1. Freestone
2. Jenkins
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. O'Leary
6. Todd
7. Coates
8. Phillips
9. Mumford
10. Williams #
11. Roberts

12. Romo
13. Appleby #90
14. De Vulgt
15. Jones
16. O'Sullivan

    ---

 Scunthorpe

1. Evans
2. Bradshaw
3. Dawson
4. Wilcox
5. Jackson
6. Stanton
7. Brough
8. Kell
9. Beagrie
10. Carruthers
11. Torpey

    ---

12. Barwick
13. Hodges
14. Grant
15. Cotterill
16. Collins

Some encouragement at last for Swans fans as the team produced a gritty, determined and at times rather stirring performance in terrible conditions at Glandford Park tonight. And this was against a team which should not be underestimated - Scunthorpe with their strike force of Carruthers and Torpey, ably supported by the excellent wing play of Scott Brough and Peter Beagrie, were a constant threat and look capable of automatic promotion. In the final shake up, this could be a precious point - at whichever end of the table that might be!

The Swans lined up again in the 3-5-2 formation that had failed so miserably on Saturday. Todd, Bound and O'Leary made up the back three, with Jenkins and Howard respectively in the wing back roles. Mumford, Phillips and Coates were the centre midfield trio with Roberts and Williams up front.

From the first whistle Scunthorpe signalled their intentions with wave after wave of attack. Freestone made an excellent save within the first two minutes, spreading himself to deny Scott Brough from close range, and within the first five minutes the home side had forced three corners. Indeed, a characteristic of the first half was Scunthorpe's excellent delivery of the ball into the box from wide positions, and credit must be given to our defence for coping with this so well.

In fact, tonight the Swans system and format was robust enough to cope with the pressure. The midfield trio, Coates in particular, kept their shape, passed the ball neatly, and did their best to disrupt the fluency of the home side, whilst still trying to search out the pacy running of Roberts and Williams. Our approach was direct and effective and quickly began to silence the home crowd with dangerous counter attacks. And in the ninth minute, a typical effort brough its reward - a long raking pass from Mumford found Coates in an advanced position, and his perfect lob over the keeper gave us a well earned lead.

Shortly after we came close to doubling our lead when an excellent long range shot from Todd was parried away by keeper, Evans. And from the resulting corner Matthew Boud screwed a shot just wide. But a minute later the dangerous Irons nearly equalised when another vicious Peter Beagrie corner was cleared off the line. But then it was ecstacy from the Swans, as some casual defending was punished by the hard-running Roberts who dispossessed a defender, rounded the keeper and teed up the easiest of chances for Williams, who couldn't have possibly missed this open goal.

The home side responded again with another dangerous ball from Beagrie and again we cleared our lines from within the six yard box. But the end to end pattern of this thrilling first half continued when an excellent free kick from Phillips found the head of Williams who, unmarked, contrived to head over from eight yards - a glorious chance which could have wrapped the game up. This seemed to spur the home side on, and a minute later an incisive through ball sent Martin Carruthers through on goal, and he struck a magnificent shot past Freestone. A few minutes later it was double disaster for the Swans. A ridiculous free kick was given against Roberts for a shoulder to shoulder challenge, but with the defence caught napping for once, Beagrie struck a beautiful cross which was glanced home at the near post by Torpey. Yes...he never did that kind of thing for us! It had been a blinding half - and the result at the interval was a fair one.

Most of us were expecting the worst after the break, but encouragingly, it did not work out that way. The Swans stiffened their resolve and kept their shape excellently well. The midfield continued to battle, the wing backs dropped slightly deeper to combat the wide threat, the back three held their line, and the front two did their best to hold the ball up - all sensible stuff, and for 35 minutes is neutralised the home side, which had previously looked so threatening. So much so that the only clear cut chance in the first half an hour of the second period fell to the Swans - this time Williams charged down an attempted clearance from Evans, and set the ball up for Roberts - but from the edge of the area he slotted his low shot just wide of an open goal - he knows he should have scored. But he responed well and on the 80th minute he returned the compliment by producing a delightful cross which set up Williams with a clear cut heading chance - but again he headed over.

This prompted a crazy last ten minutes. Peter Beagrie struck a great shot which just cleared the bar, and remarkably, the ref gave a corner, from which Scunthorpe hit the bar. Suddenly it was the alamo, and for the final few minutes we were under the cosh, as Beagrie, suppoerted by substitute Lee Hodges, fired crosses at us from all directions, and forced a series of corners. But we held firm, and indeed could have pinched it when Coates broke free only to strike his shot wide. The closing stages were marred by the dismissal of Phillips for a second yellow card - for what appeared to be an elbowing offence. But this did not detract from a good performance and a well earned point.

Freestone - 8 - some great work and some excellent takes in awful conditions
Howard - 7 - held his own against difficult opposition
Jenkins - 7 maturing into a sound wing back
Todd - 7 Battled gamely
O'Leary - 6 As above, though less effective in the air
Bound - 7 A cool head at the back
Phillips - 8 Put himself about and diruipted the midfield
Coates - 7 Faded in the second half, but a fine goal.
Mumford - 7 Battled hard and struck some good long passes
Roberts - 7 A great assist, and good running; will be disappointed with his missed chance.
Williams - 8 A good all round target man performance, with tireless running.
Appleby - A very late replacement for Williams

This game was encouraging for the performance and determination shown, but it also showed signs of some solidity in out style of play, and some variation where it was needed. Clearly our management team have a lot to do, but they seem to have taken a first step or two. And a word about the crowd. If Mike Lewis was disappointed on Saturday then I hope he was there tonight. Around 60 hardy souls, familiar faces all of them, banded together behind the goal and shouted and sang encouragement to the Swans all night long, and positively willed them home. A great effort from the travelling Jacks - small in number tonight but always positive in their support, and this was well acknowledged by the team at the final whistle. Saturday will be even tougher, but suddenly the journey back up the A1 seems a little more appealing!

A sort of enjoyable if unsophisticated kickaround on a wet and windy surface which in the end tells us very little about where this team is going. Lined up something like Gary wrote earlier although to me it looked more like Coates was up front as well.

Coates' goal was a peach. Truly awesome up and over the goalkeepers head from a very acute angle. Williams was in the right place, right time to tap in from Roberts - at which point the 'dodgy keeper' chants from the 50-60 odd Swans fans were bouncing around the place. But then of course we let the buggers back in - the Caruthers goal was a top strike - the second one was not. The first half was well topsy turvy and exciting stuff throughout.

From where I was it looked like all of the bench direction was coming from Nicholas with Addison in quiet contemplation behind him. Rather worrying was the fact that when things were going nowhere in the Second we didn't make any substitutions at all. Only Romo and Bananawasp on the bench and they weren't used until the end when we were playing for time and Richie came on for Williams.

The second half was poor until the Irons starting really going for it in the last 15 minutes and we were hanging on for dear life. Piss poor referee and assistant, but some of the most contentious decisions were I am reliable informed by others just about justified. Rog picked up another one of his bloody time wasting bookings - and justifiably so in my book. Both Phillips' booking were also (he whispers quietly) justified.

Anyway, thankfully Peter and Bethan were there so I'm sure a decent match report will be appearing on Gary's site pretty damn soon!

As for the future - we live and learn. But nothing to get too excited about. Or probably too suicidal. There will almost certainly be some sides worse than us this season. Not many, but some........

Finaly, much merriment caused by the sponsors (the RAF) choice of Torpey as man of the match. He did bog all of any quality, but the other man of the match award went to Beagrie, who despite me shouting at for large periods of the match, I'd kill to see playing down the Vetch. We need someone like that......

Jury's still out.