Match report

Swansea v Torquay Utd

A crowd of 3,872 turned up to welcome Brian Flynn and Kevin Reeves to the Vetch, as well as Torquay United, who were the first obstacle in the new pair's seven month, 37 hurdle race.

Today's line up was:

Evans – O'Leary – Theobald – Howard

Phillips – Lacey – Jenkins

Williams – Watkins – Thomas

Replacements:

Marsh – Smith (D) – Moss – Wood – Keaveny

It happens sometimes doesn't it? You get a new manager, the team gets that feeling of revitalisation, and against all odds you get a win for the new boss in his first game in charge.

Well it certainly doesn't happen for us!! Remember the Halifax game at home last season, Addison and Nicholas' first game? It was a dire affair, with the ball just pumped aimlessly up the middle time and time again, and it being swallowed up by the defence. Now fast-forward to today, and you had pretty much the same game as far as I could see.

It was interesting that only Theobald (primarily through Sharp and Jason Smith still being on the casualty list) and Thomas were present in the starting line up from Cusack's close season signings, although five others did fill the replacement slots.

The high point of the game for the Swans was probably in the first 30 seconds when a swift move down the right flank saw a cross into the centre from Williams and a shot from Lee Jenkins fly over the bar. It was actually an encouraging start, but it wasn't sustained.

The touch of most players just wasn't there today. Our passing on times was woeful, and the persistence with the high ball up the middle, or even the high cross from the flanks was a wasted effort and saw us relinquish possession far too often.

Evans is far more comfortable in the right back position, and Jenkins in midfield, particularly in the first half, worked hard, and tried to be creative. Williams won a few headed challenges in attack, but Thomas and Watkin are no target men. With the three front-runners today, there did not seem to be the cohesion that Thomas and Wood have developed, and overall the attack was fairly ineffective.

Williams seemed to fade after Torquay took the lead on 30 minutes from a 35-yard free kick that just went along the ground and into the left corner of Freestone's goal. Roger was slow to react, but the goal just made the task so much more difficult for the remaining hour of the game.

The defence did not have the gaping holes that we had witnessed in the last 3 or 4 games, but again, and far too often, we were split by fairly modest pace and width. O'Leary had his best game for sometime, but please do not confuse that with 'good'. Theobald on the other hand seemed way out of his depth, and the sooner the central defence is strengthened, then the sooner matters will turn in our favour.

To say we didn't look like scoring would be wrong, and if Thomas had a stronger right foot, then certain chances may have been more of a threat to the Torquay defence, which it has to be said looked very organised. Thomas shows some fine touches, and if a regular partnership can be established, and players get to know each other's game better, things may just start to happen.

Watkin was Watkin; his recent absence from the side has not changed him, and if he is to play, then up front is not where he belongs is it?

Without blaming the officials for the result (they can't be blamed for that), the standard of refereeing in this division is poor, and it spoils games for spectators. We had people being climbed all over, and all to often it resulted in nothing. The measure of an incident that demands action seems very strange, and cautions are thrown around for almost innocuous events compared to those that the referee seemingly chooses to ignore.

On the way to Wrexham last week we happened upon an ex FA Linesman, and his view generally was that today's officials are poor, and that the game and their actions on the field are dictated by objectives set by the ruling body. Seems to be a bit like working anywhere then, objectives, feedback and performance related pay, no doubt.

There were 4 bookings today, but only one for the Swans (Jenkins – foul), which must represent their best disciplinary record in a game for some time. At one point there seemed to be a sending off for Torquay, but it was a case of mistaken identity due to Tony Bedeau and Reuben Hazell's similar appearances.

The midfield is crying out for some creativity, and hopefully once Brian Flynn has experimented with a couple of combinations, as he surely will, the attack will settle into a pattern that will see us threaten the opposition's goal a little more regularly. We need width and pace, and are lacking both. Playing people in position, as was the case with some today, is a positive move. Phillips was totally anonymous today.

Was the game today a lot different to previous games? Well at home yes it was, as this was probably one of the worse home performances of the season, and a performance that only those who travel each week have witnessed previously in this campaign.

Effort is fine, but I saw little more effort in this game than in earlier season encounters and if the players felt the need to apologise to Cusack for performances to date, then they'd better book a regular weekly slot entitled 'Dear Mr Flynn' in the Evening Post, as there is going to be a lot of apologising unless their own standards improve.

This game was nothing to do with the management; this was a reflection of the players, and their appetite to get this club back to where it should be. There was little evidence to me that many of them wanted to play for Flynn, Reeves and Curtis, any more than for Cusack and Curtis, and if Brian Flynn can't work his motivational and man management skills on a few of them, then the problems we have are greater than we feared, as surely the number of personnel changes that he can impose is limited.

