Match report

Swansea City 1 v1 Scunthorpe United

Playing in atrocious conditions (continuous light rain and dark skies) both teams managed to conjure up an entertaining game of football. Why the floodlights weren't switched on is a mystery.

Swansea started well and played possession football for the first 20 minutes without really creating any openings, but on 21 minutes, Steve Torpey rose to challenge the keeper for a high cross sent over from the right and the ball found itself in the corner of the net. This was just reward for the Swansea striker who ploughed a lone furrow up front with some success. (A pupil of mine who was dead in line with the challenge told me at half-time that Torpey hadn't made contact with ball!).

After the goal had gone in, the fluency in the game disappeared but Torpey was very unlucky not to increase his tally when the ball rebounded off the foot of the post. Swansea were grateful for several bodies that 3 times thwarted goal bound shots in a frantic 10 second spell of Scunthorpe pressure. Freestone also played a part in keeping the clean sheet for half-time, when on 44 minutes he made 2 superb reaction saves in quick succession.

The second half saw Swansea keep up the threat on the Scunthorpe goal and Penney who had looked very threatening with some superb shooting was again out of luck with well struck shots.

It looked as if Swansea might pay for their profligacy in front of goal and on 72 minutes this was proved to be true. Christian Edwards who looked to have cut himself after falling on the shale off the pitch while attempting a diving header on the Scunthorpe goal, had to leave the field for treatment. From the resulting goal kick, Scunthorpe hit the ball upfield and it fell kindly to Eyre who exploited the gap left by the absent Edwards to slot home from 10 yards.

Swansea immediately brought on O'Leary for Edwards and shortly after Brown for the ineffective Appleby. As Swansea chased the game, their delivery became more frantic and wayward. However, good chances fell to both Torpey and Brown but they were unable to capitalise on them.

Another 2 points lost in a game that Swansea should have won comfortably. Scunthorpe who are currently 8th in the table looked mediocre compared to Swansea but unless we can put a few 3 pointers together, our 3rd from bottom league placing will be deserved.

Team: Freestone, Appleby, Lacey, Edwards, Walker, Jones, Coates, Penney, Molby, Torpey, Casey. Subs: O'Leary (for Edwards 74), Brown (for Appleby 81), Thomas.