Well it has to be said if we are getting the luck that we had tonight then we will be promoted but the question has to be asked - can we afford to rely on luck for the next 15 games?

We were very very bad tonight, make no mistake about it. After Sunday, Hollins decided to drop Alsop but we are so stupid that we continue to play the high ball game to two strikers whose feet very rarely leave the ground.

Hollins bought back O'Leary, Bound, Howard and Thomas dropping Jenkins, Phillips and Evans from the team that started on Sunday. This meant that 3 of our Back 4 hadn't played competitive football for at least a month. Coates was moved forward to wide left and yet again was pure drivel. A couple of good runs but the man lacks belief that he can take people on regularly.

Chester took the lead with a neat finish and deserved it. Watkin and Thomas had both missed glorious chances when the teams left the field at half-time.

Second half and no immediate changes. 10 minutes in Hollins took off O'Leary and bought on Alsop which had many people thinking brave move. Wrong - we dropped Price back to right-back and moved Steve Jones into the middle. This seemed to confuse everyone. Coates seemed to play in the middle at times while Cusack was wide left for minutes.

We got a lucky break 5 minutes from the end with an Own Goal while 2 minutes into the 4 (where did the ref get 4 minutes from?) Watkin headed over the keeper and a defender into the net.

Now I know 3 points are important but that was crap. We are not playing well (have we ever been?) but keep riding our luck. Teams like Rotherham and Darlington would not let us win games on luck, they would have killed us off. Anyone better then Chester would have.

Ratings
Freestone - 5 - nothing to do in reality
Jones - 6 - seemed quieter than normal, had one header cleared off the line late on
Howard - 6 - not a bad game considering his lay off
O'Leary - 6 - ditto Howard. We need Smith back and this man in place of Cusack.
Bound - 6 - ditto O'Leary but Matthew, you don't have to hoof the ball up the pitch every time you have it. Try looking and passing occasionally, I find it makes for better football sometimes.
Thomas - 7 - working hard again, harshly booked first half - only one yellow from another suspension - great (not) does that mean Lee Jenkins again?
Cusack - 3 - terrible, awful, crap, arse, you name a bad sentiment and Cusack echoed it. Never killed the ball with time, shit out of challenges, stands around dreaming - how is this man captain Drop him now.
Coates - 5 - Casey did more in his first minute then Coates did all game - surely must be dropped soon?
Price - 5 - strangely enough got forward more when he reverted to right-back - can anyone explain the logic in that? This man needs to use his pace more - it worries defences.
Watkin - 6 - would have been 4 but for the winning goal
Boyd - 5 - JUMP MAN, JUMP!

Subs
Alsop - 8 - turned the game, no doubt. Won more headers in his first 2 minutes then Watkin and Boyd did in the first 55. Went off injured at the end (after helping set up the winner)
Casey - 6 - no real chance to make a full impression but should be worthy of a start in place of Coates.
Bird - 6 - only came on for last 2 minutes but showed determination and held the ball up well once.

Hollins makes plenty of noise about teams coming to the Vetch for a point (which Chester did and more so after they took the lead) but, John, here's an idea try countering that fact with some tactics of your own. Novel idea but you could always try and make us play to that fact rather then just panicking. And John please tell the players that if Alsop isn't on the pitch then keep the ball on the ground as the other two can't/won't jump. These comments to me sum Hollins up - he is not a good manager at the moment he is very lucky - how long can his luck last?

Yet again he played a Get out of Jail Free card - how many more of those things does he have? What really worries me is bar Smith that could easily be our first choice XI - frightening isn't it?

Summary - Lucky Swans get 3 more points - things must improve for the challenges ahead. My MOTM was Alsop for effectively turning the game by winning some of the inevitable aerial balls that we seem to feel the need to play.

Players to be dropped for next Saturday - Cusack and Coates. Bringing back Smith (if fit) and playing Casey wide left. First choice Back 4 in tandem again, O'Leary and Thomas in central midfield, Price wide right (and use your pace) - Watkin/Alsop and Boyd up front and playing the ball on the floor (we are capable, I'm sure of it) - Simple really John - it must be in your effin coaching manual somewhere?

