Match report

Swansea City 2 Bury 3

Swansea 2 v 3 Bury

Line up-

Sixty seconds into the game, Swans needlessly give away a corner. Time to take up positions wait for the ball to be crossed and ...do nothing but stand and watch as a floated corner to the edge of the 18 yard box finds midfielder Billy totally unmarked. He steadies himself and unleashes an unstoppable volley into the corner. Just why the defence stands still and watches at corners in the first minute of a game, only they will know.

Billy was instrumental in most of Bury's earlier moves and seemed quicker in thought and deed than any of the Swansea midfield. He had similarly tormented us 2 years ago in a Division 2 encounter and it seemed we had not learned the lesson he handed us then.

Swans showed next to nothing going forward in the first period. Durkan, who has not played 90 minutes all season looked unfit and showed little if any pace. His delivery of corners and free kicks was poor and he failed to link up with the attack.

Swans eventually had their first shot on goal, a long-range effort by Durkan, after 26 minutes. This did nothing but galvanise Bury who promptly went down the other end of the field and scored after our defence failed to clear. The ball pinged around in the area before Nelson eventually lashed the ball passed Freestone off the underside of the bar.

Surely things couldn't get any worse. Oh yes they could. Within another 2 minutes Paul Reid played a wonderful through ball to a Bury striker and we were 3-0 down after 30 minutes.

Several fans left their seats in the Centre Stand and headed home. The North Bank burst into life with a rendition of 'Your not fit to wear the shirt' and depressingly the 11/10 price available on www.betfair.co.uk for Swans to finish bottom of Division 3 looked a steal.

By half time Bury had missed further opportunities and Swans had managed a second long range effort, which surprise, surprise went wide.

Half time bought the substitution of the ineffective Durkan with John Williams, who immediately looked fitter and faster than the man he had replaced and its not often you could say that this season.

Swans looked more up for the fight early in the second half, but this could be down to Bury thinking the game was won and easing up.

By the hour, Watkin had replaced the out of touch Richards and Evans had replaced Jones.

Swans continued to press forward, courtesy of Bury sitting back and out of nothing a mishit shot from Tate found the head of Jason Smith and Swans had a glimmer of hope.

Within 20 seconds of the restart a woeful backpass put Watkin through on goal. At moments like this one's mind goes into overdrive. Why does it have to be Watkin, I hear myself asking. Surely he'll score. We could still grab a point or even three. I'll take back all the horrible things I've said about Watkin!

Watkin collects his gift, 30 yards out from goal. He has a clear run on goal with just the keeper to beat. He runs 5 yards and then scuffs a shot 10 yards wide of the post. Cometh the hour, Watkin misses.

The game continues to go from end to end. Bury have numerous clear-cut chances which they fail to take and pay the price. An awful clanger by their keeper presents an opportunity to Jason Smith, which he takes and Swans are back in a game that was lost at half time.

Despite creating a couple more half chances, Swans eventually run out of puff and Bury collect their 3 points.

The depression continues. The questions about why Brian Flynn can not get the best out of so many players continue.

Player Ratings

Freestone 6 - No chance with any of the goals.

• Jones 5 - Impossible task for the youngster.
• Tate 7 - Still looks too good for us, we don't deserve him.
• Smith 6 - Poor game by his standards, but took his goals well.
• Howard 4 - One player Flynn has failed to get the best out of.

• Durkan 3 -When Flynn said he had pace, he must have meant he owned a sports car.
• Phillips 6 - As usual battled hard, but sometimes its not enough.
• Reid 4 - Control was abysmal.
• Britton 6 - Lovely touch but more and more he looks like a Jaguar spare part they we are trying to fit onto a clapped out Escort.

• Thomas 5- Confidence has gone, spell out on the wing has seen to that.
• Richards 3 - Poor and didn't look Division 3 material let alone Premiership.

• Williams 6 - Gave 100% and made a difference for once.
• Watkin 2 - Words fail me!
• Evans 5 - Looked better than he has of late.
• Another 1-0 defeat - to all intents and purposes with another must win
• game slipping by.

Swansea City 2 Bury 3

Swans were absolutely dreadful and Bury were good. Add to that equation clinical finishing and desire to be first to the ball in all areas of the field and you can see why Bury built up a 3-0 lead with ease.

Second half was no better until the introduction of Watkin - and then the previous chanceless 60 mins started to change.

First Smith deflected a corner in to the net and then - to illustrate the difference between the teams - Watkin failed to score when put 1 on 1 by a loose back pass, something Bury made no mistake with for their second.

A sizeable group of "fans" saw this as a cue to chant "f*ck off Watkin" - exactly what the team really needed to get back into the match - NOT.

This same group - for ease I'll refer to it as the vegetable patch - continued to barrack Watkin in the hope that he would make a mistake.

In contrast, the vegetable patch had nothing to say against James Thomas who clearly doesn't deserve an automatic starting spot in the team any longer (and will be lucky to get 3 from the Famous Five tonight), and the wasteful John Williams was not chastised once for his woeful crossing behind our attackers. In fact, one right wing cross that failed to reach the area even before sailing behind was met with chants of super Johnny Williams from the VP.

If people can't be objective enough to suspend their prejuidices for 90 minutes, are they really serving any purpose as supporters in behaving this way?

An exciting last 20 minutes in which numerous half chances were created transformed the boos from HT to appreciative applause at the final whistle.

While there's always hope - and no supporter should lose it, a 3rd or 4th must win game lost can mean only on thing for us this season.