Glorious conditions and JH actually made 2 changes - Boyd for Watkin and Price for Appleby. Both dropped players joined O'Leary and Jenkins on the bench.

Swans started quite well but soon lost their way. Alsop had 3 attempts at recovering from a knee injury before being stretchered off. Perhaps it was this that disrupted the pattern of play. Anyway Watkin came on as replacement after only 7 minutes - and the Sumbler bet was on!

Torquay looked awkward at the back and it came as no surprise when chief fuss-arse (referee Cowburn) booked Aggrey for over-zealous use of his body.

Swansea trying to play football attacked mainly down the right flank through Jones, Cusack and Price but the final ball in was lacking somewhat.

With the crowd starting to get a little anxious, on the 28 minute mark, Price once again broke down the right and put in the perfect cross - knee high - behind the back four but not too close to the keeper. The cross eluded Boyd but Watkin steaming in on the far post, cracked it left footed? into the roof of the net.

Instead of sitting back, Swansea went in search of a second, but some poor finishing from Boyd especially saw half-time arrive with the score still at 1-0.

Swans had their best spell of the match in the 15 minutes after half time and a beautiful cross field chip from Boyd saw Price win the challenge with Herrera and advance on goal. Still with it all to do, he slammed in the 2nd goal to send the crowd wild.

After this, Swansea had several penalty appeals turned down - but the crowd was to be treated to something special. Just outside the Torquay box, Thomas dispossessed their defender and set himself up for a shot which canoned back off the crossbar with the keeper well beaten. Price was first to react and looked like making it 3 but for the keeper making an excellent smother save at the foot of his near post.

A few promising freekick postions were wasted - and the danger was that 2-0 wasn't going to be enough.

The chant of Hollins, Holins give us a wave was obviously too premature with over 30 mins left and sure as eggs is eggs, Swansea conceded a corner on the 67 minute mark and Torquay who hadn't been in the game for the previous 45 mins equalised when centre-back Watson headed home unmarked from the flighted cross. Last week we lost a goal at Plymouth in identical fashion.

JH brought on O'Leary for the ineffectual Boyd as Swansea tried to play the match out. To their credit, Torquay pushed everyone forward for the last 5 minutes and nearly stole the draw in the last minute with a wicked deflection that came back into play off the inside of the upright. It was a piece of luck that Swansea deserved for they were by far the better team over the 90 minutes.

Player ratings:
Freestone 7 - a few around me thought he should have come for the corner that led to their goal, but I was watching the ball so wouldn't pass judgement on that one.

Jones 7 - defended well (except for giving away unnecessary corner just after they'd scored. Linked well with Price and Cusack.

Bound 7 - steady Eddie - will be missed next season.

Smith 8 - made some crucial headers in the last 10 mins when Torquay started their aerial assault on our goalmouth.

Howard 6 - not one of his better games and completly wasted a free kick on the edge of the box.

Price 8 - was out on his feet at the end but made a goal and scored a goal - so gets MOM award.

Cusack 7 - usual game, fairly anonymous. Went up front for 30 secs when Boyd went off but soon drifted back to the back 4 for the last 5 mins.

Thomas 7 - like the curate's egg - was brilliant one minute then doing jellyfish impressions the next. Cracking shot from a tackle he had no business winning.

Coates 7 - much better today - didn't underhit his passes and as a result did not givevthe ball away in critical areas of the field. Had to tell Boyd where to go to receive his passes!

Alsop - no score as only on for 5 minutes. Proabably his last appearance for the Swans. Good luck Jules - you always gave 100%.

Boyd 5 - wasted several shooting chances and looked a yard off the pace (no pun intended). Another who will be gone with this season.

Subs: Watkin 7 - usual reliable game but cut out the semi-circular turns which slow the attacks down. Took his goal very well.

O' Leary - not on long enough.

Cool Swansea struck the Third Division summit as they served up a perfect Easter dish at a roasting Vetch Fields.

With fourth-placed Northampton's hooves in close pursuit, the heat was on and almost 6,500 held their breath as John Hollins's men clung on in a rip-roaring clash.

Super sub Steve Watkin sparked the crucial assault as the Swans halted a worrying slide of seven league games without a win. Watkins netted the first and Jason Price added the soothing second.

Assistant boss Alan Curtis hailed his table-toppers, declaring: 'These three points are so welcome. I'm so delighted we got something out of this game.

'It was so important for the fans and ourselves that we got the win. The result will have a big bearing on where we'll be at the end of the season.' And the ex-Welsh international feels his Swans can clinch promotion in their own back yard against Exeter next weekend. He said: 'If we get something at Mansfield on Easter Monday, it will set things up nicely.

'It's going to be a big afternoon -- I'd love to see us go up in style.' Goal hero Watkin added: 'I can't tell you how I feel -- this was so important. it would be the icing on the cake if we could up as champions.' Even Torquay player-coach Alex Watson paid tribute to Swansea. He said: 'They're so hardworking -- if a little physical. 'But their 'keeper, Roger Freestone, is such an asset.' The Vetch was flashed in hot sunshine, but it was the Gulls -- boosted by the return of 15-strike top gun Tony Beddeau -- who were turning up the heat from the kick-off.

There was some disruption for the Swans after six minutes as Watkin replaced the limping Julian Alsop, and in the 28th minute the North Walean had struck.

Moving on to Price's pass, he moved between Jimmy Aggrey and Wayne Thomas to lift high into the net from eight yards.

Swansea added a second on 50 minutes as Price stroked past Stuart Jones, and Watson's 68th minute reply sparked a frantic finale.