 |
Match report |
|
Swansea City 1 Walsall 1 | |
|
Swansea City 1 Walsall 1 - Match Report - Nigel Gigg, Pictures - Andrew Thomas and Gary Martin
 Tom Williams replaced Sam Ricketts, who is yet to fully recover from his bout of sickness. Roberto Martinez replaced Andy Robinson in centre midfield, with Robinson moving to left midfield in place of Kevin McLeod, who dropped down to the bench. Gueret Forbes - Tate - Monk - Williams Britton - Martinez - Way - Robinson Fallon - Trundle Subs: Murphy - Ricketts - Lowe - Knight - Akinfenwa Walsall's side has changed drastically since we thumped them 5-2 earlier in the season, and that their exit on penalties in the LDV Vans Trophy against us would have given them all the encouragement for this to be another tough game.  Swans started well and Lee Trundle forced an error from Andy Oakes in the Walsall goal. Oakes was unable to hold and Andy Robinson almost made Oakes pay but was just beaten to the ball. It was Leon Britton that was causing Walsall all sorts of problems with some great runs and exquisite touches. It was Walsall that should have taken the lead, with just twelve minutes a wayward shot provided Kevin James with a clear opportunity but his powerful header was well saved by the legs of Willy Gueret. Tom Williams received a yellow card for dissent after he was harshly adjudged to have brought down his marker. The decision incensed Williams who didn't know when to shut up, and earned an unnecessary caution.  Williams's fury would not have been helped as Walsall took the lead from the free-kick. Paul Devlin was given too much space just outside the box and was able to pick his spot with a well struck volley from twenty yards. Andy Robinson looked to have equalised after being put through by Lee Trundle. He bent a shot around the advancing keeper only to see the ball strike the post and rebound to safety. If the linesman had cost Swans the first goal, the referee Mr Williamson, seemed determined to cost us the second with some bizarre decisions.  Swans almost grabbed an equaliser on thirty-four minutes when Andy Robinson was again put through by Lee Trundle, and his excellent cross looked to have given Rory Fallon the perfect opportunity just three or four yards out, but he failed to connect. Shortly after the linesman Mr Scott missed a clear offside to put Walsall through. Alan Tate put in what looked an excellent tackle only for Mr Williamson to penalise Tatey, and to add insult to injury, booked him. Another dubious offside provided Walsall with another chance Andrew Barrowman's shot beat Willy Gueret, but Garry Monk cleared off the line to save the Swans going 2-0 down.  Swansea were 1-0 down at half-time, and Walsall had created better chances than the Swans by and large. The midfield was not operating as a unit. The defence was at sixes and sevens, and Fallon and Trundle had little or no understanding up front. Add an over fussy referee and a next to useless linesman and it wasn't a half to remember. Kenny Jackett must have wondered how many substitutions to make at half time, and plumped for just the one, with Leon Knight replacing Leon Britton. Swans didn't start the second half much better than they ended the first, and it looked like the Swans would need a flash of inspiration if they were to get back into the game.  On the hour Andy Robinson chipped the ball over the keeper only to be denied by a goal line clearance. Kenny Jackett made his final substitution with Sam Ricketts and Adebayo Akinfenwa replacing Adrian Forbes and Rory Fallon. Adrian Forbes hadn't looked anything like as comfortable at full back today as he had midweek, and Rory Fallon missed yet another great chance, but more worryingly won few challenges and never even looked a threat. The final substitutions saw the Swans playing some better football. With Swansea pushing up there was always the danger of being caught at the back. Willy Gueret had to be at his best to deny a point blank shot from Barrowman. On seventy three minutes Walsall made their intentions clear by taking off a wide midfielder and bringing on another centre half. Swansea were fast running out of ideas. There was little or no pattern to their play and there was no width on either side of the field.  Tactics revolved around hitting balls from defence into Adebayo Akinfenwa. With three minutes the Swans got lucky, yet another hopeful ball into Bayo, some nice control, a turn and shot, that surely wouldn't have beaten Oakes but for a deflection that lifted the ball over his head and into the goal. With Swansea desperate for a winner, Andy Robinson had a cross shot that drifted past the far post, and Akinfenwa had a chance from a Trundle cross that he headed over. With Walsall creaking Adebayo had another chance that Oakes managed to keep out with his feet.  It was all too little too late, a decent fifteen minutes and a great last five minutes - shame about the rest. A fifth consecutive League draw and a further two points lost. Gueret - 7 - A couple of moments of madness, but had to pull off three of four saves to keep us in the game. Forbes - 5 - Gave usual 100% but isn't a full back Tate - 6 - Not a bad game but at the heart of a defence that was pulled apart too often Monk - 6 - As above Williams - 5 - No right foot at all, didn't get forward enough - needless booking. Britton - 6 - Started well, drifted out of things, but probably unlucky to be substituted Way - 5 - Looks nothing like the player who used to terrorise us for Yeovil Martinez - 6 - Pick of a poor midfield Robinson - 6 - Not his usual threat Fallon - 5 - Poor game and yet another glaring miss Trundle - 6 - Not at his best Subs: Knight - 5 - Looked almost disinterested, and another to pick up a needless booking Ricketts - 6 - Got forward much more than Forbes Bayo - 7 - Another goal, surely will now start ahead of Fallon
 Swansea: Gueret, Tate, Forbes (Ricketts 64), Williams, Monk, Martinez, Britton (Knight 45), Robinson, Way, Trundle, Fallon (Akinfenwa 64). Subs Not Used: Murphy, Lowe. Booked: Williams, Tate, Knight. Goals: Akinfenwa 88. Walsall: Oakes, Pead, Gerrard, Mills, Osborn (Demontagnac 76), Wright (Westwood 73), Smith, Leary, James, Barrowman (Fitzgerald 80), Devlin. Subs Not Used: Gilmartin, Constable. Booked: Osborn, Mills, Oakes. Goals: Devlin 17. Att: 13,262 Ref: I Williamson (Berkshire).
 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. |
|