Match report

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Swansea City 1 Scunthorpe 1

The Famous Five

Line up

Bright, warm sunshine and a sense of expectation greeted the Swans today. The much heralded return of Leon Britton (mask et al) made up for the disappointment of James Thomas not appearing in either the starting line up or on the bench. Scunthorpe, managed by Brian Laws, who would be about as popular with the Swans fans as Saddam Hussein would currently be on the streets of Baghdad, were without former Swan, Steve Torpey.

Swans began well and seemed up for the fight. There were early efforts from Richards and Johnrose before on thirteen minutes Swansea took the lead. For once Watkin worked hard out left, and sent in a good deep cross from which the defender was happy to concede a corner. The resultant corner was headed goal-ward by Johnrose, the keeper pushed the ball clear but Richards turned and hit an unstoppable shot into the top corner.

Swansea were now playing with confidence, with Martinez winning virtually every midfield challenge. Scunthorpe played as most teams do under Brian Laws, aggressively – late challenges became the norm and every refereeing decision against them was questioned in an aggressive manner by one, two or three players. It was no surprise to see Beagrie and Hayes booked in the first twenty-five minutes. The referee could and should have taken a firmer hand with Scunthorpe's questioning of his authority.

Maylett and Richards made excellent runs throughout the first period, and Johnrose and Britton supported the attacks whenever the opportunity arose. Even Watkin linked well with those around him! However, despite dominating the first half the Swans were lucky to survive a penalty appeal when Michael Howard handled the ball in the box.

Half time arrived and the big decision was whether to join the standard fifteen-minute queue for a coke, or stay and watch the Ice Babes perform their “routine”. Apathy prevailed; the Ice Babes won the day!

Swans began the second half well and six minutes in had a great opportunity to make in 2-0. A corner from the right and no defender picked up Watkin (they must have had him watched!). From five yards out in the middle of goal he had the goal at his mercy but predictably headed wide. This seemed the turning point for Watkin and the Swans. Watkin seemed to give up chasing anything and the Swans managed only two Jason Smith headers in the remaining forty minutes.

Scunthorpe seemed to sense the Swans going off the boil and raised their game. The equaliser became inevitable and duly arrived after seventy-four minutes courtesy of a tap in by Carruthers from a cross from the left.

Durkan replaced Watkin, and replaced could have been changed to replicated as he failed to involve himself at all. He was continually chastised by Brian Flynn from the sidelines for failing to track back and help out an, at times, under siege defence. After weeks on the sidelines and only twenty minutes to play he should be expected to run his heart out. He didn't, and never once tried to take his man on.

By the end of ninety minutes we seemed glad of the point and as other results went our way again, the point may just be another small step towards safety. But how much better the rest of the weekend would have been with those two extra points.

Player Ratings: -

• Cutler – 7 – No chance with goal, one handling error from an easy cross but otherwise secure.
• Jenkins – 7- A couple of great runs down the wing
• Howard – 7 – Another good performance, competition for his place has helped him
• Tate – 7 – Another assured performance
• Smith – 6 – The lucky winner of this weeks “tombola”, sorry Travel House M.O.M award
• Britton – 6 – Quiet game by his high standards
• Martinez – 7 – Superb first half, overrun in second half
• Johnrose – 6 – Won most aerial battles, but lost possession too often
• Maylett – 7 – Did well for sixty minutes but drifted out of the game
• Richards – 8 – Ran everywhere and took his goal well
• Watkin – 5 – Two goals in twenty odd appearances says it all
• Durkan – 4 – Brian Flynn must see something in him that the rest of us can't.

Swansea City 1 Scunthorpe 1

Report by Clive, Gareth & David

Well the heartbeats don't get time to settle being a Swans fan do they? Another sunlit Vetch produced a pulsating game as our quest for survival carries on. Anyone want a boring end to the season?

With the masked avenger Britton back in the team, Phillips dropped to the bench, as the only change to the team that drew at Shrewsbury. Durkan replaced Williams on the bench, John missing after becoming a dad. (Congratulations)

A crowd of 6,014 included 69 visitors to the Mecca of Welsh football. Scunthorpe looking to keep their play-off hopes on track and as they lined up, looked a very physical side.

The opening five minutes saw Swans start very brightly and put Scunthorpe under pressure with an early shot from Richards being saved by the keeper Evans. After such a bright start we were given a reality check as Scunthorpe mounted three attacks, which could have resulted in goals. Johnrose cleared one attack, but only to the edge of the box, where it was met on the volley, whistling just passed the post. A second saw a strong header from Taylor, tipped to safety by Cutler. A third attempt scrambled clear by the defence. Worrying thoughts started to go through our minds, but the Swans settled and put Scunthorpe under more pressure. Martinez free kick to Jenkins saw his cross met at the far post by Johnrose, but the diving header bounced down and over the bar. We didn't have to wait much longer for the breakthrough.

