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Match report |
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Swansea City 2 Huddersfield 2 - Report Nigel Gigg, Pictures Andrew Thomas | |
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A few months back this would be seen as a Championship decider. Now with both teams having an inexplicably poor run, it was a chance for both teams to re-establish their promotion prospects. Huddersfield seem to have overcome their poor run and had won each of their last 3 games. Swans went into the game with a 4 match unbeaten League run but players, management and the fans have all been bitterly disappointed to see Swans throw away leads late on in each of the last 2 games.  Swans welcomed back Lee Trundle into the starting line up in place of the unlucky Leon Knight. Kris O'Leary also returned from his long lay off and started on the bench. Side- Gueret, Ricketts, Monk, Austin, Williams, Britton, Robinson, Tate, McLeod, Fallon, Trundle. Subs- O'Leary, Martinez, Forbes, Akinfenwa, Knight. The game started at a furious pace and it was Huddersfield who had the game's first chance with a through ball from Taylor Fletcher to David Graham. His first time shot was well saved by Willy with his legs. Leon Britton soon begin to dominate on the right as Swans strove to gain the upper hand.  Swans first serious effort on goal came on 7 minutes with a shot from Kevin McLeod from 22 yards that Phil Senior in the Huddersfield goal saved easily. Lee Trundle then brought out the best from Senior with a trademark turn and shot that the keeper was unable to hold but Senior recovered to reclaim the ball as it rolled toward the goal. Swans produced an excellent move with Kevin McLeod's super ball to Leon Britton out wide. Leon had a great run and superb cross that had goal written all over it. Rory Fallon had drifted back from his marker and had a free header from just 6 yards. However, he seemed to jump too early and was on the way down as the ball reached him. Stretching, he headed over with the goal at his mercy.  Swans were looking much the batter side, controlling the midfield and forcing Huddersfield into long ball tactics. On 18 minutes Swans took a deserved lead. A Swans attack broke down but a woeful clearance allowed Andy Robinson to head the ball back into the danger area toward Lee Trundle. Trundle showed just why he demands a starting place. He shielded the ball and let the ball run toward goal before unleashing a perfect shot into the bottom corner. Swans were playing with the sort of confidence we had got used to in the early part of the season and Huddersfield were chasing shadows. Rory Fallon had a half chance when after winning an aerial challenge on the edge of the box, the ball fell to Rory himself. He struck a left foot shot from 20 yards that flew just wide of the post.  Sam Ricketts also had a chance when after playing a one two with Lee Trundle he burst through on goal but totally lacked composure and lifted the ball over the bar. Wonder of wonders a Swans centre half then almost then scored from a corner. Andy Robinson played a short corner to Leon Britton, his excellent low cross to the edge of the 6 yard box was well read by Garry Monk who struck a low shot that had goal written all over it but Senior instinctively stuck out a foot and somehow managed to turn the ball away.  The second finally arrived in the 43rd when Huddersfield defence presented Swans with a goal. Tom Williams took a quick throw in on the left to Kevin McLeod 30 yards out from goal. McLeod wouldn't have believed the space he was in and took a few strides forward before firing in a low shot that Senior could only parry out in front of himself. Leon Britton and Rory Fallon were lying in wait and typically of Fallon's luck at the moment the ball fell to Leon. His first shot was blocked but fell back into his path and he made no mistake with the second firing in a left foot shot from just 8 yards out. Swans were good value for their 2-0 lead, surely they couldn't throw this one away? Huddersfield made a double substitution at half time replacing 2 of the midfield players that had been so dominated in the first half.  Within a minute of the restart Swans almost made it 3-0. A superb run by Leon Britton was rewarded by a great through ball by Andy Robinson but with just the keeper to beat Leon shot straight at the keeper. Just 2 minutes later and Kevin Austin was left for dead by David Graham. Graham was very wide and there was no need for Willy to come rushing out and he seemed to brush Graham. Graham went down as if he had been hit by a bus and referee Mark Halsey gave a penalty kick and booked Willy for his stupidity presumably. Chris Brandon's spot kick was struck hard but hit the underside of the crossbar before being cleared, no doubt much to the relief of Austin and Gueret. Huddersfield substitutions had worked wonders as they were now in control of the midfield and were creating the better chances. Andy Robinson did manage a shot in a rare Swans attack and Rory Fallon had another golden chance that he spurned after a terrific run and cross from Kevin McLeod.  On 70 minutes Huddersfield got the goal that had been coming since the start of the second half. Willy Gueret made a good save from David Graham at the expense of a corner. The corner was deep and Willy came off his line but never even left the ground. Rory Fallon was marking Martin McIntosh at the far post but again never left the ground allowing McIntosh an easy header with Willy in no mans land. Huddersfield almost equalised a minute later when Andy Booth just failed to connect to another McIntosh header and Willy was able to claim the ball. It was all Huddersfield now and Sam Ricketts denied Huddersfield's third substitute John Mcalisky by blocking a goal bound effort. The respite was short lived as a minute later Danny Schofield did great work, beating Sam Ricketts all too easily on the left and his ball across the 6 yard line was easily turned in by David Graham who had stormed past the statuesque figures of Austin and Williams. Swans never looked like scoring a third and Huddersfield looked the more likely winners in the end. But Swans held out to make it 5 unbeaten, but more relevant perhaps, the third game running we have concede a lead to drop 2 points. Tonight's game turned on Huddersfield 3 substitutions. The first 2 at half time helped them recover from being overrun in midfield and bringing on a third striker late on caused us further problems. Rather surprisingly Kenny Jackett saw no need for a substitution despite having 5 outfield players on the bench. Why have no keeper on the bench if you don't make a single substitution? Ratings - Gueret 6- Distribution for once was good. At fault for the penalty and Huddersfield's first. Ricketts 6- Got forward well but no his best game. Monk 7- Pick of a poor defence. Austin 5- Always gives you 100% but fell asleep twice costing us a penalty and the second Huddersfield goal. Williams 7- Supported McLeod well down the left, but would take part of the blame for Huddersfield's second. Britton 9 - Outstanding. One blemish was a poor finish when through on keeper that would have finished the game. Robinson 7 - All action, some great runs. Tate 6 - We miss him at right back. McLeod 8 - Finally reproduced his early season form. Fallon 6- Does loads of work in defence and attack and is having no luck at all in front of goal at the moment. Trundle 7 - Great goal and some sublime touches, but that said not at his best yet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Swansea: Gueret, Ricketts, Austin, Williams, Monk, Tate, Britton, McLeod, Robinson, Trundle, Fallon. Subs Not Used: O'Leary, Martinez, Forbes, Knight, Akinfenwa. Booked: Gueret. Goals: Trundle 19, Britton 45. Huddersfield: Senior, Mirfin, Nathan Clarke, McIntosh, Smith, Brandon, Taylor-Fletcher (Schofield 45), Worthington (McAliskey 77), Collins (Holdsworth 45), Booth, Graham. Subs Not Used: Rachubka, Tom Clarke. Booked: Worthington. Goals: McIntosh 70, Graham 82. Att: 13,110 Ref: M Halsey (Lancashire). Would you like your match report printed here? Email it to the site straight after the match. Click here to return to the main page. |
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