1. Freestone
2. Price
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. Smith
6. Romo
7. Jenkins
8. Savarese @
9. Watkin
10. Roberts #
11. Price

    ---

12. Jones J
13. Mutton
14. Thomas #89
15. Cusack @70
16. O'Leary

 Swindon

1. Griemink
2. Robinson
3. Willis
4. O'Halloran
5. Invincible
6. Duke #
7. Howe
8. Williams @
9. Reeves
10. Davis
11. Alexander *

    ---

12. Young #75
13. Mildenhall
14. Grazioli *45
15. Van der Linden
16. Robertson @75

With gales blowing and rain forecast it was too much to expect a classic. Add to this that one of their strikers came out with Invincible on his back - and all the omens were there for Swansea to fire a blank. And so it proved despite their obvious effort.

The pre-match rumour was that Cusack was back in the team but when the Swans ran ouit led by Matthew Bound it was clear that JH had resisted the temptation to tinker with the team that had seen of Stoke 72 hours earlier.

Having heard of my predictabench comp, JH flummoxed me by choosing Jones J, O'Leary, Mutton, Thomas and Cusack. I got 4/5 but the inclusion of Mutton at the expense of Jones S or Boyd was something I hadn't contemplated.

Swans started well and looked as if they meant business with most of their good work coming from the right wing via Stuart Roberts. Jenkins was laso looking tenacious in midfield and Romo soon reminded us of his undoubted ability with a few clever chips and passes into danger areas.

However, it took until the 9thy minute for the ball to hit the back of the net - off Jason Price's head. Unfortunately it was a glancing header into the top corner of his own net. Fortunately the linesman had flagged that the corner kick from which it originated, had gone out of play before Price had done the damage - so a let off againts an unfancied Swindon team who were to prove quite workmanlike.

Swansea were winning a succession of free kicks with their tricky play and from one such award, a Roberts pass found Savaraese whose shot was blocked on the penalty spot.

On the quarter hour mark, a neat passing movement involving Romo- Coates-Savarese-Roberts resulted in Lee Jenkins having a clerar shot at goal from the edge of the box but his shot was too straight and easily gathered by their keeper.

Moments later, Swindon attacked on the break and Smith was forced to foul his opponent but the referee let play continue as the ball ran for Swindon. Once the resulting shot had been screwed wide, Smith was booked for the clumsy challenge.

Half way through the first half there were oohs and aahs from the crowd as first Savarese and then Smith both had shots on goal blocked.

A Swindon midfielder was next into the book for a heavy challenge on the clasy Romo which seemed to slow him down a bit.

With just 10 minutes to go to half time, Watkin held off his man well to set up Romo but he shot over from 25 yards.

There were 40 minutes on the clock when Swansea's best move of the match came. Sturat Roberts who had not had all his own way with their No 3, suddenly started to run riot down the right for the final minutes of the half. The throw in that he won was fed to Romo who put over the perfect cross for Watkin to head and force a fingertip save from the Swindon keeper.

Half time 0-0

The second half was far more disjointed than the first and a lot of this may have been down to the deteriorating weather. However, Roberts managed a good glancing header from a Price cross.

Freestone was also finding difficulty in coming to terms with teh swirling wind and was lucky to gather the ball at the 3rd attempt after a serious fumble looked like awarding Swindon a clear shot at an empty net.

Savarese who had done very little in the match, impressed with some close control on the edge of the box which was only thwarted by a hand ball from his marker.

From the resulting free kick, Romo blasted over. This was puxzzling in a way - as at least 4 corners taken by the frenchman, failed to clear Swindon's first man!

Swindon looking dangerous on the break never really penetrated and Price counter-attacked dangeroulsy himself only to be cynically fouled and left in a heap on the ground. The ref again played advantage and Coates was allowed to run and shoot - but he screwed his shot wide.

Coates later dispossessed his marker wide on the left and made unchallenged for the byline - his perfectly flighted cross arrived tantalisingly at the back post - but both Watkin and Savarese had duplicated their runs to the near - a golden opprtunity missed.

Cusack replaced the ineffective Savarase with 20 minutes to go - but no real imprression on the game either. In fact he nearly cost his team a goal when he impeded Bound from clearing in the air on his own penalty spot. Fortunately for Swansea the bouncing ball fell to Smith who hammered the ball away to safety.

With minutes remaining Roberts ran dangerously down the right at speed only to be sent "rotating" along the turf by a heavy challenge from his marker. A booking ensued and another glancing header came to naught from the resulting free kick.

With just 2 minutes left, JH took off sponsors Man of the Match Sturat Roberts and replaced him with Thomas.

Swansea pressurised up to the final whistle with a series of corners and throws - but the cutting edge was just not there on tonight's showing.