Match report

Swansea City 2 Wycombe Wanderers 2 - Match Report - Nigel Gigg, Pictures - Andrew Thomas

Swansea v Wycombe After the superb performance in the FA Cup last week, it’s back to the real business today with Swans welcoming Wycombe Wanderers to the Vetch.

Wycombe have had something of a yo-yo season, starting well and they were actually top of the League when Swans won there 1-0 on September 18th. Since then they had disastrous run, which culminated in the departure of Tony Adams. A better run of late sees them now sitting in 14th place.

Wycombe included ex Swan loan player Nathan Tyson, journeyman Steve Claridge who has come back to League football at the age of 38, ex Tottenham centre half Stuart Nethercott and former Premiership winger Steve Guppy. Swans were without Adrian Forbes whose turn it was a sit a game out through suspension after collecting 5 bookings. Leon Britton moved from central midfield to the right of midfield to replace Forbes with Alan Tate returning from suspension back into central midfield.

In the last 7 days all the talk has been about Reading, Sky TV or the new players we are targeting. Everyone seems to have forgotten about today’s game and the spaces in the stands and terraces just before kick off seemed to bear this out.

Side – Gueret, Ricketts, Monk, Iriekpen, Austin, Britton, Tate, Gurney, Robinson, Connor, Trundle. Subs – Murphy, Anderson, Maylett, Fiskin, Pritchard.

Swans didn’t have the best of starts. They failed to clear a second minute corner and a poor header fell to Joe Burnell whose powerful shot flew over Willy Gueret’s crossbar. If we needed a wake up call, it had come early.

Things didn’t get any better as a lethargic looking Swans were coming off second best to a lively looking Wycombe outfit. The midfield was unable to retain possession and Connor and Trundle were pretty much starved of supply.

It took Swansea fully 20 minutes to have a meaningful shot on goal and then Trundle was forced back to the half way line to collect the ball before going on a John Barnes like run before hitting a right foot shot wide of the post.

Wycombe were playing the better football and able to retain possession far better than us and Danny Senda in particular looked lively and was giving Kevin Austin a torrid time.

Our defence was working overtime to keep Wycombe at bay and Monk and Iriekpen both made crucial tackles and blocks. Wycombe really should have gone 1-0 up on 35 minutes when Danny Senda and Steve Claridge linked well on the right and Senda’s cross was met by the unmarked Nathan Tyson just 6 yards out. He inexplicably headed over.

Wycombe bossed the remainder of the half and Swans would have been mightily relieved to go in with the scores level.

Kenny Jackett would have had an interesting half time chat and would no doubt have been considering substitutions for much of the first half. He elected to change 2 of the midfield at half time, taking off an out of sorts Andy Robinson and bringing on Ijah Anderson and removing and out of sorts and out of position Andy Gurney and bringing on Brad Maylett. The changes meant Leon Britton went to central midfield.

The changes seemed to have had the desired effect, as Swans looked much brighter at the start of the second half.

Swans took the lead on 51 minutes when brilliant footwork by Leon Britton and a perfect slide rule pass put Paul Connor through one on one with the keeper. Connor confidentially rounded Frank Talia in the Wycombe goal and rolled the ball into the empty net.

Wycombe must have wondered how on earth they were losing a game they had controlled, but worse was to follow for them as on 57 minutes Leon Britton again went on a run and sucked in defender after defender before freeing Lee Trundle. His run on goal was far from easy but he beat his marker before rounding Talia. Talia missed the ball with his dive but seemed to catch Trundle’s heels bringing him crashing down. The referee had no hesitation in awarding the penalty and Talia was booked for his protests.

Trundle stepped up and smashed the penalty to the keepers’ left.

The second goal seemed to knock the stuffing out of Wycombe and more Swans goals looked likely, as the balance of power in midfield had switched very much Swansea’s way.

Leon Britton was causing Wycombe all sorts of problems but Paul Connor’s finishing meant Swansea were unable to kill the game off.

With 75 minutes gone Wycombe had their first shot of the second half. From a corner Roger Johnson looped a left footed volley, which seemed goal bound, only for Wily to tip the ball over the bar.

However, the respite was short-lived as from the second corner a defensive mix up left Johnson free at the far post and he had an easy header to score and give Wycombe hope.

Willy foolishly kicked the ball away after the goal and was booked giving him his 5th booking, which is disappointing for a goalkeeper. He also now faces a one-match ban.

Two minutes later and Swansea had another great chance to kill the game off. Again Leon Britton was the instigator holding the ball up and sending a perfectly weighted pass in the path of Brad Maylett who with just the keeper to beat rolled a shot/ cross wide of the far post. He really should have done better.

Swans paid a heavy price for not killing the game off as with 8 minutes left Kevin Austin was adjudged to have committed a foul near the touchline. Steve Guppy floated the freekick into the box and the ball was watched by everyone and bounced on the 6-yard line. Still nobody moved and the ball went in off the far post with Willy rooted to the spot.

In the remaining minutes both sides had half chances to win the game, but in all honesty a draw was probably about right.

Thankfully other results meant our generosity has not cost us dear and the debate about whether a good cup run is worth it can continue.

Gueret 6 – Asleep for the second goal and foolishly picked up a 5th booking.
Ricketts 7 – Decent game, defended well but didn’t get forward and much as he seems to on the left.
Monk 9 – Excellent game. Had Claridge in his pocket all afternoon.
Iriekpen 7 – Good game under a lot of pressure.
Austin 6 – Definitely looks more comfortable at centre half.
Britton 8 – Absolutely stunning second half. Poor out wide first half.
Tate 6 – Can look excellent at times in midfield and bloody awful at other times.
Gurney 4 – Strange choice as captain as he never seems to speak to anyone. Very poor game.
Robinson 4 – Seemed like his mind was on Monday’s game and after this performance will be lucky to start.
Connor 7 – Took his goal really well but should have added to that.
Trundle 8 – Lacked support first half but seemed to relish having Leon Britton playing behind him.

Subs
Anderson 7 – Decent game and supported both attack and defence.
Maylett 5- Seems to have lost a lot of weight and looked lethargic

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