Swans were confirmed as Champions at full time as a result of Carlisle losing at home but the party was somewhat subdued after a poor performance and another home defeat.

Swans went into today's game knowing that victory or achieving the same result as Carlisle would be enough to confirm them as Champions, but the ridiculous scenario of Leeds being handed back points continues to hang over League Division One and as the days go by this situation is becoming more and more calamitous.



Roberto Martinez made three surprise changes to the starting line up at Gillingham with Kev Austin replacing Marcos Painter, who presumably was injured. Tom Butler replaced Paul Anderson and Guillem Bauza, who scored both Swans goals at Gillingham, was replaced by Febian Brandy.

The 18,000 plus crowd were in good voice prior to kick off and gave an emotional welcome to former Swans hero James Thomas.

Side- De Vries, Tate, Williams, Lawrence, Austin, Butler, Britton, Pratley, Robinson, Brandy, Scotland. Subs - Monk, Way, Jones, Anderson, Bauza.

Swans made a bright start and almost took the lead on four minutes when an Andy Robinson long range effort caught Yeovil keeper Stephen Mildenhall off guard and the ball ballooned up off the keeper's arm to safety.

Ashley Williams, making his home debut for the Swans looked to have a great chance with a free header from a corner but somehow failed to connect with the ball.

Swans dominated the opening twenty minutes with Leon Britton and Darren Pratley seemingly having a stranglehold on the midfield and it came as a surprise when Yeovil took the lead on 22 minutes.

There seemed little danger as Marvin Willaims made his way down the right wing. He was allowed to cross and picked out veteran centre half Terry Skiverton's run and he headed home easily with the Swans defenders to a man standing looking at one another.

The goal seemed to put a damper on proceedings and Swans failed to trouble Stephen Mildenhall for the remainder of the half. Ashley Williams had two further chances with headers from corners. On both occasions he was unmarked but headed over the bar with one effort and wide of the far post with the second.

Yeovil had a couple of good chances to extend their lead but lack of composure in front of goal proved their undoing.

Roberto Martinez should have been reading the riot act at half time but there was little improvement early in the second half. Just about everyone would have expected the early introduction of Paul Anderson and Guillem Bauza but both were left running up and down the touchline.

Despite once more dominating possession, Swans couldn't turn this into any sort of threat on the Yeovil goal and again it was Yeovil, on rare attacks, that were looking the more likely scorers. Marcos Stewart should have scored Yeovil's second with a free header from a cross from the left. He was totally unmarked but could only head into the grateful arms of Dorus de Vries.

You would expect Swans to learn the lesson and tighten things up, but no, within 60 seconds a repeat performance. This time the cross came from Lee Peltier on the right. The Swans defence all stood rooted to the spot and Aidan Downnes ran around Alan Tate, controlled the ball and drilled it past Dorus de Vries.

Still no sign of the substitutions and more importantly no sign of any improvement. The substitutions finally came on 70 minutes with Kev Austin and Tom Butler making way. The Swans went 3-5-2 with Ashley Williams going to the left back spot and Guillem Bauza playing just behind the front two.

Swans pulled one back on 79 minutes when Andy Robinson rifled home after the ball had bounced around the Yeovil area like a pin ball.

Despite the crowd getting right behind them Swans produced very little else to get excited about as we huffed and puffed but never came close to getting a second. Darren Pratley got deeper and deeper and his passes more and more lateral. At one stage Roberto Martinez gestured to him that the ball had to go forward and Prats responded indicating to the 'gaffer' to calm down. From my seat I couldn't quite see the steam that was no doubt coming from Roberto's ears.

Pratley was shortly after awarded the man of the match award and I can only assume that is now granted to the Swans player who has contributed most to the days result. i.e. A Yeovil victory.

Prats compounded a bad performance for him and the Swans by getting himself sent off in the fourth minute of injury time. Yeovil thumped the ball up field and Dorus de Vries looked to come out of his box to belt the ball up field. Darren Pratley shouted to his keeper to leave it to him and chased the ball back. With Lloyd Owusu the nearest Yeovil player 20 yards away and showing little or no interest in closing him down, Pratley turned and inexplicably knocked the ball toward Owusu. Owusu couldn't believe his luck and knocked the ball past Pratley and chased after it, Pratley sent the giant striker crashing to the floor and rightly received a straight red.

The final minute or so was really strange with news that Carlisle had lost coming through. Do you celebrate your teams defeat?

After the final whistle and after the delighted Yeovil players and fans had left, Swans players did return to celebrate in front of the home fans. It all seemed a little strange and may look even stranger if the League lose their bottle and give in to Leeds bully boy tactics.

It would have been so nice to have secured top spot with a champagne performance but today is a day for looking back on a magnificent season not a poor day at the office.

Ratings-

De Vries 6 - Little chance with the goals.

Tate 5 - Head dropped early on and anything but a captain's performance.
Williams 6 - Difficult to apportion blame but part of a porous defence today.
Lawrence 6 - as above.
Austin 6 - With his Swans career probably close to an end not a day to be too critcal.

Butler 5 - Offered very little.
Britton 7 - MOM for his tenacity.
Pratley 5 - Seems to play much better with Ferrie Bodde in the starting line up.
Robinson 6 - Ran into defenders looking for free kicks too often.

Brandy 5- Very disappointing.
Scotland 6 - Worked hard but little came off for him.

Subs-

Anderson 6 - Never afraid to run at defenders.
Bauza 5 - Lucky not to receive a red card for an ugly lunge.

Swansea: De Vries, Williams, Tate, Lawrence, Austin (Bauza 70), Britton, Pratley, Robinson, Butler (Anderson 71), Brandy, Scotland.
Subs Not Used: Monk, Tudur-Jones, Way.

Sent Off: Pratley (90).

Booked: Bauza.

Goals: Robinson 79.

Yeovil: Mildenhall, Peltier, Skiverton, Forbes, Smith, Barry, Peters, Bircham (Owusu 83), Williams, Downes (Jones 76), Stewart.
Subs Not Used: Guyett, Behcet, Kirk.

Booked: Skiverton, Peltier, Downes, Bircham, Williams, Mildenhall.

Goals: Skiverton 23, Downes 60.

Att: 18,321

Ref: Mike Russell (Hertfordshire).

More pictures from Andrew Thomas - Click thumbnail for larger image