We travel to Hull next Saturday and despite them lying in 16th place, it will be a difficult trip, and then face Rochdale at home, with Rochdale currently in 3rd position. We'll see what this next two weeks brings, on and off the field.

• Freestone – 5 - Will be disappointed as slow down to goal and got a hand to it. 
• Evans – 5 - Still not brilliant but looks far better at full back. 
• O'Leary - 5 - 100% improvement on recent displays. Anti panic tablets obviously starting to work. 
• Theobald - 3 - Oh dear. Just as we thought things were looking better in defence.
• Howard – 4 - Did OK. Surely Frankie is one player who can make significant progress under Flynn's guidance. 
• Phillips - 4 -Never really involved. 
• Jenkins - 5 - Provided only shot on target in 88th minute. Looks like he's running with a rugby ball at his feet at times. 
• Lacey - 4 -When were 0-1 down and our midfield playmaker is replaced by a left-back it sums things up.
• Watkin - 3 - Same old Watto, no shots on goal, no threat. 
• Thomas - 5 - Again let down by control too often and lack of right foot is becoming more and more evident. 
• Williams - 4 - Looked out of puff after 30 mins, a few decent flicks and crosses but rarely found a Swans player.
• Wood - 4 - Didn't do much, played wide right and didn't look at home. 
• Smith - 4 - 2 Shots both closer to hitting a pigeon than the goal.  

If we had to select a man-of-the-match, then Jenkins' performance in the first half, or Thomas' effort towards the end has he took more control of his own game would be in the frame, but we have to leave it at that I think. This award is getting more difficult by the week.

Swansea v Torquay Utd

A crowd of 3872 including approx 100 from Torquay were present to witness the first game under yet another new management team. Flynn & Reeves received applause before the game, Reeves joined Curtis in the dug out as Flynn went to the directors box.

The line up was 4-3-3 with changes to the team. Freestone the back four of Evans O'Leary Theobald and Howard. The midfield of Phillips Jenkins and Lacey, with Williams Watkin and Thomas up front. The thought was right but would the players be the correct balance. The pitch had been watered before the game leaving a puddle on the half way line centre stand side.

Without many chances in the first half the team did put more into their performances, but it was mainly huff and puff but no chance of blowing Torquays goal down. The first 15 mins were the usual sparing with Torquay looking the slightly more dangerous with Graham looking very lively for them. We did have one gilt edged opportunity when Williams found himself free inside the box but blazed well over with the goal at his mercy. Not long after Torquay got the only goal of the game. A foul by Jenkins(booked), allowed Graham to fire low from outside the area through the wall and past Rog into the net. Another goal against us that should have been prevented. With many decisions going against us the team and crowd were galvanised into action and for 10mins the crowd made enough noise for a crowd double the size. The team turned on the pressure but that's all it ended up being, as no real threat on goal resulted.

Half time had us in two minds. Yes we had seen more commitment than of late, but there still seemed to be no pattern to the play. On many occasions Williams flicked headers forward but Thomas and Watkin were not playing close enough to take benefit.

The team did try and keep the tempo up as the second half started, but soon the play de-generated into hopeful balls forward which did not trouble the Torquay defence. We had simply run out of any ideas and the final quarter of the game saw very little action in either penalty area. Wood did replace Williams but he never got into the game. With 15mins to go Dave Smith replaced Lacey, resulting in the loudest cheer of the game. Not for Smiths introduction, but for Laceys departure after an inept display. Only one chance for us saw Jenkins break from the half-way line but never really controlling the ball which resulted in a hurried scuffed shot which was easily saved by Deardon.

No individual scores. Evans looks happier at right back. Theobald is very uncertain in defence. O'Leary won more balls. Jenkins is better suited in midfield and Lacey well words fail me.

In conclusion, for 30mins in the first half it seemed as if the players tried to impress Flynn with more commitment than of late. Unfortunately the football basics are not there, as many passes went astray and very little movement or pattern to the play. Support play is still limited and we can look to Torquay for guidance as every time one of our forwards or midfield players had the ball the were surrounded by 3 Torquay players. 2 tackling and one supporting. A season that started out with optimism is turning out to be one that promises to be a very long few months with our league existence in the balance. Only one days training was available to the new pair. Let's hope that given more time on the training pitch things will improve.

Just to prove there is still time for humour. The referee, like many others this season had an appalling game and in the second half showed a yellow and then a red to Torquay player before having it pointed out to him the player had not been booked before.