A beautiful clear day with the pitch once more looking a picture. With 10 points from 12 Roberto Martinez would surely be expecting to make it 13 from 15 against a Northampton side despite having a decent run are still lying 15th in the table. .
Despite the system not really working last week, Roberto Martinez kept the same starting line up, going with the old adage of never changing a winning side. This meant new loan signing Darryl Duffy had to take a place on the bench.
With the Ospreys playing a cup semi final in Cardiff and Wales a playing a European Cup qualifier in Dublin, the crowd of around 11,000 would have been something of a relief to the Swans
Side- Gueret, Amankwaah, Iriekepen, Lawrence, Painter, Britton, Craney, Tate, Robinson, Butler, Abbott. Subs- Oakes, Williams, O'Leary, Jones, Duffy (D).
Swans looked the better of the sides in the opening minutes without creating an opening for themselves. However, Swans were rocked by a goal from nothing after just 5 minutes. Izzy Iriekepen rather needlessly brought down Ryan Gilligan, the son of former Swans favourite Jimmy Gilligan, thirty yards out. With the wall in place Bradley Johnson struck the ball well with his left foot, but he would have been as surprised as everyone else to see Willy Gueret totally rooted to the spot just watching the ball crashing into the roof of the net.
As with last week, Pawel Abbott was too often being left isolated in attack and hard as he tried to hold the ball up, Andy Robinson, Leon Britton and Tom Butler just weren't getting close enough to him.
It was twenty minutes into the game before Swans had their first shot at goal with a low drive from Tom Butler forcing Mark Bunn in the Northampton goal to make a full length save and turn the ball around for a corner.
The corner from Ian Craney was just about as bad as it could have been. He floated the ball across about 40 yards out from goal and 15 yards away from any Swans player. Northampton striker Kenny Deuchar was able to collect the ball and attack the Swans defence. Thankfully after running 40 yards or so with the ball Deuchar's shot lacked conviction and saved Craney's blushes.
Referee Mr Stroud then took centre stage with two penalty decisions to make. Firstly Kenny Deuchar got caught in the thigh by the studs of a Swans defender and luckily for the Swans Mr Stroud turned a blind eye and then Pawel Abbott seemed to be pushed in the back in the area and Mr Stroud, no doubt aware that he had just turned down a decision at the other end took the easy way out and played on.
Northampton were looking the better of the sides but seemed content to sit back and let a limp looking Swans attack them. When Northampton did attack they had far more movement.
Swans did create a second shot at goal on 40 minutes when Alan Tate threaded a pass through the Northampton back line to Andy Robinson. Robbo swivelled and struck a first time shot that Bunn did well to keep out.
After a shocking first half display Swans pulled an equaliser out of the blue in the final of the three minutes of first half injury time. Alan Tate picked the ball up 30 yards out from goal and as with so many of Swans movements there seemed little on. Tatey tried his luck and the ball ricocheted off a number of pairs of legs into the path of Dennis Lawrence and his first time effort from 18 yards flew into the net to give Swans a rather undeserved equaliser.
Northampton had paid a heavy price for their lack of ambition and Roberto Martinez's side had very much got of jail.
The start of the second half saw the dejection of much of the first half turn to joy. From the kick off the Northampton defence seemed to be totally asleep and Tom Butler got through and was bearing down on goal from the right hand side. With just the keeper to beat Butler unselfishly played the ball along the six yard line and Andy Robinson had the easy task of stabbing the ball home from close range.
Northampton were now stung into action and the game opened up. Bradley Johnson came desperately close to levelling things with a turn and shot from 10 yards that thundered against the underside of the bar with Willy Gueret again stuck with his feet seemingly in clay.
With Northampton now throwing men forward this was giving the Swans attacking midfield three of Robinson, Butler and Britton the room to play football and they were each causing the Northampton back line problems.
Northampton striker Kenny Deuchar was lucky to stay on the field after a dreadful lunge at Izzy Iriekepen that could have caused a serious injury. Mr Stroud again took the easy option in showing just the yellow card.
On the hour Willy Gueret again gave just about every Swans fan palpitations with another moment of madness. He came for a ball that he was never going to get and when the ball came across to Bradley Johnson just 10 yards out Willy was still nowhere to be seen. Johnson looked certain to score and struck his shot goalward. Izzy Iriekepen then showed superb athleticism and managed to cleared the ball off the line.
Kevin Amankwaah and Andy Robinson were replaced in quick succession by Kris O'Leary and Darryl Duffy after both looked to have picked up knocks. Swans now switched to 4-4-2 with Duffy joining Abbott upfront, Leon going wide right and Tom Butler moving across to the left. Alan Tate dropped back to right back and Kris O'Leary took his place in front of the back four.
Duffy was soon impressing with his pace and appetite for the ball. He also looked to have an excellent touch.
Swans were now creating far more and looked threatening every time they went forward. Abbott and Duffy were creating space for one another with some good movement.
Roberto Martinez made his final substitution on 75 minutes replacing Tom Butler with Tom Williams.
With 10 minutes to go Ian Craney had a great chance to finally get his first Swans goal when after a mix up in the Northampton defence he had a free shot from just 6 yards out. His shot seemed to be stopped on the line by the outstretched arm of the defender but surprise, surprise Mr Stroud saw nothing.
Craney had another chance in injury time but ran into trouble, however the ball fell kindly for Darryl Duffy but he fired wide from 12 yards out.
Northampton failed to create any late scares and Swans held out comfortably to record their third straight win and make it 13 out of 15 points under Roberto Martinez.
Ratings –
Gueret 4 - Awful again. Roberto must now be thinking his first signing in the summer will be a new keeper as it seems he has no faith in Andy Oakes or surely he would have played him by now.
Amankwaah 5 – Hardly troubled in defence but offered little in attack.
Iriekepen 8 – MOM again. Outstanding goal line clearance capped another excellent display.
Lawrence 6 – Another goal and a decent performance.
Painter 7 – Got down the flank well.
Britton 7- Poor first half but excellent second.
Tate 7 – Solid as ever.
Craney 6 – Still something of an enigma. Can look great one minute and awful the next.
Robinson 7- Another goal and another to have a much better second half than first.
Butler 7 – Constant threat second half.
Abbott 6 – Thankless task when he was isolated in attack. Tried hard today but finishing was poor.
Subs-
O'Leary – 7- Gave nothing away with a few trademark tackles.
Duffy 7 – Showed plenty of promise.
Williams 7 – Did well but missed a couple of obvious through balls to Duffy after he had made terrific runs.
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Swansea: Gueret, Amankwaah (O'Leary 64), Tate, Iriekpen, Lawrence, Britton, Painter, Butler (Williams 77), Craney, Abbott, Robinson (Darryl Duffy 67).
Subs Not Used: Oakes, Jones.
Booked: O'Leary.
Goals: Lawrence 45, Robinson 46.
Northampton: Bunn, Crowe (Cox 59), Holt, Hughes, Doig, Hunt (Aiston 73), Bradley Johnson, Pearce, Gilligan, Deuchar, Robertson (Kirk 46).
Subs Not Used: Dunn, Taylor.
Booked: Crowe, Deuchar.
Goals: Bradley Johnson 6.
Att: 11,071.
Ref: K Stroud (Hampshire).
