Match report

Video clips

• highlights showing all 3 Swansea goals (604 kb)

I arrived at 7:40 still undecided whether to sit in the East stand, or to stand underneath it. My mind was quickly made up when I saw the 50 yard queue of supporters noisily waiting to get in.

Did this mean a crowd of 5 or 6000 ? No, it meant only 4 turnstiles open, two for upstairs with no-one waiting, and 2 for underneath with lots of unhappy supporters queuing - they were still coming in 15 minutes after the start.

I'm glad I went because overall this was a good Swans performance. Hollins had left out 6 first team regulars, but sensibly kept in Freestone, Smith and Bound. Mutton played with Alsop up front, Steve Jones and Ryan Casey as full backs, and Appleby. Keegan, Thomas and Jenkins across the middle.

In the first half the Swans were excellent and toyed with Colchester. Alsop won everything in the air, Mutton was sharp and impressive, Thomas was everywhere, Casey was playing well, and the rest of the defence was as solid as ever. Only Keegan didn't seem up to it, although he worked hard.

After 10 minutes Alsop was put through on the edge of the box, just like Saturday, but with only the goalkeeper to beat he shot weakly straight at him. Five minutes later Mutton showed how it should be done when he ran into the box with the ball at his feet, held off two challengers, and slid the ball neatly passed the Colchester goalkeeper.

Five minutes later more good work by Mutton on the right, an excellent centre for an unmarked Thomas to easily head home. Several more half chances were created, and Smith 's powerful header, after Appleby's cross to the far post had been headed back by Alsop was brilliantly saved by Brown in the Colchester goal.

During half time one half of one bank of floodlights failed, and there was lots of too-ing and fro-ing before the game eventually restarted in poor light nearly 10 minutes late.

Colchester came out much stronger in the second half, and the Swans struggled to get the ball off them. Dozell ran the midfield, and Lua-Lua became much more effective. They deservedly pulled one back after some good play on the edge of our box.

Hollins countered by replacing Jenkins with Coates and Mutton with Watkin. Coates however played alongside Thomas in the centre with Appleby switching to the left.

After a mistake by the Colchester defence, Watkin brilliantly swerved the ball past Brown in the Colchester goal from about 18 yards.

Roberts came on for Keegan for the last 10 minutes without much impact. Overall a good performance and a well deserved win.

Players ratings:
Freestone 8 Faultless as usual
Jones 7 a steady performance
Casey 6 a good first half, struggled in the second half
Smith 9 magnificent, is going to be a better player than Bound
Bound 7 very solid
Appleby 6 some useful contributions, but not at his best
Keegan 5 not good enough for the first team yet
Thomas 8 a very good first half, got into the box several times, less effective in the second half
Jenkins 6 worked hard, let him self down to often with his final pass
Mutton 7 9 for the first half, fast with good control, faded in the second half, already a better player than Boyd
Alsop 7 he deserved more, but missed another sitter
subs
Coates 6 see Jenkins, should only play wide on the left where he can concentrate on beating his full back
Watkin 8 a superbly taken goal
Roberts not on long enough to contribute much
The ref 8 a good game. Used the new extra 10 yard rule when a Colchester player didn't retreat fast enough

As an ex ref I think this rule (as in Rugby) would be a major advantage if used regularly

Swansea 3 • Colchester 1
TOMMY MUTTON scored one goal and made another as Swansea reached the second round of the Auto Windscreens Shield at the Vetch Fiield last night.

But the 1994 holders made heavy weather of beating the Second Division’s bottom club for the second time in six weeks despite scoring twice in a dazzling first-half spell.

After Colchester had pulled back a goal through Jamie Moralee early in the second half it needed the composure of substitute of Steve Watkin to calm Swansea nerves with a decisive third goal.

It had all looked so comfortable early on as Swansea attempted to follow up their win over Colchester in the FA Cup.

Despite making six changes Swansea quickly seized control in midfield through the combative Martin Thomas and the creative talents of Lee Jenkins and Richie Appleby.

Twice Colchester goalkeeper Simon Brown was forced to deny Julian Alsop before the big striker sent the speedy Mutton on a 30-yard run to score his first goal in senior football.

Four minutes later the £20,000 recruit from Bangor swung over a right-wing cross and Thomas climbed above his marker to head Swansea into a 2-0 lead.

However, once Swansea eased back on the throttle Colchester started to seize the initiative and Zaire-born striker Tresor Lua Lua looking particularly threatening.

Colchester’s reward arrived after 56 minutes when Moralee scored from close range after Swansea had dropped their defensive guard.

Swansea looked a little shaky until Watkin’s arrival brought a swift transformation.

Three minutes after replacing the impressive Mutton, the former Wrexham player shrugged off a defender on the edge of the area and drilled a superb low shot wide of the goalkeeper’s reach.

That settled Swansea nerves and they finished as they started, substitute Stuart Roberts forcing a save from Brown before Appleby drove wide of the far post.