Match report

Scunthorpe Utd 2 Swansea City 0

Maybe Flynn should have gone shopping

THEY'VE built a Safeway super-market on Scunthorpe's previous home - The Old Showground - that's 500 yards away from Glanford Park.

Swansea have been visiting the Iron's current venue for 14 years now.

But their boss Brian Flynn's afternoon might have been more productive if he'd visited Scunny's old site for a bit of shopping.

Nothing seems to alter for rock-bottom Swansea. They cannot find an away League victory from anywhere - it's 15 matches, over nine months since they tasted success.

That was at doomed Halifax on February 23. And the Swans will be following those opponents into the Nationwide Conference if they can't end their appalling travel sickness.

First-half strikes from Martin Carruthers and Matthew Sparrow condemned the Vetch side to a tenth defeat of the season.

It was all too much for Flynn who moaned: "We came in at half time 2-0 down against a side who are chasing promotion.

"We just didn't play in the first half and left ourselves too much to do." The Swans were slipping in the 23rd minute as Chesterfield referee Steve Baines controversially decided that Jason Smith had up-ended Carruthers in the box.

That angered Alan Tate - borrowed by Swansea from Manchester United. Snapped the youngster: "The lad (Carruthers) dived, he conned the referee!"

Tate continued: "People have congratulated me on my performance for the Swans today but it means nothing because we lost. This is not about an individual's performance it's about the team's display."

Swansea showed three changes for the side which edged out Macclesfield at the Vetch fourteen days previously. In came Tate and on-loan Blackburn attacker Marc Richards.

The youngsters fitted into a 4-3-3 system with skipper Kris O'Leary switching to central midfield, diminutive striker Jamie Wood going to a wide right role.

But the visitors were on red alert within the opening 90 seconds. Former Stoke man Carruthers cut through menacingly, Roger Freestone swatting back the raider's rising blast. O'Leary and Gareth Phillips were putting in the challenges to stem United's aggression. Former Oxford schemer Matt Murphy was prominent, too, and blond-haired Tate covered coolly at the back.

Murphy then tested Tom Evans with a 20-yard snap shot on 15 minutes. But the Swans were wilting to a bizarre penalty decision seven minutes later.

Torpey's flick released Carruthers who collapsed as Smith challenged. Despite protests, referee Baines pointed to the spot and shaven-headed Carruthers buried the gift.

It was the much-travelled striker's tenth goal of the campaign.

Battered Swansea were bravely attempting a renaissance as Smith's header flew inches wide. But Flynn's strugglers were scaling a mountain in first-half stoppage time.

It was a sublime second for Brian Law's Fancy Dans. A remarkable bout of possession involving 15 passes set up Sparrow whose 25-yard left foot special curled into the net.

Lee Featherstone and Martin Carruthers went close to giving the Iron an early lead, while Matt Murphy fired straight at home keeper Tommy Evans.

In-form Scunthorpe striker Steve Torpey struck a fierce volley over the bar before the hosts took a 23rd-minute lead.

Jason Smith felled Carruthers in the box and the striker converted his 10th goal of the season from the penalty spot.

Smith almost made amends on the half-hour mark by heading just wide, but the Swans fell further behind on the stroke of half-time when Matt Sparrow smashed home.

Andy Dawson nearly stretched the lead early in the second half with a 20-yard free-kick which Roger Freestone spilled, but the danger was eventually cleared.

Swansea's best chance fell to Marc Richards, but he blazed over the bar