Match Report

Report Western Mail, Pictures - Dai Smith

Swansea were without left-back Marcos Painter who was suspended, Kevin Austin coming in for a rare league start at full-back. Darren Pratley was available again after suspension but he was on the bench, Martinez opting to stick with Leon Britton in centre midfield for the former West Ham player’s 200th league game for Swansea.

Guillem Bauza started up-front at the expense of Joe Allen, the 17-year-old was left out of the matchday sqaud as Martinez employed his usual away system of 4-4-2.

Before the match Swans boss Martinez had indicated he may be willing to leave out top-scorer Jason Scotland after the striker played 45 minutes for Trinidad and Tobago in midweek.

But the Spaniard must have thought he was fit enough, picking the striker alongside Guillem Bauza up front. And it wasn’t long before Scotland had grabbed his 13th league goal of the season.

Ferrie Bodde picked out the former Dundee United man with a through ball from centre midfield, he held it up and laid the ball off to the on-rushing Andy Robinson.

As Robinson thrust into the box he was brought down by a poorly-timed tackled by Crewe right-back Danny Woodwards. His only complaint could’ve been that it was right on the edge of the box but referee Nigel Miller had no hesitation in giving the penalty.

Scotland’s spot-kick to the left-hand side of the goal wasn’t the best but Crewe goalkeeper Ben Williams went the wrong way.

Robinson twice went close as Swansea looked to double their advantage, first with a header at the back post from an Angel Rangel cross and then with a stinging drive that flew high over the Crewe goal.

For all Swansea’s neat build-up play their second goal came through a stroke of good fortune.

Bauza once again held the ball up well with his back to goal and passed to Thomas Butler on the right, he fired in a poor first-time cross which should’ve caused no problems for the home defence.

But, as the ball fell to Alex midfielder Gary Roberts, he swung out a right boot to clear the danger but only succeeded in slicing the ball behind him.

Williams had already started to creep out of the Crewe goal and could do nothing but watch as the ball bounced behind him and into the empty net.

Even a few of the home supporters managed a chuckle at what must go down as one of the own goals of the season.

In credit to the home side they could’ve easily gone into their shells in the second period but they came out looking a far more determined side.

Shouts from the home crowd of “you don’t know what you’re doing” seemed to spur a bit of life into the Alex and they twice went close before clawing a goal back with 10 minutes to go.

Substitute Eugen Bopp forced a good save out of Swans ’keeper De Vries and it was from Bopp’s corner that centre-half Julien Baudet headed the ball down and over the line through a crowd of players.

Even with a goal back a draw looked unlikely but, with 90 minutes on the clock, Swansea failed to clear a simple ball into the back post. It eventually fell to second-half sub Tom Pope with his back to goal and the striker turned and smashed into the roof of the net from five yards out.

Sloppy Swans throw it away -

Report Evening Post, Pictures - Dai Smith

Crewe Alexandra struck twice in the last eight minutes as sloppy Swansea City threw away two points at Gresty Road.

Swansea were cruising at 2-0 after Jason Scotland notched his 17th goal of the season from the penalty spot and Gary Roberts sliced home a comic own goal.

But Roberto Martinez's men never reached top gear, and they paid the price for not finishing off a woeful Crewe outfit late on.

Julien Baudet headed home from a corner to give the Railwaymen hope, then substitute Tom Pope popped up in the last minute to snatch an unlikely point.

The form guide had pointed to an away victory - Crewe came into this one having won only one of their 15 previous matches, while Swansea had tasted league defeat only once since mid-September.

These are difficult times for the Alex, who fielded only one genuine striker, Nicky Maynard, after failing to land a string of targets in January and then again when the loan market opened on Friday.

Swansea showed two changes from last weekend's win over Oldham, with Kevin Austin in for the banned Marcos Painter and Guillem Bauza taking over from Joe Allen as Martinez reverted to 4-4-2.

That meant no immediate return for Darren Pratley, who started on the bench despite his fine form pre-suspension and injury, while Scotland was deemed fit enough to start despite his return trip to Trinidad in midweek.

Swansea's leading scorer did not take long to prove his manager right to play him.

Martinez's men had made by far the brighter start, looking comfortable in possession and carrying a threat from the outset.

From their first serious attack, the opening goal came.

Ferrie Bodde started the move, looking up on halfway and picking a pass to Scotland down the inside left channel. He reached the byline, spun and laid the ball back for Andy Robinson. When he beat Danny Woodards to the pass and then tumbled over his leg, referee Nigel Miller was in no doubt.

Crewe's near non-existent complaints suggested the Durham whistler was right to point to the spot.

SCOTLAND, now Swansea's regular penalty-taker after Robinson's travails earlier in the campaign, sent Ben Williams the wrong way from 12 yards with little fuss.

Swansea had snatched the lead without reaching their peak, and things would get even better before the break, even though the visitors were not at their slick best on a bobbly surface.

Crewe chances were barely worth note in the first 45 minutes - Nicky Maynard sliced a shot into the advertising boards from an almost impossible angle before Roberts's long-ranger sailed straight into the arms of Dorus de Vries.

The home crowd were jeering within 20 minutes as Steve Holland's strugglers toiled, and the boos were much louder by half-time.

Two cross-shots, one from Robinson and one from Scotland, flew wide of the target before Angel Rangel whistled a half-volley wide of the upright from 20 yards.

When the second goal eventually came, it was cruel on Crewe.

Rangel fed Tom Butler on the right, and his cross probably would not have caused too much trouble had ROBERTS not stuck out a leg in an attempt to clear. But the ball spooned off the midfielder's shin and looped over a stranded Williams.

Swansea were almost embarrassed to celebrate, although 1,100 noisy travelling fans had no such qualms.

There was one heavy blow for Martinez in the first half - Dennis Lawrence was carried off with a worrying leg injury after a block tackle on Michael O'Connor.

Alan Tate was summoned to a Swansea rearguard who were not enduring their busiest afternoon of the season.

Half-time: Crewe Alexandra 0,

Swansea City 2

There was some alarm for Tate and Co straight after the restart when a half-cleared corner was returned with interest by Byron Moore.

The youngster's volley was struck sweetly enough, but it flew straight at de Vries.

Swansea were soon bossing possession once more, and they might have stretched their advantage had Bauza or Scotland made better connections in front of goal.

Pratley arrived to give Swansea some added midfield steel after Moore's pass had carved Crewe's best opportunity yet for Ben Rix.

Crewe's wide right man drove a shot at Swansea's goal, but de Vries stood tall to beat the ball away.

Had that gone in, the mood of the natives might have improved.

As it was, they were left calling for the club's board of directors to be sacked while booing the substitutions made by head coach Holland.

Swansea, meantime, attempted to concentrate on the job of sealing victory.

Robinson curled a shot too close to Williams, then Bauza forced the ex-Manchester United youngster into a smarter save with turn and shot from the edge of the box.

Still Swansea were below their best, but it did not look like mattering against desperate hosts until the dramatic climax.

Swansea were warned when home skipper Baudet met Rix's corner with a header which bounced off the turf onto the bar.

But they lost BAUDET again when Eugen Bopp swung in another flag-kick five minutes later and the big central defender nodded home from point-blank range.

And Swansea were left feeling bitter frustration when Bopp shrugged off Austin and centred for POPE to smash home at the near post.

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