ANDY Preece has moved swiftly to try and halt his team’s start of the season slump by signing two new players for tomorrow’s (Saturday) crunch game against Swansea.

Manchester City starlet Terry Dunfield and Wigan veteran Ian Kilford are set to make their debuts after the Shakers lost their first two matches against Oxford and Cambridge.

Dunfield, given a Premiership debut by Joe Royle, has joined on a one-month loan while Kilford has signed a short-term contract.

Tomorrow’s game sees the quick return of ex-Gigg Lane players Paul Reid and Matt Murphy who made summer moves to the Vetch Field.

And while the Welshmen have yet to win a game this season they do have two points from two draws.

Only Boston United, courtesy of having four points docked because of financial irregularities before the season, have fewer points than Preece’s team.

Matt Murphy is hoping a little more than most that Swansea City can seal a first victory of the season at Bury tomorrow.

For the man at the hub of Nick Cusack's new-look midfield has come to South Wales on the back of a torrid 12-month stay at Gigg Lane, punctuated only by desperate defeats, crippling financial problems and, as a send-off, relegation.

On top of the club's shared troubles, Murphy had to suffer the ignominy of appearing just once in a faltering first-team after November. Now the 31-year-old former Oxford United player, Swansea City's man-of-the-match at Darlington on Tuesday, is relishing the prospect of an early return.

"It was a bit of a shock when the fixtures came out to see Bury so early, " he said, "but there's no point hanging around waiting for it, let's get up there and get it on. "We need to get our first win under our belts and Bury would be a nice place to do it." He continued: "Moving there turned out to be a bad move for me.

"I played the first few games when the season started, but unfortunately the club was going through a bad stage on and off the field. "Then I was training every day, building up towards games but not being involved. That's hard.

"On top of that there were the financial problems, just like at Swansea. "Everybody's got to pay the mortgage, and we had to go and see the bank manager to try to ward off the warning letters.

"It was only when the administrators came in that we knew we would get paid." The last pay-packet came in June when Murphy's one-year deal expired - he had originally agreed a three-year contract but had to renegotiate because of the club's cash crisis. By then the Northampton-born player knew a fresh start was on the horizon.

Nick Cusack remembered his old Oxford teammate's dynamism, plus his ability to score goals - 55 of them came over eight seasons at the Manor Ground - and a one-year Vetch Field deal was agreed. Already Murphy has made his mark in his first season in Division Three and looks like being a midfield regular this year along with fellow former Bury man Paul Reid.

"Hopefully all the problems that Swansea had last year are behind the club now and we can go forward, play some good football and start getting a few wins, " Murphy added. "The lads are confident about what the club and the team can do.

"We could have got wins in both games so far. Unfortunately they haven't come, so now we're looking to Bury."

Assistant manager Alan Curtis has backed Swansea City's under-fire defence to stamp out the silly mistakes when they take on Bury tomorrow (3pm).

After draws at home to Rushden & Diamonds last Saturday and at Darlington in midweek, Swansea go to Gigg Lane looking for a first victory of the new Third Division season.

And with Swansea's forward line clicking nicely into gear, Curtis has backed the club's rearguard to find their feet starting in Lancashire tomorrow.

"What's been disappointing about the opening week is not so much the late equaliser that Rushden scored, it's the two goals we conceded against Darlington, " he explained.

"They were bad defensively, and we must try to stop giving daft goals away. "Jason Smith is fit now but he needs some match hardness. He needs to gut used to the high intensity again. "And Kris O'Leary has had his injury problems, too, over the summer, so we know we can improve the defending.

"As the season goes on, I think we will stop conceding the daft goals and success will come because we are always going to create and score ourselves." Skipper O'Leary plays his last game tomorrow before starting a threematch ban, with Smith retaining his place in an unchanged back-three despite being substituted at Darlington.

Elsewhere, Steve Watkin may force his way into Nick Cusack's starting line-up after netting a late equaliser at Feethams, while former Bury boys Paul Reid and Matt Murphy return to their old patch in midfield. "We have got to go and get results at these sort of places, " added Curtis.

