Match report

Swansea City 2 v 1 Wycombe Wanderers

Report courtesy of John Burgum - Evening Post

SWANSEA turned the clock back almost three years last night to show that when it comes to penalty taking they are still spot-on. Not since that memorable day at Wembley in 1994 have Swansea been taken to a penalty shoot-out. They won that final to lift the Autoglass Trophy and are equally determined to make the same effort to pay a return visit in the Auto Wind- screens Shield.

On the impressive evidence against a Wycombe side which should have been dispatched without even the need for extra time Swansea could take some stopping. Despite conditions which at times looked more suitable for skaters than footballers, Swansea kept their composure and their feet when it really mattered. Almost two hours of absorbing entertainment to warm the small crowd had failed to settle the first round tie when Jan Molby timed his entrance for the penalty finale.

"We had seven penalty takers lined up. That's why I came off the bench," explained the manager. "Even though we missed one I was confident we had enough specialists to win it. Penalty-taking is never easy but the six who scored were of the highest calibre. Every one of them showed they had confidence to take a penalty even on a pitch like I that," he added.

Regular penalty-taker David Penney led the way, and Swansea built a 4-2 lead with, further successes from goalkeeper Roger Freestone, Molby and Steve Torpey who was on target at Wembley, before David Thomas scuffed his attempt to let Wycombe back in through Paul McCarthy.

Defenders Joao Moreira and Keith Walker completed the spot-on six and, although Wycombe substitutes Steve Brown and Matt Lawrence matched them, Miguel DeSouza directed his effort wide of the post to earn Swansea a second round tie at home to Bristol City.

"I don't think it should have gone that far. I felt all the way through that we were the better team by a long way. Considering the conditions some of our close play in the second half was really superb," insisted Molby.

For that Swansea can thank a hard-working midfield for providing the ammunition which Steve Torpey and David Thomas used to good effect. The striking duo, supported by the returning Linton Brown in a highly attacking line-up, caused all sorts of problems for a hard-pressed Wycombe defence, even in a first half spent getting used to the bone-hard surface.

The Torpey-Thomas alliance was an outstanding success, and the pair all but settled it without the need for extra time and penalties.

The understanding was illustrated just before the break when Thomas cracked the bar after Torpey had set up the opening. As Swansea's fluid game improved after the interval the partnership blossomed. Thomas underlined the confidence when he latched on to a goal kick and lifted a 20-yard shot beyond the reach of John Cheesewright after spotting the goalkeeper off his line.

No-one could really blame the young striker for celebrating his sixth goal a la Ravanelli, but the chill night air meant that the shirt did not remain above his head too long.

It gave Swansea a deserved lead and, although Brian McGorry's wonder strike form the edge of the area meant the celebrations were short lived, the necessity for such a dramatic climax should still have been avoided.

Torpey struck the bar from 25 yards in the last minute of normal time when he tried to copy that Thomas goal, while his strike partner failed to make the most of the rebound.

Swansea's defence had few such alarms, and the threat from Wycombe's main man Miguel DeSouza never materialised largely because players like the outstanding Christian Edwards kept him in check. The only alarm came immediately after McGorry's goal when Neal Davies hooked over with only Freestone to beat after Keith Walker had failed to cut out a through ball.

Swansea need not have worried. The loan striker from Aston Villa has not scored in 12 Wycombe matches. He even cracked the bar in the penalty shoot-out and then had to watch in embarrassment as Swansea's players showed him just how it's done.

Team: Freestone, Thomas, Moreira, Walker, Edwards, Jones, Brown, Penney, Torpey, Ampadu, Coates. Subs: Clode (for Coates 94), Molby (for Brown 114), King.