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Cheltenham 3 Swansea 4

Report by the Gigg Family - Photos supplied by Andrew Thomas

The Gigg family's first game of the season was eagerly anticipated and played in beautiful sunshine.

The start was delayed by 30 minutes after a nasty accident on the M5 heading towards Cheltenham. This delayed many Swans fans and by the end of the game news was coming through that the accident had involved Swans on their way to Cheltenham and that 3 fans had been airlifted to hospital. Our thoughts are with them and their families..

Line up:

Murphy

Jones O'Leary Johnrose Hylton

Maylett Britton Martinez Coates

Trundle Thomas



Subs: Freestone Nugent Durkan Robinson Jones

Around 1, 500 fans were at the game but even by the delayed kick off at 3:30, not all the travelling fans had reached the ground and the numbers swelled right up to half time.

Coates replaced the injured Connolly in the starting line-up and a fit Lee Jenkins returned in place of Stuart Jones.

Cheltenham lined up with two strikers who resembled Herbie Hyde and Frank Bruno and with Bobby Gould managing Cheltenham it wouldn't have taken Einstein to work out their tactics.

In the first few minutes both sides had chances and it seemed it was a day for goals as both teams seemed intent on getting the ball forward, Cheltenham with long balls, Swansea with quality build-ups.

After just 4 minutes, a dreadful error from Brian Murphy saw the ball squirm under his body into the net. However, the referee thankfully saw something we hadn't and awarded the Swans a free kick.

Jenkins seemed fully recovered and was defending well and supporting the attack. He intervened with a superb clearance after 11 minutes.

The game was going from end to end and it was just a matter of time before the deadlock was broken. On 16 minutes, after 2 or 3 appalling defensive errors and one great save from Murphy the ball was knocked in from 12 yards by Bertrand Cozic with several defenders looking at one another.

On 29 minutes, Johnrose attempted a back pass when a clearance downfield was the obvious option. This back-pass gave away a needless corner. The resultant corner was cleared but from 25 yards Brad McCann hit an unstoppable curling shot into the top corner.

Was our excellent start to the season coming to an abrupt end? Would Swansea now cave in? No. They continued to push forward at every opportunity and were rewarded on 36 minutes with a goal to savour. Britton made one of his trademark runs, played a one-two with Trundle and threaded a brilliant ball to Thomas who hit it first time with his right foot, yes his right foot…to put the Swans back in the game.

By halftime both sides must have been glad to get out of the sun and enjoy a cup of tea. Surely the 2nd half couldn't be as frantic? At half time it could quite easily have been 4-4. Our centre backs had been under terrific pressure and Lenny Johnrose in particular looked uncomfortable. Lenny has many strengths but playing centre-half against big strong strikers with the ball knocked into them at every opportunity is not one of them.

The second half was a repeat of the first, attackers seemed to have the upper hand as the game continued the go from end to end.

Nugent replaced Thomas on 60 minutes and our fans had hoped the transformation seen last week with Nugent's introduction would be repeated. However, on 64minutes a cross from the right to the far post saw O'Leary go up leading with his arm, gifting Cheltenham a penalty. The handball was obvious from 100 yards and what O'Leary was thinking about is a mystery.

Would this see the Swans fall away? Four minutes later intricate passing movement opened up the Cheltenham defence and created an opportunity for Trundle who took his chance well.

Swansea now had control of the game and Cheltenham were restricted to breakaways. Leon Hylton shot just wide from 35 yards, with an effort Roberto Carlos would have been proud of.

On 75 minutes, Jonathan Coates was replaced with Andy Robinson who then played just behind the front two. Swans were now throwing more players forward and leaving gaps at the back. They got the reward their play deserved on 84 minutes when yet another intricate move was eventually tapped in by Trundle who milked the applause from the Swans fans.

