Torquay 1 Swansea City 3 - Western Mail
A TRIO of strikes inside 23 second-half minutes from Adrian Forbes, Bayo Akinfenwa and Andy Robinson powered Swansea through to round two of the LDV Vans Trophy down in dank Devon last night.
The scores ended a Swans goal drought that had stretched for over four hours, but Kenny Jacketts' men had to come from behind after Jo Kuffour had pummelled the hosts in front inside the opening half hour.
Jackett had reshuffled his pack extensively - making six changes to the side held to a goalless draw at the newly-named Liberty Stadium last Saturday.
There was a first senior start for Wales U21 cap Shaun MacDonald in midfield. Kris O'Leary returned into central defence - Robinson, Forbes, rookie Mark Pritchard and keeper Brain Murphy also in the line-up.
The Gulls, struggling near the foot of League Two and beaten 4-2 at Wrexham 72 hours earlier, drafted in Matt Hockley at right-back and 19-year-old Liam Coleman slotted into the right side of a midfield four.
Much local hostility was aimed at visiting raider Akinfenwa, a player who had quit Torquay for Swansea in a £100,000 switch four months back via a tribunal.
The Gulls had crashed on eight occasions already this campaign. Yet they belied their dire form with a slick attack on seven minutes - Kuffour escaping on the left, Alan Connell muscled out by the vigilant O'Leary deep in the area.
More efforts from Tony Bedeau and marauding Hill flew over. But United snatched the lead with a wonderfully-crafted strike in the 25th minute.
Frenchman Kuffour, once a hopeful at Arsenal, exchanged passes with Connell before bending an angled, 15-yard right-footer past Murphy's left hand.
And the stunned Swans spurned a golden opportunity to draw level just five minutes later as West Midland referee Mick Fletcher deemed that ex-Wales international Andy Marriott had clattered Akinfenwa in the area.
It appeared a controversial decision. Yet ex-Forest stopper Marriott went from villain to hero - going right to superbly parry Robinson's low kick.
Former Tranmere player Robinson rightfully challenged for the rebound. But that simply sparked an ugly 18-man melee, official Fletcher cautioning Swansea's MacDonald and Gulls' Hockley.
That proved virtually the last action a beleaguered Fletcher saw. The referee's pulled calf muscle saw him replaced by assistant Roger Vaughan of Somerset at the interval.
And Vaughan was embroiled in controversy almost immediately - flashing a yellow card at Irishman Murphy after the Swans custodian had handled Hockley's cross outside his box.
The Swans had sought to increase the tempo moments earlier and Forbes sent a drive screaming past the far post as an anxious Marriott gazed on.
Skipper Roberto Martinez and top marksman Lee Trundle left the bench for youngsters MacDonald and Pritchard as the visitors looked to up the ante.
Marriott excelled once more as he diverted Marc Goodfellow's raking drive. But the Swans were deservedly level on 65 minutes - Forbes lashing home.
There was no disguising the diminutive predator's delight - but the former Luton man will know he might have done better just minutes later, as he nudged wide from point-blank range.
Yet the relentless Swans clinched the tie four minutes from time - Akinfenwa heading in Robinson's quick free-kick with the Gulls defence frozen.
And home frailties were cruelly exposed again just two minutes on - Robinson seeing his special deflected past a distraught Marriott.
Torquay United: Marriott; Hockley, Sharp, Taylor, Hill; Coleman (Phillips 73), Garner, Hewlett, Kuffour; Bedeau (Sow 90), Connell (Constantine 90) Subs not used: Bittner,Woods
Goal: Kuffour 24
Swansea City: Murphy; Tate, O'Leary, Austin, Ricketts; Forbes (Iriekpen 86), MacDonald (Martinez 59), Robinson, Goodfellow; Akinfenwa, Pritchard (Trundle 59). Subs not used: Anderson, Gueret
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