"We have got a bit of inside information from Reidy and Murph and we're aiming to keep nudging forward. "Everybody tries to win every game, but at this stage of this season it's nice just to build the confidence by staying unbeaten." He continued: "We always said we would be more competitive this season because we would be stronger and fitter than last year.

"We should at least be able to match Bury there, and hopefully with our extra quality up front we might nick all three points." Swansea's last visit to Gigg Lane, during the Second Division relegation season, ended in a 30 thrashing with two goals from Vetch new-boy Reid. But with the Shakers in dire financial trouble and coming off the back of a dismal home reverse against Cambridge in midweek, Swansea will fancy their chances of making it three defeats from three league games for Andy Preece's struggling side.

Some seats are still available with the official Travel Club for tomorrow's game. For more information contact Ugo Vallerio on 07876 133428 or the club shop.

Bury have been boosted by the return of three players from injury.
The club had just 15 players to choose from ahead of the 1-0 defeat by Cambridge but strikers David Borley and Ian Lawson, and midfielder Chris Billy all return this weekend.

Striker Gareth Seddon has been told he has an incurable blood disorder. But the problem can be controlled through injections and tablets.

Swansea start the match without Damien Lacey who has failed to shake off a foot injury.

David Moss (knee) is still doubtful, while Jon Keaveny makes the 19-man squad after a toe injury.

Swansea are still aiming for their first win of the season after back-to-back draws. Swansea have signed 18-year-old Leicester City defender Geraint Frowen on a 12-month youth team contract.

The Wales Under-19 cap was released by the Foxes at the end of last season, two years into his three-year scholarship which Swansea will now take over.

ANDY Preece is hopeful he could have one or two extra players at his disposal as Bury bid to clinch their first points of the new season this weekend.

After their opening day upset at Oxford and dismal display against Cambridge in midweek, Shakers are desperate to finally get off the mark with a home win over Swansea. And, as their injury and suspension problems gradually clear up, they could be bolstered by a stronger squad as the Swans fly in to Gigg Lane.

Chris Billy, gashed knee, David Nugent, suspended, and Gareth Seddon, back, will all be missing for at least another week but Preece revealed that David Borley, hernia, and Ian Lawson, ankle, are in the running for a place in Saturday's line-up.

"Chris Billy is touch and go because it could open up again," said Preece.

"We would like to rush him back but we don't want anything to go wrong. He might train on Friday but it would be asking a lot of him to come back so soon. "David Borley has been fine in training and is just itching to get a game. Ian Lawson should also be available and hopefully everyone will be back by the Hull game next week. That will give me more options and we can look at changing things around."

That is a threat he seems certain to carry out after two straight losses left him livid with the way his players have abandoned his philosophy of passing football. "We just didn't play our way up from the back and started launching the ball instead,"

"If that's the way the players want it, we will go back to the good old days and put myself and another big lad up front, with eight men behind the ball, and just keep banging it upfield. "We didn't give the fans anything to be positive about and it looked like we haven't been doing any work in training. But that's not true. We have been working our socks off to get our style of play right.

"Something within us has to change because no-one's going to come in and help us. Myself and Graham Barrow will be looking at ourselves to see what we can do now and if there's anything we've done wrong.

"But the players must do that as well. They can't look around at the other players or the situation this club's in. "They just have to look at theirselves and ask what they can do to make sure we beat Swansea."

Swansea City were today set to decide on whether to press ahead with an appeal against Kristian O'Leary's dismissal last weekend.

The club skipper was given his marching orders after a challenge on Rushden & Diamonds striker Onandi Lowe by fledgling referee Andy Penn. And should the red card stand, the 24-year-old centreback could face a three-match ban.

Incensed by the sending-off, Nick Cusack initially declared that the club would definitely appeal. But after video footage of the incident arrived at Vetch Field yesterday, Swansea's player-manager may have changed his mind.

If Cusack chooses not to appeal, he will be without his captain for a minimum one game and possibly three, depending on the referee's view of the offence. O'Leary's suspension would open the door for either Neil Sharp or new-boy Dave Theobald to press his claims for a regular first-team spot.

Theobald, 23, put his name forward last night as Swansea's second-string saw off League of Wales side Afan Lido. The former Brentford defender rose highest to nod home Andrew Mumford's fifthminute corner, before the Welsh Under-21 midfielder got on the scoresheet himself 60 seconds later.