Swansea seemed to settle for the 3-3 result, and numbers no longer came forward as we had seen earlier. With the game drifting towards a close, Swansea forced a corner, which was played by Martinez to Maylett whose attempted chip floated over the bar. The referee, to our surprise, said there had been a deflection and awarded a 2n corner. This corner found the unmarked Nugent whose header from 16 yards was headed goal-bound but found Trundle just in front of the keeper but with his back to goal. He controlled it, turned and tapped the ball into the net. Players and fans went into raptures and in the last minute or so become a haze.

A fantastic performance, 4 goals yet again, a hat trick for the third league game running, and a fourth consecutive league win. The inquest into the 3 conceded goals can wait for another day.

Player ratings:
• Murphy 7 A few dodgy movements but a couple of excellent saves.
• Jenkins 8 Superb first half, seemed to tire 2nd half.
• O'Leary 7 Organised the defence well but did give a needless penalty away.
• Johnrose 6 May be ok at centre-half alongside a taller partner but the Johnrose/O'Leary combination did not work against two tall strikers.
• Hylton 7 Composed, got better as the game went on.
• Maylett 7 Needless booking, but did well.
• Britton 9 A few brilliant runs, but didn't get the support from the referee that he should have.
• Martinez 8 Usual organised game.
• Coates 7 Did simple things well but offered little going forward.
• Thomas 8 Took his goal well.
• Trundle 9 Must drive opposition mad, showboating, white boots, highlights – but Swansea love him.
• Robinson 7 Did well for the time he was on – played behind front two.
• Nugent 8 Despite Thomas playing well, Nugent's game seems more suited alongside Trundle.
• Jones Not on long enough to comment.

Cheltenham 3 Swansea 4 - Report by

Clive Gareth & David
Pictures supplied by Jennie Catchpole

Our thoughts

What a day!! Another warm day, as we started our away league season. So good was the weather that we gave the M42 & M5 a miss and travelled overland. That was a wise decision as news came of tailbacks on the M42 due to an accident. On entering the ground we were told by a steward that there had been an accident on the M5 and that players and fans had been delayed. This resulted in a 15.30 kick off.

A large following of around 1,300 Swans fans boosted the crowd to approx 4.500.

Jenkins had recovered from injury, so the team lined up.

Murphy

Jenkins, O'Leary, Johnrose and Hylton

Maylett, Britton, Martinez and Coates

Trundle and Thomas.

The away support was again in top form, but on the pitch it was different as Cheltenham were much quicker to the ball as the Swans looked a very jaded team. Did the Bristol game take too much out of them, as we were not 'at the races'.

Cheltenham were looking dangerous with every attack as the defence was sliced open easily. It came as no real surprised when Cheltenham put the ball in the net, but luckily for us it was disallowed for offside. Without looking dangerous the Swans did have a couple of half chances both by Thomas. One easily saved by the keeper and one way over the bar. Cheltenham were by now in total control as we had lost the midfield battle and midfielders content in dropping back deep to try and protect the defence. This tactic only works if you also close down attackers. To our dismay we allowed Cheltenham to play without closing down up to our penalty area. It only seemed a matter of time before the inevitable goal came. Murphy pulled off one save but without the danger being cleared a return shot from outside the area found its way through into the corner of the net. WE hoped this would be the wakeup call needed. In fact things got worse as the team struggle to put in any attacks of not! e. Maylett flattered to deceive, but at this point with the exception of O'Leary everyone was having a bad day. Surprisingly a rare attack nearly brought an equaliser. Trundle found himself to the right of goal just inside the area, laid the ball back to the incoming Martinez who sent his shot way over the bar. Not long after Martinez was involved in a slight scuffle with McCann, Trundle acting as peacemaker appeared to make a heavy shoulder challenge on the Cheltenham player. The ref thought likewise as he booked both Swans players with McCann not helping matters with his theatricals. It wasn't long before McCann gained revenge with a well taken goal. A curling shot from 25yds out on the right, beating Murphy and into the far corner.

