1. Freestone
2. Price *
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. Smith #
6. Cusack
7. Jenkins
8. Thomas
9. Watkin
10. Roberts
11. O'Leary @

    ---

12. Jones J
13. Romo @61
14. Savarese #73
15. Casey *87
16. De Vulgt

 Port Vale

1. Goodlad
2. Carragher
3. Tankard
4. Brammer
5. Cummins
6. Viljanen
7. Naylor
8. Widdrington
9. Bridge-Wilkinson
10. A Smith
11. Walsh

    ---

12. Delaney
13. Gray
14. Burton
15. O'Callaghan
16. Twiss

After 3 pitch inspections, the last of which happened just an hour before kick off, the match was given the go ahead by referee Michael Ryan.

Port Vale arrived at the Vetch with the unenviable record of not having won away for 11 months.

John Hollins, on the back of two consecutive away defeats, decided to drop his two new signings as he searched for the blend that would halt the sequence of three unimpressive performances.

Swans lined up as follows
Freestone
Price Smith Bound Howard
Roberts O'Leary Thomas Jenkins
Cusack Watkin

Jones J, Casey, Romo, Savarese, De Vulgt

Despite the pitch inspections, the surface itself presented no problems – it was the gale force wind that Swansea played into first half that caused the problems. Unsurprisingly the match was quite scrappy as far as flowing moves were concerned, but Port Vale did look a threat down the left flank where Price was frequently shown up as non-defender.

In fact, it was from one of his forays upfield that Port Vale broke away dangerously to score from. Brammer ran unchallenged along the empty flank and crossed to the unmarked Cummins on the far post to shoot them into an 18 minute lead.

The crowd then tried to lift the team for a while and I was impressed with the effort that they put in to try and get back into the game. Roberts looked quite dangerous on the right and it wasn't long before his marker went into the book for a clumsy challenge on him.

There were shouts for a penalty when Cusack appeared to be held at the far post but referee Ryan was having none of it. The team went off to muffled boos at half time.

Half time 0-1

John Hollins had certainly noticed Price's lack lustre performance at right back as when they came out for the 2nd half, Jenkins assumed the right back position with Price pushing Roberts over to the left flank of midfield.

Again there were appeals from Swansea for a penalty when Thomas appeared to be fouled in the box but once again the appeal fell on deaf ears – well almost, because Thomas got himself booked for the 6th time this season for disputing it with the ref.

After some prompting by the North Bank, JH brought on Romo for the hobbling Smith with half an hour or so to go – but he made little difference in the search for a way to unlock the Vale defence. In fact. Many of his through balls and chips were totally inappropriate and as a result ineffective given the conditions.

Minutes later Savarese was introduced in place of O'Leary but he too made no impact on the game, wastefully spurning his one chance late on from just 10 yards out.

The substitutions had an adverse effect on the balance of the team and the endeavour that had been shown up until then degenerated into chaos as time and time again Vale hit us on the break with very good chances to increase their score.

The only reason they didn't was dow to some fine reaction keeping from Freestone and a headed goal line clearance from Bound.

The miss of the match was yet to come when Jenkins lost the ball in attack and no less than 4 Port Vale players advanced on Bound at the edge of the box. The ball was slipped to Brammer who amazingly missed by hitting the foot of the post instead of the back of the net.

Hollins made his customary pointless change on 88 minutes (why the hell do we do that when we are chasing a game?), and took off the dismal Price for Casey to have his 2 minutes to change the game. Not surprisingly, this wasn't enough time for him.

Summary:
Well done to JH for being decisive with his team selection, but what message it gives to the 2 new signings can't be good. We drop our new striker for Cusack to play the Super Hero known as Utility Man. How would you feel about this if you were Savarese?

JH can't win on this one - either these 2 signings we've been told that he's been patiently stalking for so long are up to scratch or he's been sold a pair of pups – which is it?

It's obvious that JH was trying to go back to basics with today's team selection but unfortunately for him, Steve Jones was the missing jigsaw piece. Maybe it's time to start Lee De Vulgt at right back because any above average winger at this level is going to take JJ to the cleaners in his defensive role.

There were chants of sort it out and what a load of rubbish again today, and it won't be very long (possibly Tuesday) before the Hollins Out chants are aired.

I think this would be a big mistake for several reasons.
1. The personnel need to pull together to get out of this slump.
2. The club can't afford the £½m payoff they would have to make
3. It's too early in the season to contemplate a change

Maybe it's time for the senior players to call another team meeting because ultimately, the performances on the field are down to them, and for the 4th consecutive match, they are not acceptable.

I have witnessed some poor performances in my 23 years as a Jack and today's will rank very easily in the Top 10 of them.

This was a performance from a Swansea side that lacked passion, direction and ambition - all three attributes that I do not feel we are asking to much to be shown.

