Match report

Swansea City 0 v 0 Hull City

Rich Major half promised to write me up a report of the match but as he is at the moment travelling back on the M4 to Surrey, I'll post a brief note to inform you of what you missed this afternoon.

Swansea were again without the suspended Steve Torpey and also had to rearrange their defence due to the injury sustained by loan signing Pat McGibbon in training earlier this week. Heggs was given the number 9 shirt while Kristian O'Leary came into the defence.

On a dry day at the Vetch, both sides took a while to settle to the blustery conditions and as a result, there was very little pattern to the first 10 minutes or so. The first excitement of any real note came for the small band of travelling Tigers' supporters. On 15 minutes with the ball swirling around the Swansea penalty area, Lee Jenkins found the temptation far too great when he controlled a four foot high ball with his upper arm and referee Lomas had no hesitation in awarding the penalty.

I think it was Warren Joyce who stepped up to take it, and he struck the ball hard and low to Freestone's right, but Roger flung himself across and scrambled the ball around the post. This was the lift that Swansea and the crowd needed and Swansea forced several corners but no real chances during the remaining half hour.

Swansea again attacked strongly in the second half but the miserly Hull defence (only 4 goals conceded all season) were proving hard to break down. Heggs battled well and gave a good account of himself with his never say die attitude and he used the wind well to his advantage when controlling and shielding the ball. Thomas also worked hard up front for little reward.

Freestone nearly undone all his earlier good work, when on the break, Hull lofted in a high ball to the edge of the Swansea area. Freestone came charging out but was beaten to the ball by a Hull attacker and the ball looked certain to be going in - until man of the match Keith Walker racing back cleared the ball off the line.

To the delight of the crowd, Jan Molby came on for the last 15 minutes in place of Kwame Ampadu who had had quite a good game. Molby with with his first touch sent the impressive Coates away down the left but his cross to Dai Thomas was scrambled clear by the hull defence. Swansea upped the tempo in the last 10 minutes and camped in the Hull third of the field but could not break down their well organised defence. A couple of bookings ensued as tempers began to fray - and if memory serves me correctly it was 3-1 to Hull in bookings with Walker being the Swans culprit.

Right at the death, from a slick move down the right, Hull nearly scooped all 3 points with a well struck shot which Freestone did well to save and hold.

Despite the blank scoreline, this was an entertaining match with plenty of good football played by the Swans. Freestone did his usual outstanding job and the defence did not look too disrupted by the late inclusion of young O'Leary. Edwards and Walker were solid for the most part and Steve Jones continues to impress in the wing back role. It won't be long before he starts attracting the attention of more ambitious clubs. Jonatan Coates was a constant thorn in the Hull right side for all of the first half, but faded a little in the second. Lee Jenkins, despite his penalty gaffe, looks a real useful player - always challenging for the tackle and always trying to play accurate intelligent passes when in possession. Penney was combative as usual but didn't get much chance to practice his sharpshooting from the edge of the box. Dai Thomas is another that will soon attract the scouts - he is very difficult to knock off the ball and several times today he forced openings through his sheer strength. Carl Heggs has taken some stick off me for his "bull at the gate" antics, but today he was a revelation. I can't remember him making a single foul and he used his head (brain part) very effectively to set up team mates with his touches.

With Molby back to fitness, things can only improve as Swansea seem to have settled into the pattern of play that he demands. The fans were happy with the performance despite the dropping of 2 home points.