1. Freestone
2. Jones S
3. Howard
4. Bound
5. Smith
6. Lacey *
7. Keegan #
8. Alsop @
9. Boyd
10. Cusack
11. Coates

    ---

12. Thomas C
13. Price # (61)
14. Watkin @ (49)
15. Thomas M * (78)
16. De Vulgt

 Plymouth

1. Veysey
2. Beswetherick
3. Barratt
4. Heathcote
5. O'Sullivan
6. Hargreaves
7. Leadbitter #
8. Bastow @
9. McGregor
10. Stonebridge *
11. McCarthy

    ---

12. Wotton # (66)
13. McCall @ (69)
14. Gritton * (77)
15. Sheffield
16. Taylor

Well the first surprise yesterday was the size of the crowd - 9075!

I was disappointed to hear some youths chanting clap your hands if you're going on the pitch as we queued to get through the turnstiles but the stewards were out in force and dealt forcibly with the attempts made when Boyd scored.

Hollins did make one change to the Orient team by replacing Lee Jenkins with Coates and bringing back flu victims Price, Watkin and Thomas onto the bench.

The vocal crowd had to wait for around 15 mins to see Swansea's first sustained bit of pressure on the Plymouth goal after the Pilgrims had started really brightly. Both Bound and Smith struggled to get to grips with the Plymouth front line and two shots heading for goal were cleared off the line by Howard's head and Bound's trusty left peg.

Young Michael Keegan seemed to find difficulty in getting the pace of game and the fact that he was fed a lot of the ball in front of a packed North Bank didn't help matters. He did make one superb run into the box to set up a half chance though around the half hour mark.

Swansea forced a succession of corners but the Plymouth defence held firm. Apart from this, the half was edged by Plymouth who looked easily the best team to have visited the Vetch this season (Derby excepted).

Almost immediately after the restart, Alsop hobbled off with a back injury? to be replaced by Steve Watkin and shortly afterwards it came as no surprise that Keegan was replaced by Price.

This change had the desired effect and it was Swansea's turn to dominate. Chances fell to Boyd and Coates but waywrad shooting and dour defending saw the score remain unchanged.

Coates had an ope goal at his mercy but his shot lacked power and direction. The ball however rebounded to Boyd head height and just 4 yards out - he contrived to head wide when it looked easier to score.

Boyd was looking very dangerous and when the outstanding Watkin fed him a through ball he outstripped his marker and was about to fire home. Somehow the Plymouth centre back managed to tackle him fairly from behind to save what looked a certain goal. One of the best tackles I've seen this season to rank alongside Smith's of few games back.

The pressure however continued to build and when Mike Howard dribbled past 3 players and slotted it through to Walter, the Pearl made no mistake with a fierce shot at the advancing keeper who could only parry it and watch it roll into the net.

There was a bit of sit back nd defend the box after this (as we have all come to expect) but credit to Plymouth and their outstanding attacking wing back Beswetherick - who pulled out all the stops in search of an equaliser.

Roger made a brilliant instinctive save with his right foot but also caused panic amongst the fans when he flapped at and missed a couple of high balls.

Plymouth felt they had grounds for a penalty when Smith appeared to hold back McCarthy but the ref was having none of it.

On the subject of refs - another good performance yersterday which is slowly becoming the norm.

An excellent hard fought result - perhaps a draw was deserved if we had been Plymouth.

John Hollins is bound to receive the manager of the month award for 6 straight wins and it is fully deserved. Keep it up Curt & John.

My ratings:
Freestone 6 - mixed performance
Jones 7 - good steady performance
Howard 7 - good defensively and set up the winner
Bound 6 - started slowly but improved
Smith 7 - as for Bound but very good 2nd half
Cusack 6 - not in the game much
Lacey 7 - continues to impress
Keegan 4 - lack of pace contrasts with what we are used to in this position
Coates 6 - bit hot and cold but mostly luke-warm
Alsop 6 - ran a lot but ineffective compared to Watkin
Boyd 7 - did a bit more running off the ball but looked electric in front of goal with the ball at his feet.
Subs:
Watkin 9 - changed the game and hardly lost a ball in the air despite being a foot shorter than Alsop
Price 7 - made a difference on the right flank but didn't get many forward chances
Thomas 6 - didn't see him get into the game much

Promotion-chasing Swansea roared to a sixth successive league win, as Jamaican Walter Boyd sealed a perfect Christmas at The Vetch Field.

The Reggae Boy struck just after the hour, his second winner in 48 hours, which was enough to ground the Pilgrims and send over 9,000 into seventh heaven.

But the in-form Swans appeared to suffer a festive hangover in the first 45 minutes. Keeper Roger Freestone and Michael Howard were the heroes before Boyd's clinching strike.

The Swans made one change to the side that grabbed an excellent Boxing Day win at struggling Leyton Orient. Former Welsh Under-21 international Jonathan Coates returning for Lee Jenkins in a left-side midfield slot.

Kevin Hodges' Pilgrims were unchanged from the line-up which fought out a thrilling 2-2 draw in the West Country derby with Torquay 48 hours back, England Under-18 striker Ian Stonebridge continuing up-front with Swansea old boy Sean McCarthy.

Swansea's bumper Bank Holiday gate produced a white hot atmosphere and Damian Lacey stoked the fires with a second minute snap-shot.

But swashbuckling Argyle posted a couple of goal warnings in the opening moments.

After five mintues, Swans keeper Roger Freestone was pushing away a Stonebridge rasper and moments on, Howard cleared Mick Heathcote's looping header off the line.

The strong-running Paul McGregor and Chris Hargreaves were producing increasing problems for Swansea in wide positions and the Pilgrims conjured up another chance on 19 minutes.

Stonebridge cut inside Stephen Jones, but McCarthy, under pressure from Matthew Bound, lifted over his 10-yard volley.

Adam Barratt and Heathcote were locking out Swansea's feeble repostes, but Boyd struck a flashing right-foot drive, troubled Kenny Veysey. John Hollins' men were warming to the task as the interval loomed. In first-half stoppage time Veysey beat out a free kick to Bound, who crashed a rising drive into the West terrace.

Swansea threw on ex-Wrexham hero Steve Watkin and Jason Price for the ineffective Julian Alsop and Michael Keegan by the hour mark.

And on 56 minutes Plymouth almost buckled, Watkin bamboozled Darren Bastow, but Barratt and John Beswetherick were the heroes, clearing from Coates and Boyd.

But a flash of Caribbean magic from Boyd had Swansea partying ten minutes later.

Howard burst through in determined fashion, and the Jamaican goal ace turned Heathcote before drilling a left-footer past Veysey from 18 yards.

But the stunned Pilgrims stormed back. Freestone's leg blocked out McCarthy, the ex-Chelsea man also spectacularly flicking over McGregor's blast after 75 minutes.

The scent of victory was strong for the Welshmen, though and Veysey was in action again late on, beating away a far-post header from Jason Smith.

But furious Plymouth players surrounded Cumbrian referee Trevor Jones in the dying moments as he waved away penalty screams when Smith appeared to hold McCarthy. Tempers raged and Plymouth sub Steve McCall was booked for taking his protests too far.