Again it was Martinez who was the provider, as his corner was again met by header from Johnrose, the keeper saved well, but with Richards facing away at the far post, swung round sending the ball into the top corner of the net and the Vetch into ecstasy. Scunthorpe's reaction was to get very physical with some late and niggling challenges. Beagrie, known more for his skill, was booked for a late tackle on Jenkins, as the tempo of the match increased. The ground echoed with support for the team. At the same time that Beagrie was being booked, Taylor went off injured to be replaced by Carruthers, who had scored many times against the Swans. The Swans dominated and Martinez put Maylett through into the area and from a tight angle decided to go for the near post, when a low pass across goal could have been the better option as either Watkin or a defender could have bundled the ball into the net. More fouls came from Scunthorpe (A further yellow for a foul on Tate), as they seemed to get more frustrated, being unable to get into the game. From a cleared Scunthorpe attack the ball found Richards out on the right, on the half way line. As he kept to the touchline Watkin sprinted (yes) into the area, but Richards slowed his pass, leaving Watkin to hold his run and the chance was gone. With 10 minutes of the half left Scunthorpe came more into the game, and although the defence handled most things well, we were very relieved to be seeing half time arrive with our lead intact.

The second half again saw the Swans dominate from the off. Johnrose getting more and more into the penalty area action saw another header saved by the keeper and a Watkin header missed the post by a whisker. Mid way through the half saw a change in fortunes as Scunthorpe took full control of the game. Martinez was again booked for dissent and a further booking for a Scunthorpe player for bringing Maylett down. We were struggling to keep possession now, and Cutler did not help things with three wayward kicks, which found the visiting defence under no pressure. Although Scunthorpe had not threatened the goal, we defended deeper and deeper, with most clearances being won by Scunthorpe on the half way line. Beagrie was turning on the style as he worried the Swans every time he got possession. It was from his cross into the area, that Scunthorpe got their equaliser, that man Carruthers reacting quickest to score from close range. The final 15 mins saw Scunthorpe in total control, Durkan replaced Watkin, but he did not offer the outlet the defence craved for. As the minutes ticked away it only seemed time before Scunthorpe got the winner. They didn't, much due to the heroic blocking by the Swans.

At the final whistle, mixed reactions. We would have taken a draw, before the game. At half time we looked for the 3 points, but at the end were grateful for the 1 point, which could yet prove vital.

The team had played well in the first half and fully deserved the lead, but the more physical stature of the Scunthorpe team told in the second half, as the Swans had very little left in the tank, as they stepped up a gear looking for the away win.

General thoughts

• Although not troubled, Cutler did seem hesitant in some of his saves today.
• The defence again worked as a unit, Tate and Smith dominant for most of the time, with Jenkins and Howard battling well.
• Midfield improved with Britton back, but for all his good marshalling and prompting, Martinez did play some very lose balls forward. Only a mild criticism.
• In attack Richards and Watkin again did not gel, although Richards's first half performance was the best seen so far.
• So it's down to the last 4 games of a very very strange season. We have it in our hands. This team is capable of surviving, results again went in our favour, but there can be no let up, it's still very tight, the next 3 weeks are going to be the longest 21 days.
• We can't end without mentioning the excellent (again) vocal support from the fans
• One last comment. We heard on the radio, of a penalty chance for Scunthorpe, with Brian Laws stating that everyone in the ground would have seen Howard handle the ball. We didn't and can't remember any shout, although Brian Flynn did comment that earlier in the season those decisions would have gone against us. Maybe we were just wearing our white tinted spectacles.

Swansea: Cutler, Jenkins, Jason Smith, Tate, Howard, Martinez, Britton, Maylett, Watkin, Johnrose, Richards. Subs: Freestone, O'Leary, Mumford, Phillips, Durkan.

Scunthorpe: Evans, Stanton, McCombe, Strong, Dawson, Sparrow, Graves, Beagrie, Kilford, Hayes, Taylor. Subs: Carruthers, Calvo-Garcia, Jackson, Dalglish, Capp.

Referee: A Butler (Nottinghamshire).

More pics from today's game
Pic 03 Pic 04 Pic 06 Pic 07 Pic 08 Pic 09 Pic 10 Pic 11 Pic 12 Pic 13 Pic 14 Pic 15 Pic 16 Pic 17 Pic 18 Leon's mask

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