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Swansea 3 Macclesfield 0
Nigel Gigg
Swans were able to start tonight with just one change to Saturday's game at Scunthorpe with Kris O'Leary replacing the injured Leon Hylton. The first of the walking wounded made their way back with Karl Connolly and Lenny Johnrose named as substitutes.
Macclesfield included former Swan Karl Munroe in the centre of defence.
Line up: Freestone,
Duffy, O'Leary, Iriekpen, Howard,
Britton, Wilson, Robinson, Maylett,
Nugent, Trundle.
Subs Murphy, Johnrose, Durkan, Connolly, Thomas.
Macclesfield are one of those sides that you always feel you should beat easily but it never seems to happen. Well tonight it did!
From the start Macclesfield looked as if they wanted to outplay Swansea which at the moment is like a featherweight fighter trying to outpunch Mike Tyson. After just one minute, birthday boy Leon Britton played a through ball to Brad Maylett that was absolute perfection. Maylett's cross fell to Trundle whose left-footed shot from just 12 yards was well saved. Trundle was no doubt burdened down by the Gigg family £10 on him for first goal that was to haunt him all night.
Talking of first goal, for the last 6 months I've backed Leon Britton for just about every game for first goalscorer at odds between 16/1 and 25/1. Tonight Corals Telephone Centre was unable to offer me a price, as they couldn't find Leon on their list. Eventually I tracked down Bet 365 but thought the 13/1 odds offered too miserly. Instead the Gigg family fortune would follow Mr Trundle at what I considered a good value 9/2.
Swans eyes must have lit up at Macclesfield's open style of play and Maylett, Britton and Wilson all were given room to run at people. The game was very open and whilst Macclesfield had a fair amount of possession they were rarely a threat on goal in the first half. To add to their problems Macclesfield had 2 defenders cautioned early on as they came under greater and greater pressure.
Swans seemed to be happy to keep prompting and their patience was rewarded on 31 minutes when to the surprise of everyone bar the Gigg family, Leon Britton collected a ball from Mark Wilson and cool as you like buried the ball in the corner. Leon took the plaudits and I was left with the feeling of could it have been my fault he has waited so long for his goal.
The goal seemed to make Swans even more relaxed and they played some beautiful attacking football. John Hollins would have been totally frustrated watching Swans adopting an all out attacking style with both full backs involved at every opportunity.
On the stroke of half time a pinpoint cross from Wilson found the head of the diving Richard Duffy whose brilliant header gave the keeper no chance.
Half time saw us entertained by a young lad from Tenby, who, resplendent in his gymnastic City of Swansea tracksuit scored a superb penalty against Cyril from a 75 yard run up that included a front somersault, a backward somersault and a front roll before he smacked the ball into the bottom corner. He followed it up with a further couple of somersaults for good measure.
Within 3 minutes of the restart Swans killed the game when Andy Robinson scored from close range after great work from Maylett. However, even from our vantagepoint in the East Stand he looked a couple of yards offside.
The rest of the game Swans coasted with Lee Trundle using every opportunity to show the fans and the Macclesfield defenders his full array of tricks.
For all his efforts Trundle was never going to score tonight once he was burdened down with the Gigg curse, but his second half performance seemed to say to the fans..... 'Forget the young upstart taking penalties, there is only one Lee Trundle'.
Freestone 8 – Not a single shot to save. Could have done some knitting to keep him occupied.
Duffy 9 – Superb performance again. Looks like he has been playing League football for 10 years.
Howard 7 – Some great moments going forward.
Iriekpen 8 – Best game to date.
O'Leary 7 – A couple of mistakes. Moved to right back when Duffy went off and did as much attacking as Cafu does at times.
Britton 9 – Outstanding as usual. Happy Birthday Leon.
Robinson 9 – Got better and better as the game went on.
Wilson 8 – Did the simple things all night, much in the style of Roberto Martinez.
Maylett 8 - Looks far too good for this Division at times.
Trundle 8 – Full of tricks and rumoured to be the subject of a bid from Barnum and Baileys.
Nugent 8 – The straight guy to Mr Trundle, but did his job well again.
Subs
Johnrose 8 – Very tidy and ideal way back after 3 or 4 weeks out.
Durkan 7 – Hardly involved for the time he was on. 
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