1. Freestone
2. Price
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. Smith #
6. Fabiano
7. O'Leary
8. Cusack
9. Watkin &
10. Verschave
11. Lacey

    ---

12. Jones J
13. Jenkins &76
14. Romo #55
15. Roberts
16. Phillips

 Stoke

1. Kristinsson
2. Hansson #
3. Gudjonsson
4. Gunnarsson
5. Kavanagh
6. Thorne
7. Dadason
8. Dorigo
9. O'Connor
10. Thomas
11. Kippe @

    ---

12. Muggleton
13. Clarke
14. Risom #79
15. Petty
16. Thordarson @41

A performance inspired mainly by guts and resolve, with a sprinkling of Gallic flair, gives a flicker of hope in a season which seemed to have completely gone for us. Even if it doesn't diminish the spectre of relegation to any great extent, at least it gives the Jack faithful a little more reason to attend the next couple of games. Where there's life, as they say...

The Swans continued their recent three centre half formation, but this time it looked a little steadier by virtue of the fact that they actually played three centre halves in those positions - Bound, Smith and O'Leary taking the honours. Howard and Price took the wing back roles, Fabiano, Lacey and Cusack the centre midfield and Verschave and Watkin the strikers in the absence of the injured Savarese. Roberts and, surprisingly, Romo, found themselves warming the bench.

This line-up gave the Swans some much needed solidity, and it succeeded in frustrating the home side for much of the first half. Indeed it was the visitors who played the brighter and more construvtive football, mainly through the tireless running and neat skills of our on-loan French duo of Verschave and Fabiano. Price was also making some good headway from his wing back position - a far more favourable role for hhim than the one he was asked to play at Bury.

The home side caused us a couple of flurries early on, most notably a close range header from Dadason which cleared the bar. But it was the entreprise of the away team that brought the opener after 18 minutes. Some great work on the left side from Fabiano was followed by a lovely cross-field ball to Price - JJ cut inside one defender and struck a low shot past the keeper for a glorious opening goal. 250 or so very vocal jacks, dwarfed by the enormity and splendour of the impressive Brittania stadiium, went absolutely wild, and continued to sing enthusiastically throughout the game.

A few minutes later we were denied what looked like a decent penalty shout as Watkin was barged on the edge of the area, only for play to be waved on. But we were undeterred, and doubled our lead on the half hour - a corner was flicked on by Bound. This led to a scramble in the area, which eventually saw the ball come to O'Leary who lashed home a low drive into the corner. And well worth this 2 - 0 lead we were. Indeed we were almost in dreamland on 35 minutes when another delightful piece of skill from Fabiano, this time on the left, set up Price again, who this time curled his effort over the bar.

The home side rallied towards the end of the half, and jason Smith made two impressive clearances from inside the six yard box and under extreme pressure from Stoke forward Peter Thorne. And Dodason was kicking himself when he headed over from close range. But when half time arrived, Freestone had not been forced into a single save.

The second half followed a pattern which all travelling Jacks could have anticipated and probably written the script for. The first fifteen minutes saw us comfortably hold out the opposition with no real scares, apart from a header over the top from Peter Thorne. Unfortunately, though, Jason Smith took a couple of clatterings (some observers thought he had been deliberately nailed) and was stretchered off, to be replaced by Romo. We kept the same formation, with Cusack dropping back into the centre of defence.

Then came the inevitable retreat into the last third, as the Swans legs tired ad the home side got up their first real head of steam. Stoke's pattern of play was rather predictable though, and they failed to create and real chances as they continually pumped the ball into the area looking for Thorne. They forced a few corners but Roger and the defence was equal to them all. And we continued to look lively on the break, with Verschave getting several opportunities to kill the game, the best of them bringing a fine point blank save from the keeper after the Frenchman was set free by a lovely through ball from Bound.

Then came a curious substitution. Watkin, who had tired badly, was replaced not by Roberts (whose freash legs would surely have stretched the home defence and allowed us to attack from the front), but by Jenkins, who simply made up a six man midfield. Sure enough, this invited all sorts of pressure, and when Howard got caught out of position on 79 minutes, a routine cross from the Stoke right allowed O'Connor to score with a stooping header. Cue the alamo!

Suddenly we were being pounded with high balls, corners, crosses and the kitchen sink. Stoke players were falling down in the penalty area and claiming spot kicks left right and centre. Cusack and Bound seemed to be heading everything in sight, and all 10 white shirts were behind the ball. During this period, we had no outlet other than the totally exhausted Verschave, who could run no longer. Fortunately, the home side did not manage to fashion a goal, altough one deflected shot was so close to going in that one set of Stoke fans started cheering goal, only to see it flash wide.

After four minutes of injury time the whistle finally went and we were able to celebrate a deserved win, although we again found ourselves reflecting on how this one also nearly got away.

Frestone - 8 Did well under extreme pressure
Howard - 7 Sprightly and solid
Price - 8 Best performance from JJ for a long while
Bound - 7 Solid as a rock.
Smith - 8 Awesome for the first half - some really athletic clearances. He is a gem; lets hope he has learnt a few things this season.
O'Leary - 7 A very sound effort from a player who often gets some stick (usually from me!)
Lacey - 5 A good battling effort but his distribution was awful.
Cusack - 6 As above, but a little more creative
Fabiano - 9 Fabulous! some great skill and a superb assist for the first goal.
Verschave - 7 Very nippy and ran tirelessly for the cause.
Watkin - 6 Held the ball up well and caused a few problems.
Romo - 7 Passed the ball well and kept a cool head
Jenkins - 6 A decent midfield contribution.

In summary, a good effort all round and one which we deserved on the night. We also deserved a win after the disappointment of the defeat at Northampton last week, when we earnt three points but got none. Very disappointing though that a player like Roberts, who could add so much value, is being so under-used. he could have killed the game off for us today, but instead we had to go through the hair loss and heart-murmurs of a nerve racking last 10 minutes. Oh well - we made Stoke look ordinary and that's what matters. At least we have one double this season! There is only ONE SCFC!!!

It does'nt get much better than last night! After such a dire display at Bury the contrast last night was amazing to see. I don't think even think the most optimistic of Swans fans expected to much from last nights game. But what they got was a battling display, 2 superb goals and a rear guard defence which bought back happy memories of last season.

The swans looked solid from the start, neat passing, and unlike so often this season they seemd to be picking up all the loose balls. I have recalled last nights game in my head over and over again and other than the goal they scored I don't actually remember another shot on target from Stoke. Prices goal was very coolly taken. Turning a defender in the penalty box and slotting the ball neatly under the keeper. O'Learys goal was just as good. A well positioned 18 yard shot, which resulted from a frantic corner.

Swans had chances to make it 3-0, with Verschave and Watkin. Verschaves pace in the first half was awesome, constantly chasing down the last defender.

After a pint at half time to calm the nerves the expected happened in the second half. Stoke tried to lay siege to the Swans goal. But it was just not happening. The Swans where winning the ball at the key moment and breaking quick on the counter-attack. Both Verschave and Watkin had good chances in the second half to increase the lead, but were foiled by what was now becoming a very desparate Stoke defence.

Smith was stretchered off in the Second Half, with what looked like a quite serious injury. But as he left the pitch he was sitting up in the stretcher and clapping the supporters, so hopefully its not to bad.

Then as we all know, The Swans don't like their fans to be sittingly comfortably at the end of the game, and with 9 minutes the home team pulled one back. 2-1, suddenly all that pessimism came flooding back. Stoke piled forward and won a number of corners. There were penalty appeals coming left right and centre. But Swansea dealt with it.They looked compossed and were well worthy of their victory.