On that performance, I'm ringing Hollins tomorrow to ask him what numbers he's backing in the Lottery!

SAVIOUR STEVE

STEVE Watkin loves beating Chester. Having spent most of his footballing days at Wrexham it's hardly surprising.

The rivalry between Wrexham and Chester runs a similar path to that of Swansea and Cardiff - if not as intense.

But while Watkin's winner three minutes and 17 seconds into injury time will raise a smile or two around the Racecourse, this victory was firmly dedicated to his new love - Swansea City.

It may have cost Swansea their 'get out of jail free' card against the Football League's bottom club, but it was well worth it as the Vetch Field promotion push remained on course when it looked like the wheels were about to come off.

"That's my sweetest goal of the season, specially coming so late on," said Watkin.

The fact that it came against Chester made it extra special."

But it could have been oh so different.

For an hour it looked as if someone had turned the Third Division table upside down with Chester at the top and Swansea languishing right down at the bottom.

Swansea were shocking for that hour as Chester belied their lowly position.

Manager John Hollins may have warned his side not to take Chester for granted, but unfortunately his words of wisdom had gone unheeded in the Swansea camp.

Chester were by far the better side. Quicker to the second ball, quicker in thought and far sharper in attack as Luke Beckett turned Swansea's back four far too easily and far too often.

If Swansea hadn't realised it beforehand, Chester were fighting for their lives.

Beckett and Eyjolfsson both came close within the first five minutes and Swansea never really settled down as they struggled to put a pass together in front of a frustrated and disenchanted home crowd.

Watkin did latch onto a Matthew Bound long ball in the ninth minute to force Wayne Brown to tip his shot over the bar, but it wasn't a total surprise when Chester snatched the lead 13 minutes later.

Jason Price failed to clear the danger on the edge of his own area and John Keister slipped the ball inside to Eyjolfsson for Walsall's Icelandic loan start to drill a clinical finish beyond Roger Freestone.

Swansea tried to claw their way back when Thomas, a victim of one crude Chester challenge after another went unpunished, fired a Walter Boyd assist wide.

But they never deserved anything for their first-half showing as the home crowd continued to vent their frustration as another high ball went into area, unknown to those in a Swansea shirt that the lofty Julian Alsop was sitting on the substitutes bench.

"We were very sluggish in the first half and didn't get going at all," admitted Watkin.

"It was only when big Jules (Alsop) came on that we started to bombard them and get a bit of success."

The second half was nine minutes old when Alsop appeared off the bench for the unfortunate Kristian O'Leary, the victim of Hollins's tactical decision to play with three at the back.

All of a sudden Swansea had an easy outlet and started to bombard the Chester goal with just over 20 minutes remaining.

Swansea's passing and ball-retention remained pretty poor, but at least they were starting to create some chances.

A long kick from Freestone in the 65th minute sparked Swansea's mini revival when Alsop flicked the ball on and Watkin's brave header was saved by Brown.

Swansea slowly started to sweep forward as Price saw his surging run and shot thwarted by Brown before Watkin made good space for himself inside the area only to fire a difficult effort over the bar.

But Swansea, for all their late efforts, looked to have blown it until they found the rub of the green in their favour five minutes from time when Boyd's cross nestled in the Chester net courtesy of a deflected own goal from unsuspecting skipper Gary Hobson.

A relived Swansea would have been happy with a point at that stage. Instead, thanks to some generous timekeeping from referee Peter Walton, they grabbed all three.

With the fourth official signalling four minutes of injury time, Swansea used up nearly every second as Price broke into the area.

As his shot cannoned up off Matthew Woods, and Swansea appealed for a penalty, Watkin was the first to react to the dropping ball and deliver a brave header which looped over the flapping Brown and into the back of the net.

As Swansea celebrated at the final whistle to move level on points with leaders Rotherham, Chester boss Ian Atkins let fly at the Northampton official.

"Where the referee found six minutes of injury time from when there wasn't a physio on the pitch I haven't a clue," blasted Atkins.

