Swansea City 1 Carlisle 2
Nigel Gigg
A cold, wet, grey day with an afternoon at home watching the Grand National put aside as Carlisle, bottom of the league, visited the Vetch.
The Vetch has seen change after change, but the injury situation never seems to differ, and Andy Robinson, Michael Howard, Leon Hylton, Izzy Iriekpen and Karl Connolly all missing again today.
On-loan defender Lee Fieldwick started at left-back and Lee Trundle returned to the starting line-up to partner Paul Connor. Brad Maylett was back in favour and started on the right with Stuart Roberts playing on the left. Brian Flynn would be having palpitations at the very thought of an attacking player on each flank!
Carlisle are in a desperate position and would obviously come and fight for their lives.
Freestone
S.Jones - O'Leary - Tate - Fieldwick
Maylett - Britton - Martinez - Roberts
Trundle - Connor
Subs: Murphy - Rees - Coates - Thomas - Nugent
Swans started slowly and Carlisle almost took the lead on five minutes when, ex Manchester City midfielder, Paul Simpson fed Farrell when one-on-one with Roger hit a poor shot into the side netting.
Carlisle's early promise soon faded and they looked the poor side their League position points to. Brad Maylett was causing them a few problems on the right, and Lee Trundle had a couple of opportunities.
On ten minutes the Swans opened the scoring. A free-kick from out wide on the right, taken by Martinez, was met firmly by Paul Connor. His powerful header was straight at goalkeeper Peter Keen who somehow managed to let the ball squirm between his legs and across the line.
Swansea took the upper hand for the next ten minutes or so; from there but let Carlisle back into it on twenty-two minutes when Alan Tate and Carlisle's Peter Duffield seemed to get their legs tangled up, only for referee Mr Fletcher to give a penalty which Craig Farrell duly scored, despite Roger getting a hand to the ball.
Maylett almost restored Swans lead with a well struck shot from outside the box a minute or so later, and Paul Connor almost scored after Keen parried a cross from Martinez into his path, but a last gasp lunge from the centre-half Kevin Gray prevented Connor from scoring.
Half-time arrived with Carlisle having just about deserved the 1-1 score-line. Unsurprisingly they had shown the greater commitment but Swansea had played the better football, and had the bulk of possession, Swansea had also created more goal scoring opportunities.
The second half started as the first ended, Swansea playing the better football and Carlisle battling harder.
However, on fifty-seven minutes Carlisle took the lead when Alan Tate failed to clear a cross and allowed Duffield a free shot, which, with the aid of a deflection went over Roger's head.
Alan Curtis immediately substituted Stuart Roberts with James Thomas giving us a three pronged attack. The question was, would they get the service needed?
Swansea dominated things from there, but were lacking any real cutting edge.
Our two full-backs were having poor games. Leon Britton gave the ball away time and time again, and attackers lacked ideas and a decent service.
On seventy-four minutes, Kevin Nugent replaced Paul Connor who had been non-existent since half-time.
Leon Britton was booked late on for diving in the box, but conning the ref. looked our only hope of scoring as we deteriorated from poor to abysmal.
As the rain got heavier, James Thomas had a shot from the edge of the box but missed the ball!
This was the last effort and the referee's whistle put us out of our misery.
Carlisle, on today's showing, are still likely to be relegated. They worked hard but are a poor side with a poor keeper. They, I am sure, wish they could play us every week until the end of the season. Other teams are not as likely to lie down and roll over for them.
For our part, we have a mini crisis on our hands. Kenny Jackett will inherit:
Ø A team with no natural leader on the field;
Ø A team with too many players who are "injured" too often;
Ø A team too reliant on Lee Trundle being fit and playing well;
Ø A team apparently lacking in fight.
Roger - 6 - One serious shot and one penalty - little chance against either.
Jones - 4 - Offered little support going forward and distribution terrible.
O'Leary - 5 - Probably the best of the back four, but that says little.
Tate - 4 - At fault on both goals.
Fieldwick - 3 - Why we sign a loan player unable to get near a struggling Second Division squad, when our caretaker manager has never seen him play is a mystery! Seemed overawed playing against a poor quality Carlisle!
Roberts - 4 - A poor game, offered little.
Britton - 3 - Gave the ball away time and time again.
Martinez - 5 - Overrun in midfield.
Maylett - 6 - Man of the match, but no champagne performance.
Trundle - 4 - Never a threat. Bad tempered, permanently giving away free kicks.
Connor - 5 - Slightly better than Trundle but non-existent second half.
Subs:
Thomas - 4 - Confidence shot to pieces.
Nugent - 5 - Shouted at those around him to gee them up, but they were beyond that by the time he came on.
Swansea City 1 Carlisle 2
Paul Nicholas
Being the fair weather supporter that I am, I waited until there was nothing left to hope for in the season, coupled that with the worst weather we've had on a Saturday for some time, and wandered down to watch our manager-less team compete against the bottom club in the league.
What could be more appealing than that?
Having only seen a few games this season, it took me more than a few minutes to recognise all the players, and it doesn't help when a full back that has been at the club some time is highlighting his locks.
What hope did I have?
The match kicked off and the early exchanges were lively but with Carlisle offering nothing that should have caused us concern. We looked in control, used the pace on the wings, and generally the crowd seemed to settle down with expectations of a return to winning ways and a few goals to wipe out the rain and cold.
A Connor headed goal - the Trundlesque hair clearly confusing the man on the microphone in the press box - thanks to the open legs of the Carlisle keeper should have put us in control, but a Tate foul which resulted in a penalty shortly after triggered the disintegration of this afternoon as a football match and as a Swans performance worth commenting on.
From that moment the match became an embarrassment for the players as regards their ability and their application, and extremely tedious for the crowd.
The second half winner just killed it, it shouldn't have happened, but it wasn't a surprise either.
An inefficient and grinning referee didn't help matters, but the fault for today's performance lies solely with the players.
A couple of circus tricks do not win matches, and can only win over a crowd for a limited amount of time. Graft and basic football application is what is needed. No one on the field today seemed to have any direction, and leadership was decidedly lacking.
There have been comments over the imminent appointment of Kenny Jackett as manager such as 'No Jackett Required'. To my mind, it's more a case of us needing a 'Full Metal Jackett' or else we are going to face some serious beatings in the coming months.
I think we should be thankful that he was at Bristol City watching the QPR game today, and maybe the club should conveniently lose the video evidence.
The gulls gliding around the East Stand provided a welcome relief from proceedings on the pitch, and at least now the decision has been made that my involvement in football matters this season will rest in watching the magnificent new stadium taking shape at White Rock.
Mr Jackett and his assistant will have their work cut out to turn this team into one that the new stadium will be worthy of. All the skill is there, but they will have to harness it, and work with it, and the attitude of the players will have to change dramatically.
Before the game I had the same conversation with a few people on how we hoped the new management team wouldn't have to make wholesale changes to the squad, but after watching today's wretched performance, I may reconsider my thoughts on that.
As for player ratings, I'd give 8/10 to the gull with the black mark under its right wing - some lovely manoeuvres.
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