarese the elder statesmen. What the
actual formation was who knows, as players tended to turn up all
over the place. Apart from the goal by Price and another effort
soon after by Savarese and a one on one by Roberts, there was not
much to lift the hearts of the 250 visiting fans. For Oxford
Omoyimni caused some problems with his speed, but apart from the
goals, which were again down to defenders backing off there was no
other real problems. 1-1 at half time.
4 bookings for the Swans Roberts for going down in the box, Price
for a tackle, Phillips again for a tackle which looked as if he
had won the ball after seconds earlier being sandwiched in a
tackle, and Cusack for mouthing off to the ref in the dying
minutes.
With Jones already given a free transfer and the rumors of others
following, the team today, less Savarese & most likely Roberts,
could be the team that we will be left with to start next season.
On todays showing that is a very depressing situation as any team
needs a blend of youth and experience, we will be heavily biased
towards youth. Yet again there were strange substitutions with
Fabiano & Cusack replacing Price & Phillips and late on Howard
replaced Coates. In a game we were chasing we replaced like for
like and with the comments from Hollins that he wanted to give
youth a chance why did bring on Cusack and Howard who he MUST
already know what they can do & Fabiano who will return to France
at the end of his loan spell.
A few comments away from the pitch Rog applauded the fans at the
end but with a few choice words being shouted at the team turned
away, lets hope he will understand it was not aimed at him. Stu
Roberts was the last to leave the pitch and ran from the half way
line to throw his shirt to the few that were left. Was this a sign
of a true Jack resigned to not being with us next season.
One last comment and to us a very sad and sorry incident. 5mins
into the game a large banner with Hollins Out – Swansea till I die
was displayed on the perimeter fence in front of the stand. There
followed a 2 to 3 minutes of shouts and chants from about 20 on
the terrace behind the goal to get it down until someone ran
through the stewards into the stand and tore it down. After about
20 minutes the same group of 20 left the ground. Whether you agree
or disagree with the sentiments on the banner, we are JACKS
together and everyone should be allowed their views. We believe a
change is required, but if others want to think otherwise so be
it. Both views should be allowed to be voiced without reactions
like this. The fans are split, there seems to be a split between
the players and enough has been said about the set up at the
Vetch.
I have followed the Swans for nearly 40 years and my sons for 15 &
10. I have seen the bad times including being at Rochdale when we
lost and needed re-election into the league. This is the worst I
can remember in looking forward to the next season.
Sorry that the game is not described in detail but there were very
few highlights. One positive it only took an hour to get home.
This all sounds depressing, but like most diehards we will still
be there next season, unless of course there is a medical cure.
PS We are still CHAMPIONS of the third for another week.
The script for this one could have been written before kick-off, as it followed the basic formula which has dogged our away performances in this wretched season. Flickers of promise in the early minutes, followed by a goal conceded in the tenth, plenty of pressure in the first half, faded away in the second. Seen it all before...too many times this campaign. And despite the fact that this was a meaningless fixture, it would still have been a tonic to have come away with a decent result, if only to give us a boost for next year. But it was not to be, as we surrendered in the second half to a mediocre Oxford side, that was itself reliant on the skills of two or three key players.
It was a partly experimental Swans team. Jenkins came in at right back allowing Price to start on right midfield. Devulgt slotted in a left back, with Howard relegated to the bench; whilst Todd and Bound were the centre half pairing. Coates started at left mifield with Phillips and Mumford the youthful pairing in the middle of the park. Roberts and Savarese were up front, with Freestone in goal.
Roberts' tireless enthusiasm was evident from the first whistle, as he forged the first chance of the game in the opening minute, wriggling free of his marker and firing in a shot, which was well saved. And in these early minutes, plently of agression from Phillips and Mumford gave us the edge, as Savarese and Roberts stretched the home defence. However, Oxford looked dangerous on the counter, particulary through the skills of Manny Omiymni who quickly began to give Todd and Jenkins a very hard time with his tricky running; ex-Swan Joey Beauchamp also looked dangerous. But it was a terrific dribble from Dean Whitehead which set up Oxford's opener, as he beat two defenders before clipping the ball onto the post, for Omiyimni to tap in a simple rebound. It could have been worse shortly afterwards, when Patterson headed wide when he should have doen better.
The Swans responded well to the set-back, and gradually took control of the first half. Mumford had a good strike well saved, before we forged a deserved equaliser on 25 minutes. Some neat interplay between Phillips and Bound resulted in a clipped cross which found Jason Price at the far post. His well struck volley gave the keeper no chance - an excellent finish to a good move.
Shortly afterwards, the ever dangerous Roberts broke through on goal after chasing a long punt from Freestone. His low shot was well struck and again well saved. A minute later Stu again broke through, this time on the left, but his low cross evaded Savarese. On 40 minutes a goalmouth melee should have resulted in the Swans taking the lead, particularly after Savarese and Roberts set up Price with a chance - but his shot went well wide. And just before half time another assist from Roberts gave Savarese a great shooting opportunity, but he struck the side netting. Patterson spurned another clear headed chance just before half time, but on balance, we could consider ourselves unfortunate not to be in the lead at half time.
We hoped that the second half would see us press home this advantage, but it was the home side who emererged with their tails up and who played with the greater conviction. The game became far more scrappy as the wind got up, and suddenly chances were hard to come by. Matt Murphy headed over our bar on 11 minutes, when he lost his marker from a corner, and at the other end another great piece of wing play from Roberts saw him set up Gio for a volley, which he mistimed. But then disaster struck, as a hopeful through ball into our area led to a general mix up, which allowed Jamie Brooks to fire home from close range - a really scrappy goal which turned the game. Indeed, before the home fans could even return to their seats, they were celebrating again, as we lost our marking from a corner and Matt Murphy atoned for his earlier miss by heading home from close range. Two soft goals, and another game was gone.
In an attempt to salvage something we made a double substitution, replacing Phillips and Price with Fabiano and Cusack. Roberts pushed to wide right, although he found Fabiano frequently occupying the same space, whilst Cusack went up front to add some height to the attack. The last half hour saw the home side look threatening as we tried to push forward to resuce the game. But we did fashion some decent half-chances, mainly again through the industry of Roberts. Firstly he struck a long cross which evaded the entire Oxford defence, and landed perfectly at the feet of Jenkins, who managed to mis-control the ball back to the keeper. Then another Roberts corss found the head of Cusack, but his effort was weak. And then he cut in brillianly from the right and slipped perfect through ball to Gio who struck his effort wide when he should have done better. At the other end there were several scrambles and a few corners forced, and the home side were often foiled by some laughable off-side decisions from the most inept linesman we have ever witnessed; but the only save Freestone had to make was a good tip-over from a Patterson snapshot. When Savo headed wide from acorner late in the game we knew it was all up for us.
Freestone - 7 Very little chance with goals and otherwise virtually nothing to do.
The scenes at the end of the game were in stark contrast to those at the end of last season - the great celebrations at Millmoor seem a long way off now, and the irony of Rotherham's promotion today was not lost on us. Most of the team trooped off in despondent fashion, with only a passing acknowledgement to the crowd, though some of the younger ones had nothing to be ashamed of as there was no lack of effort or enthusiasm today. Even at this stage of the proceedings it was Stu Roberts who stole the moment, being the only Swans player to run over the the away fans, and in so doing stripped off his shirt and tossed it into the group of fans behind the goal. Was that symbolic? Will we ever see him wear the red away shirt again? We really hope so.
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