Steve Watkin, one of three players involved who had been part of the draw at Darlington just 24 hours earlier, completed the scoring from the spot in a comfortable 3-1 win.

THE phrase what goes around comes around was of little consolation to Nick Cusack last weekend as his side lost out on an opening-day victory thanks to Rushden & Diamonds skipper Paul Underwood's 94th-minute sucker punch.

Swansea City's player-manager might have felt a good bit better, though, had he known that just three days on, he would be the one dancing a jig to mark a late equaliser.

For Underwood read Steve Watkin, who popped up on the end of fellow substitute John Williams's 89thminute cross to hand Swansea a share of the spoils at Darlington last night.

And like Rushden at the Vetch last Saturday, it was no less than Swansea deserved after a battling display on their first away trip of the new Third Division campaign. There was not too much jaw-dropping football at Feethams - particularly from a home side who relied primarily on belting the ball long to the very large, very effective Barry Conlon.

Swansea at least made an effort, and were rewarded with their well-crafted leveller at the death.

Having huffed and puffed, taken the lead and rattled the woodwork twice, it was quite right that Swansea should embark on the long journey home to South Wales with a second point of the season in the bag.

"Credit to the boys, they kept going forward and they kept looking for the equaliser and thankfully they got it, " Cusack said.

"Feeling that you are never beaten is a great habit to get into. And there is no lack of battling qualities in this squad, which will stand us in good stead throughout the season.

"The fans just want to see players who work hard and keep fighting until the end and that's what we've got here. There was no lack of effort, although there was some lack of quality." The 80-or-so hardy souls who made the long trip north must have agreed, though they did not really mind thanks to Watkin's late strike. Earlier they had sensed a first victory of the season was on its way. Williams hurled a trademark long throw into the box which Darlington skipper Craig Liddle failed to clear properly.

New-boy David Smith took advantage, mopping up on the edge of penalty area before rifling a right-foot shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner of Chris Porter's goal to give the visitors a 66th-minute lead. "We went 1-0 up and I thought we were reasonably comfortable and would go on to win the game, " added Cusack.

"They hadn't caused us too many problems, but unfortunately we got a bit sloppy." First, powerhouse Conlon flicked on Porter's clearance, and Ian Clark scampered away from a fairly statuesque Swansea defence to clip past the despairing Roger Freestone. Just five minutes later, after Swansea had half-cleared a corner, Neil Wainwright's return cross found Liddle unmarked only six yards out to head the Quakers in front.

As the clock ticked down, the impending defeat seemed a little harsh on the travelling side - especially after James Thomas had seen his smart first-half header rebound to safety off the crossbar. And when Watkin's clever overhead kick came back off the post, prompting a scramble in which Matt Murphy, Lee Jenkins and Williams all failed to find the net, Cusack might have written it off as one of those nights.

But as the disappointing home crowd began to whistle for the end, Watkin nodded home to make the seven-hour coach ride home seem a little bit shorter. Next stop Bury on Saturday, where Cusack will be hoping his new-look side can taste a new sensation - victory.

Nick Cusack has told his senior centre-backs to toughen up their act after Swansea City needed a late Steve Watkin strike to salvage a point at Feethams last night.

Despite new-boy David Smith opening the scoring for the visitors, Darlington looked on course for victory until Watkin nodded home an 89th-minute leveller.

And Cusack, whose side let slip a 2-1 lead four minutes into injury time against Rushden & Diamonds last Saturday, wants his side to wise up before this weekend's trip to Bury.

"We need to be more physical, " he said. "Barry Conlon (Darlington striker) gave our lads the runaround.

"'Jason Smith and Kris O'Leary have got to deal with that sort of player. We had Onandi Lowe last Saturday, now Conlon, and there will be plenty more.

"Conlon won too many headers throughout the game. I wasn't pleased about that and the centre-halves have been told.

"Then Craig Liddle had a free header for the second goal, which I wasn't happy about either. That's not acceptable.

"There weren't a lot of chances in the game, and when we went ahead I thought we would win. But one long lump down the field and they were level." With two points from the opening two games of the season, Cusack is targeting a victory at Gigg Lane on Saturday when Swansea meet a Bury side who have two defeats to their name so far.