Cheltenham were now bossing the game and things looked bleak as our attempts at attacks floundered. Well nothing is as it seems with the Swans. Britton made ground from midfield and put in a defence splitting pass for Thomas to take a couple of touches and into the area slightly to the right of goal. A powerful shot beat the keeper at the near post and we were back in the game. Half time came with at least the feeling there was still a chance of something from the game when all had appeared lost.

Half time saw a mixture of Swans and Cheltenham youngsters taking penalties against Cyril and the Cheltenham mascot.

The Swans started the second half more brightly and were making more of a game of it, with Leon coming close to scoring his first goal for the club. With the game going from end to end, disaster struck as Cheltenham were awarded a penalty. No arguments as O'Leary clearly handled a high cross into the area whilst under pressure. Surprisingly no yellow card. McCann scored his second with a powerful shot that found the net before Murphy could move. That seemed it, we had tried to get back into the game, but this surely was to finish any thought of a fight back. Nugent replaced Thomas to try something different. His presence and experience did give us more success against the taller defence. Hope were raised once again as after a few attacks we drew level when a shot from the edge of the area by Trundle nestled inside the post. 3-2 and the Swans were now rampant. The crowd were in full voice as we forced Cheltenham back. Hylton had one blistering shot from 30yds just missing the! goal. Cheltenham were now struggling in attack as the defence got in the block tackles that had been woefully missing in the first half. Robinson replaced Coates, who had had a very disappointing game. The game did have its scares as we chased the equaliser when the mobile attack stretched the defence on a couple of occasions, but the gutsy defence were not giving up on this game. The game had now turned completely on its head as roared on by the fans the Swans pushed and pushed for the equaliser. Yes it eventually came when Book in the Cheltenham goal could only parry a shot for Trundle to nip in for the third for the Swans. The ground erupted. We had clawed ourselves back into a game when at half time we were a beaten team. Cheltenham were shell shocked, Jones replaced Jenkins to bolster the defence to protect our point. A draw from this game was good reward for the second half performance, but it was not over as deep into added time, Trundle completed his hat- trick, wit! h a poacher's goal from inside the six-yard box. If the ground had erupted after the equaliser it was nothing to the scenes now. With two more minutes to play the Swans were home and dry against a Cheltenham team who could not believe how the points were lost.

Well from a report that was already written with 20 mins to go, the thoughts were turned on their heads. It really was a game of two halves. While we are ecstatic about the result and the way the team 'dug deep' we can't forget the minuses in the game.

We didn't compete in the first half, and were second to everything. We lack a ball winner in midfield as Cheltenham found acres of space to launch attacks. What we find strange that with a very inexperienced put together defence, Brian Flynn does not play Rog in goal. Whilst Murphy is a good shot stopper he does not yet command the area. The same can also be said about replacing Hylton with Howard. Their time will come but whilst we are struggling in central defence, we must have our more experienced players in other positions.

So we stand proudly third in the table, crowds are up. We do look that we can score goals, but let's not forget we are leaking goals.

Johnrose needs to return to midfield. We need a partner for O'Leary in the heart of the defence. The morale in the team is there for all to see, but there are better defences in this division and goals may not come so readily, well not at an average of 4 a game anyway. It seems strange to say that after scoring 4 goals away, that looking over the full 90 mins, this was not a good performance. The last 20mins was exceptional, but clouds what had happened before.

Still let's be positive. We are the top scorers in the division. We do have the foundations to do very well this season. Four goals a game, and a hat-trick in each, can't be bad. The entertainment value is high. The team do play for each other, much like the promotion team under Hollins, but this team has goals written all over it.



It's sad to end this report, by hearing news that Swans fans were involved in the accident on the M5. We hope and pray that all are well.



Football is a great game. 4-3 wins away from home are great. Events on the M5 can make it all meaningless



Until next time, stay safe.

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