Match report

Swansea City 1 v 0 Northampton Town

Report courtesy of John Burgum - Evening Post

TOP scorer Steve Torpey's sixth goal of the season was a second half match-winner as Swansea claimed their second home win in five days.

As expected, Swansea retained the side which ended a seven-match sequence without a win by defeating Wigan in midweek. The only change came on the substitutes' bench where Kristian O'Leary replaced David Thomas. Northampton were also unchanged as they attempted to make it four wins on the trot. Their side included former Swansea mid-fielder Matthew Rush, in his second match on loan from Norwich.

Swansea went straight onto the offensive and were offered an early opportunity when Rennie handled outside the area. Molby stepped up to take the free-kick but, although he curled his effort around Northampton's defensive wall, Sampson cleared the danger.

Swansea kept up the momentum and, when Brown cut in from the right wing and unleashed a low shot, Clarkson put it behind for a corner as Torpey slid in. It was evident that the slightest mistake on a greasy surface could prove fatal but the conditions seemed right for Molby who found Brown with a 40-yard pass before Sampson came across to prevent Torpey reaching the former Hull man's cross.

Swansea were finding it difficult breaking down Northampton's well-manned and well-organised defence but they carved out another half chance in a move inspired by Molby. Penney took up the running and, when his cross eluded Coates, Jenkins hit his 15-yard effort high and wide.

Having dealt with the early pressure, Northampton showed that they had evety intention of fol- lowing up on a 2-0 midweek win at Hartlepool with Sampson lifting a high cross to the far post. Grayson found the direction but not the power with a header which found the grateful arms of Freestone. As Swansea continued to beat a resolute defence, Brown side-stepped one challenge before driving in a low shot from the edge of the area which had keeper Woodman at full stretch. Swansea kept up their assault and Molby was involved again as Torpey chested down a through-ball which Penney drove over from 25 yards.

Coates seemed to have found an opening only to see his final pass clip Brown's heel as the striker headed for goal. Swansea continued to look the more threatening and only a glancing header from Warburton prevented Clode's left wing cross from reaching Torpey at the far post. From the resulting corner Woodman lost possession and Torpcy headed into the side netting.

Swansea did not have matters entirely their own way and, when Warbuiton delivered a cross from tbe left, a misunderstanding between Clode and his keeper almost let in Rush. As Swansea launched another attack Coates, positioned out on the left tried his luck from 25 yards with a shot which dipped just over the bar. Northampton, however, finished a scrappy half looking the stronger, certainly in front of goal. Grayson headed over from a Parrish free kick before Rush, playing a neat one two with Rennie, burst into the box but pushed his shot wide.

Half time: Swansea City 0, Northampton Town 0

Swansea went straight back onto the offensive when the match resumed but to a large extent were still being kept at long range. Molby hooked wide from 20 yards after Jenkins had set him up then a quick break released Parrish and Swansea were grateful to the covering Penney who made an important sliding tackle and conceded the corner. Swansea built another useful attack involving Brown and Jenkins but there was no-one to support Torpey when O'Shea misjudged an awkwardly bouncing ball. Northampton were now looking much more effective coming forward and came close to breaking the deadlock when Cooper reached out to meet Maddeson's cross only to see his effort rebound to safety off the post.

Almost immediately Molby, who looked to be struggling with an old groin injury, went off to be replaced by substitute Kristian O'Leary. By now Northampton had seized the initiative with Rush looking more and more threatening whenever he received the ball. But the former Swansea player passed up another opportumty when Grayson put him clear, Rush's shot going wide of Freestone's near post.

Despite a considerable amount of possession, Swansea were still unable to make the most of it. A rare piece of misjudgement by Woodman offered Brown a chance but when he delivered his cross into a packed goalmouth the danger was quickly snuffed out.

Brown was having one of his better games up front alongside Torpey and, when Jones pumped in a cross from the right, Brown got there first although his header on target lacked power. The Northampton defence started to look a little vulnerable for the first time ... and the breakthrough for Swansea came on 67 minutes. It started when Brown burst up-field looking for support. He handed over to the overlapping Jones who delivered a low cross into a packed goalmouth where TORPEY was first to react, hooking in from six yards to bag his sixth goal of the season.

Torpey's goal triggered a series of promising Swansea attacks, punctuated by half a dozen stoppages for substitutions and cautions. Two of the latter came for fouls against the hard-working Brown who limped off to loud cheering from Swansea's grateful fans on 76 minutes. There was an equally vociferous welcome for his replacement Carl Heggs who scored all four goals for the reserves in their midweek win at Wimbledon.

Team: Freestone, Brown, Clode, Walker, Edwards, Jones, Jenkins, Penney, Torpey, Molby, Coates. Subs: O'Leary, Heggs, McDonald.