Match Report

FORMER Swansea goalkeeper Willy Gueret denied his old side an historic trip to Wembley with a dramatic penalty shoot-out save.

Jason Scotland, who had scored a penalty in normal time to level the tie, had his spot-kick saved by former Swans stopper Gueret to send the League Two leaders through.

Roberto Martinez’s men had overturned the one-goal deficit from the first leg, but despite chances to win the game in the 90 minutes of normal time the game went straight to a shoot-out with the aggregate score tied.

With eight regular starters in the team, Swans boss Martinez was clearly taking the Johnstone’s Paint game very seriously.

Darren Way and Febian Brandy were the only two who didn’t begin Friday night’s League One win over Luton, with Ferrie Bodde and Leon Britton rested.

Midfielder Britton had picked up a knock to the calf on Friday and Martinez was reluctant to risk making it worse with so many important games in the promotion push coming up.

Dons manager Paul Ince stuck with the same starting 11 that surprised Swansea at the Liberty Stadium in the first leg, with goal-scorer Jemal Johnson partnering Kevin Gallen up front.

Brandy had tormented the Dons’ back-four in the first leg and should have had himself a brace but for some hesitant finishing.

The young Manchester United loan striker was at it once again in the opening 10 minutes of the second leg and was twice brought down by centre-half Sean O’Hanlon on the edge of the box.

Both set-pieces came to nothing but the 19-year-old forward nearly set up Andy Robinson on 14 minutes. Brandy controlled a long ball down-field and touched it back to Robinson who hit a 25-yard drive straight at Gueret.

Shortly after O’Hanlon headed just over from a Colin Cameron corner the Swans got the goal to restore parity for the two-leg tie.

As at Port Vale and Crewe in the last few weeks, the goal came thanks to a foul on Robinson in the penalty area.

The winger collected a through-ball from Jason Scotland and burst into the box but was tripped by Dons skipper Keith Andrews, who was lucky not to be shown a card.

Despite some delaying tactics by ex-Swans stopper Gueret, top-scorer Scotland confidently stroked the spot-kick home for his 19th goal of the season in all competitions.

Ince’s men reacted well to the goal and pressed to regain their advantage. Johnson and fellow striker Kevin Gallon both tested Swansea goalkeeper Dorus De Vries from the edge of the box, but neither strike had any venom.

Swansea lost full-back Marcos Painter through injury and his replacement Kevin Austin was being given plenty of work to do by pacy midfielder Lloyd Dyer down the right channel.

Left-back Dean Lewington curled a free-kick inches over from the right flank after Robinson was judged to have pushed Johnson over.

With five minutes of the half remaining referee Andy D’Urso booked Andrews for a foul on Brandy as the Swans pushed for a second.

The away side had a right to feel aggrieved to see Andrews still on the field after a much stronger challenge had conceded the first-half penalty.

Within a minute of the restart, the away side could have been two up. Pratley won the ball in the middle and found Robinson who touched the ball away just before being brought down by Danny Swailes.

Referee D’Urso played advantage and allowed Scotland to pick out Brandy’s run with a delicious through-ball but his shot was stopped by the chest of Gueret.

Brandy had a half-decent penalty shout waved away after clashing with O’Hanlon on 46 minutes and was becoming increasingly frustrated, so it was no surprise to see him booked minutes later for kicking the ball away.

Swansea were then caught out twice with deep crosses from the left. Angel Rangel’s missed clearance almost let in Gallen at the back post and soon after Austin had to be sharp to head a cross away.

Last week’s hero for the Dons Johnson should have done better when he broke down the left on 61 minutes, his square ball by-passed Gallen and fell to Lloyd Dyer but his powerful shot was straight at De Vries.

The Dons began to put the League One leaders under some pressure and missed a big opportunity to score with just over 20 minutes to go.

Lewington broke out from defence and fed central midfielder Alan Navarro who was galloping through the middle. He played it wide to Dyer but Austin did well to get a block on it.

Dons threw everything forward as they tried to find a winner in normal time, Johnson came close with a cross-shot from the left and in the last minute of normal time Gallen put a header the wrong side of the post from six yards.

Swansea could have themselves sneaked it when Scotland when through on goal in injury time; his pass was put behind for a corner from which Tate headed high and wide.

The match went straight to penalties with Andy Robinson and Garry Monk both scoring theirs before Scotland’s miss.

Andrews and Dyer had scored two for the Dons, when Gallen converted their third to give them the advantage.

Despite excellent spot-kicks from Rangel and Duffy, Jude Stirling and Drewe Broughton completed a 100 per cent success rate for the home side.

Broughton had been rushed back into the squad after moving back to the Dons on loan from Wrexham to cover a number of injuries and completed a fairy-tale return by slotting the penalty which clinched his side’s trip to Wembley.

MK Dons: Gueret, Lewington, Diallo (Broughton 84), O'Hanlon, Swailes, Andrews, Cameron (Stirling 80), Dyer, Navarro, Gallen, Johnson.
Subs Not Used: Carbon, Abbey, Baldock.

Booked: Andrews.

Swansea: De Vries, Tate, Monk, Painter (Austin 18), Rangel, Pratley, Robinson, Way, Butler (MacDonald 65), Scotland, Brandy (Duffy 79).
Subs Not Used: O'Leary, Knight.

Booked: Butler, Brandy.

Goals: Scotland 20 pen.

Ref: Andy D'Urso (Essex).

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