"It cost us the game."

While Atkins's complaint may have been justified, the former Northampton boss can take great credit for the way he has turned Chester around over the last two months.

On this showing there is every chance they will escape the dreaded drop to the Conference.

"For 80 minutes we dominated the game and should have been three or four goals up by half-time," added Atkins.

"We deserved the three points and I don't think Swansea would disagree."

"They didn't get anywhere near us until they bought Alsop on and there were long balls coming in from everywhere."

Even Hollins had to admit "It wasn't pretty at times and I certainly wasn't enjoying it at half-time. In the first half we tried to be a good footballing side only to find three or four players having off-days.

"but if they are bottom of the League I wouldn't want to play them every week because it was damn hard work.

"But the game is as long as the referee plays it. We got the three points in the end to go joint-top, the crowd went home happy and that's what counts."

Hollins could do without any more performances like this one though, even if the result made up for it.

Two dramatic late goals propelled Swansea to joint top of division three at a spellbound Vetch Field.

Steve Watkin's strike in the fourth minute of stoppage time and an own goal from Gary Hobson moments earlier sealed the points, but for long periods battling Chester tore up the form book.

Ian Atkins' braves slithered ever nearer a Conference grave, yet the horizon had looked brighter after Icelander Siggy Eyjolfsson had snatched a first-half lead.

Swansea showed four changes to the side held at Cheltenham five days ago. Matthew Bound and Martin Thomas returned from suspension, Kristian O'Leary and Michael Howard from the sick-bay.

The Blues continued their battle to maintain Football League status, new boss Ian Atkins fielding seven of his recent reinforcements.

On a bitterly cold night Swans centre-back Bound showed ring-rust in the fourth minute. The transfer listed stopper was robbed by Luke Beckett - Eyjolfsson's left-foot fizzer flashing wide.

Both rivals craved points for vastly different reasons and Northamptonshire referee Peter Walton was involved in the action after eight minutes cautioning Swansea's Thomas and Chester's Darren Moss after an ugly midfield fracas.

But 60 seconds later the Welshmen so nearly edged ahead. Bound's delivery split the beleagured Blues apart - but Steve Watkin's rasper was pushed to safety by Wayne Brown.

As back-markers Chester were settling smoothly in the blustery conditions and the Vetch fell silent after 22 minutes when the visitors powered in front.

John Keister threaded the ball through to Icelander Eyjolfsson who side-stepped O'Leary before drilling the ball home from 18 yards.

Swansea roared back and a relieved Brown watched Thomas' right-foot snap-shot flash across goal moments later.

But City's Tony Hemmings and the on-loan Keister were running the midfield confrontation. Feeding off a glut of possession, the menacing Eyjolfsson pulled a shot wide before troubling Roger Freestone with an angled drive.

John Hollins had clearly injected greater urgency into his troops over the half-time interval. Two minutes into the restart a rampaging Thomas found wide-man Jonathan Coates who lifted the ball over from a tight position.

Swansea changed their tactics on the hour. Towering targetman Julian Alsop left the bench to replace O'Leary, but the Swans were still vulnerable to Eyjolfsson's searing left-side breaks.

Dread-locked Welsh Under-21 star Jason Price was offering Swansea hope down the right. The midfielder linked well with Alsop but Brown got back to halt the thundering Watkin.

Two minutes later, Price was menacing again - waltzing between Andy Porter and Jamie Robinson before extending Brown with a dipping 20-yarder.

The pressure continued to increase, but a flurry of Swansea corners yielded nothing. Chester's hearts fluttered as Walter Boyd climbed high from one set piece.

Atkins' Blues continued to battle away and after 82 minutes substitute Neil Fisher scrambled away Alsop's point-blank glance from his line.

But they finally caved in two minutes later. Jamaican Boyd escaped on the right edge of the box and Chester skipper Hobson looked on horrified as he skewed his clearance past the anguished Brown.

And it was sheer heartbreak for Chester in stoppage time as Watkin bagged the winner.

The Blues paid the full penalty for slack defending - Watkins' six yard header looping over Brown amongst a forest of bodies.