Hollins tinkered with the formation as the saviours of the side two weeks ago were both relegated to the bench. Thomas and O'Leary made up the central midfield with Stuart Roberts and Lee Jenkins being the two wide men issues with the instructions to provide service for Watkin and Cusack up front.

Port Vale, a side with no away wins all season were followed by little support in Swansea's lowest attendance of the season and one that was going to become increasingly irritated and frustrated over the next 90 minutes.

In fact it was Vale that even from the outset seemed the most likely team to score as they countered Swansea's ineffective attacks with speed and devistation against a defence that was pulled all over the place with Price in particular on leave of absence several times on the right.

It was from one of these walkabouts that the goal was scored as, for the third time, Vale found space to attack down their left hand side before playing a ball across the box which was finished by a Vale man with about seven acres of space.

It was possible that this would spur the home side into action but was never to be as, Stuart Roberts apart, players continually ran towards the ball instead of looking for space and failure to attack any kind of ball in the box was increasingly evident.

Half time could have proved an opportunity for the management team to show that they could raise the players and turn the game around that even at that early stage was appearing a lost cause.

Second half saw a change in formation as Jenkins dropped into Price's position at right back with Roberts shifting to wide left and Price wide right.

No real effect as Swansea showed a lack of ambition or any form of creativity and it was no surprise when the board came up for O'Leary with Hollins sending Romo into the fray.

Roberts again looked the most likely to create anything on the afternoon but yet again he saw too often that his teammates were not interested in looking for the ball which seemed in complete contrast to Port Vale when they had the ball.

Two more substitutions before the close (Savarese for Smith and Casey for Price) but for me the afternoon was summed up with around 5 minutes to goal.

Another Vale attack and with Bound as the sole defender (bar Roger in goal) 4 Port Vale players advanced on goal. Not one player in white made any attempt to get back to support the lone defender. Lack of commitment summed up in one quick movement. The only surprise was that the player wih the ball managed to play in the other three attackers but the post rather than the net was hit.

For me this display was completely unacceptable and how many times do we have to expect Monday Morning apologies from Nick Cusack for unacceptable displays before it is accepted that we are severely lacking in direction from those in charge?

I know it's easy to blame the management but these players can play but the motivation coming from the bench does not seem overly evident.

4700 at the Vetch and dwindiling by the match. Bristol City, Oldham and Oxford in the next fortnight - can it get any worse?

Interesting to read that Stat Mail predict we will only win two more games this season - Oxford home and away - Oh Joy!

After witnessing last weeks very poor performance at Wrexham our hearts ruled our heads as we ignored the weather warnings and travelled down with more than a little trepidation as to whether the game would be on. In fact the pitch was wet but looked in good condition, and had passed three pitch inspections. The team was much the same with Price at right back, Roberts back at right midfield with Cusack joining Watkin upfront, Saverese & Romo were among the subs

A crowd of just over 3700 included less than 100 from Port Vale braved the elements and the alternative attraction of the rugby game along the road. The game was played in very blustery conditions and a mixture of squally showers, heavy rain and bright sunshine and a biting cold wind.

The conditions did not lend for a good footballing game, but Port Vale with the wind at their backs settled the better. After a bit of end to end with no real threat by either team Vale took the lead. Price was caught upfield, not for the first time, and a cross from the left to the far post found their player unmarked and an easy shot on goal. We could only hope that we could reach half-time without conceding a second and use the strong wind to our advantage in the second half. There seemed to be a bit of niggle between Roberts and one of their players, resulting in a booking after a couple of off the ball incidents on Roberts. One appeal for a penalty when Cusack seemed to be wrestled in the area was our only real threat of a goal, with only a couple of other long range efforts.

Second half was much the same as the first with Vale looking stronger and more composed, again an appeal for a penalty when Thomas had his shirt pulled when running in on goal. The ref had none of it and also booked Thomas for his very verbal appeal. Romo came on for O’Leary and Saverese for a limping Smith but things did not improve as neither made an impression. As we pushed forward making no real headway Vale had a few breakaways and inside the last ten minutes should have wrapped it up when with four against Bound and Roger managed to miss the goal completely.

Last seasons success was achieved by good team morale and hard work. This seems to have disappeared, as there were arguments between players especially the shoving match between Smith & Price. In the first half Price was shouted at by Roger, O’Leary & Smith followed by a quiet word by Bound. There seemed to be no shape to the team as gaps appeared all over the pitch. No support for each other as nobody wanted the ball and take responsibility for workrate. One positive from last week is that there was more effort put in, but it was ‘headless chickens’. On paper and on the pitch we do not see where our scoring threat will come from. There have been calls for a partnership of Saverese & Boyd, but both are of the same mould (goal poachers) and the chances are not being made. Many players are playing out of position, which will not instill confidence. Cusack is most effective as an organizer in front of the back four. We have no presence up front so would it not have been better to include O’Leary with Watkin and not disrupt the whole team with positional changes.