Swansea City 1 Mansfield 0
Match Report - Nigel Gigg
Friday night football is always eagerly anticipated and tonight more so than normal with both teams riding high at the top of League 2. There was a packed Vetch field for the clash of second place Swansea and seventh place Mansfield. To add excitement both sides could theoretically go top with a win. Not many who saw this fixture last year will forget a thrilling four-one Swans win in a bad tempered encounter.
The reliable Garry Monk was forced to sit out the game after losing consciousness last week in a clash with Chester's Cortez Belle. Kevin Austin continued at centre half with Andy Gurney returned from a back injury to reclaim the right back spot.Sam Ricketts moved back to the left back spot. Brad Maylett after an excellent second half perfomance at Chester last week was given a start, with Adrian Forbes dropping back to the bench.
Gueret
Gurney Tate Austin Ricketts
Maylett Martinez O'Leary Robinson
Trundle Connor
Subs: Fisken, Britton, Forbes, Fitzgerald, Nugent.
Mansfield kicked off and had Swansea under pressure in the first couple of minutes and had a shot from Larkin flash just over the bar. Swans responded with a lovely move involving Tate Maylett and Gurney, and ending with a Trundle shot well saved by Kevin Pilkington in the Mansfield goal.
On six minutes, and some great attacking play from the Swans, Pilkington seemed to lose his grip on the ball and present Andy Robinson with a chance, he didn't react quickly enough and gifted the ball back to Pilkington. Both Lee Trundle and Andy Robinson went close with shots as Swans began to dominate the game.
On 15 minutes, excellent interpassing between Ricketts and Robinson, put Ricketts through and his well struck right foot shot was well saved and turned round the post for a corner by Pilkington.
Swansea took up camp in Mansfield's half and dominated possession. However they were now failing to turn this possession into meaningful shots on target.Mansfield were trying to play football but were getting nowhere against O'Leary and Martinez in modfield and a super back four.
On 38 minutes another great Swans move involving Robinson and Maylett. Robinson received Maylett's pass fifteen yards out and was bearing down on goal with time and space. He mishit a first time shot ten yards wide. Two minutes later and everybody in the ground thought the Swans had scored. A superb Trundle through ball found Connor whose first time touch beat the keeper and headed goalwards only to be cleared on the line by the retreating centre half.
The first half ended with a succession of Swansea corners and our first defensive mistake with Alan Tate inexplicably trying to chest a ball over his own head to Willy Gueret. The ball falling well short and providing Mansfield with a golden opportunity which they failed to capitalise on.
Early in the second half after another sleek passing movement, Brad Maylett received the ball out wide, he did well but fired a shot just over the bar. Despite dominating again, Swans were coming up against the same old problem of not creating enough clear cut chances. Paul Connor was giving 100% but getting little change from his marker and Robinson all too often wasted possession with shots from 30 yards. But Mansfield on their rare breaks up field looked more than capable of scoring and Willy saved our blushes on 65 minutes with a good save from a shot from Larkin.
Swans made a double substition on 67 minutes with Kevin Nugent replacing Paul Connor and Leon Britton replacing Andy Robinson.
On 70 minutes Trundle got through and had his shot charged down. Leon Britton picked the ball up and his pinpoint cross to Nugent should have resulted in a goal but Nugent's header went wide. Adrian Forbes replaced a tiring Brad Maylett.
On 89 minutes Swansea got the goal their play so richly deserved. A great Leon cross from wide left and both centre halves jumped with Nugent. The ball beat all three, but Adrian Forbes diving header was powerful and well directed and beat Pilkington easily.
Swans saw out the three added minutes comfortably to record their fifth 1-0 victory of the season.
Gueret - 8 - Faultless
Gurney - 8 - Solid as a rock
Tate - 8 - One mistake but superb otherwise
Austin - 8 - Committed as ever
Ricketts - 7 - Too easy to forget he was playing non-league last season, looks totally at ease.
Maylett - 7 - Some great runs but went to sleep more than once
O'Leary - 8 - A few great challenges
Martinez - 9 - Superb throughout
Robinson - 7 - Caused them a few problems but still shooting too often when a simple pass is often a better option.
Connor - 6 - Never really got into the game
Trundle - 8 - Great performance and deserved a goal for his efforts
Subs
Nugent - 7 - Created the space for Forbes to score by sucking in both centre halves
Britton - 7 - A couple of great crosses, one of which led to the goal
Forbes - 7 - Fantastic header to seal victory
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