He added: "We went for it at the end and got a point but I'm still a little disappointed, and we should have won against Rushden.

"I'm not too disappointed with the way things have gone, though.

We are still getting used to each other and now we move on to Bury." Meanwhile, a Swansea reserve side expected to feature a number of senior squad members make the short trip to Afan Lido for a friendly tonight (7pm).

NICK CUSACK expressed his disappointment that Swansea City conceded the lead again last night - and the fact they have collected only two points from the opening two games.

Though pleased with the manner in which his side battled for a late equaliser, the player-coach blamed "sloppy defend-ing" for Swansea letting slip the 1-0 advantage that David Smith had given them in the 61st minute.

"When we took the lead I thought we were capable of going on to win comfortably," said Cusack.

"But we got sloppy and allowed (Craig) Liddle a free header for their second goal.

"I wasn't happy with that. Kris (O''Leary) and Jason (Smith) should be able to deal with balls into the box - there is going to be plenty of them this season."

Cusack added, "On the positive side, I was pleased with how we kept working and didn't give up.

"There was a bit of a scramble in the goalmouth and when Steve Watkin hit the post I thought it was going to be one of those nights.

"Although we got the equaliser in the end, I'm a little disappointed because that's two games we've played and we've only got two points for our troubles.

"But if we keep showing the same kind of battling qualities, I'm sure we'll turn the draws into wins."

Swansea did at least play some attractive football while Darlington opted for a more direct approach.

"We played the game the right way and didn't just knock it up into the air all the time like Darlington," said Cusack.

"They didn't try to play any football and kept knocking it long for the big striker (Barry Conlon) to chase.

"At times it was effective - Conlon is obviously an integral part of Darlington's team - and I felt we should have done more to neutralise that."

A LAST-MINUTE equaliser from substitute Steve Watkin prevented battling Swansea City from slipping to their first defeat of the new season at Darlington last night.

Nick Cusack's side looked destined to return from the North East pointless until Watkin pounced in the 89th minute to head in a superb cross from fellow substitute John Williams.

Darlington supporters understandably felt aggrieved after watching their side come back from a goal down but Swansea, who took the lead through wing-back David Smith, deserved credit for sticking to their task.

The visitors, who have still not won at Feethams since January 1977, looked far more dangerous when Cu-sack brought on Williams and Watkin and switched to a 4-3-3 formation midway through the second half.

Cusack, who spent six months at Darlington in 1992, kept faith with the side which drew 2-2 in Saturday's curtain-raiser against Rushden & Diamonds, Andrew Mumford again having to settle for a place on the bench.

Darlington were first to threaten, Quakers midfielder Ashley Nicholls firing just over the crossbar after nine minutes after collecting a square ball from striker Ian Clark on the edge of the 18-yard box.

Captain Kris O'Leary - controversially dismissed against Rushden on Saturday - came to Swansea's rescue 14 minutes later.

Darlington midfielder Adam Rundle whipped in a left-sided cross which striker Barry Conlon met with a half-volley but O'Leary was there to block the goal-bound effort.

The 24-year-old defender was sent off for a double-footed challenge on Rushden striker Onandi Lowe and Cusack, adamant his skipper made no contact with the player, confirmed last night that the club would appeal against the decision.

O'Leary and his defensive colleagues were forced on the back foot again on the half-hour mark as Wales Under-21 defender Ryan Valentine shaved Roger Freestone's left-hand post with a 20-yard strike.

Swansea were struggling to put any kind of dent in Darling-ton's defence, Jamie Wood providing the visitors' only strike on goal with a speculative 25-yard drive which fizzed wide of a post.

James Thomas had a superb chance to bag his second goal of the season in the 34th minute but he headed against the bar after connecting with Paul Reid's free-kick.

The action was concentrated in Swansea's 18-yard box, Freestone earning his corn by making several important catches to keep the scores level at the break.

With Tommy Taylor's side staying tight at the back, Cusack replaced Wood with former Darlington striker Williams to inject some pace and force an opening.

Swansea broke the deadlock after 61 minutes, the visitors' goal coming from a unlikely source. A Swans throw-in was cleared as far as Smith and the former Coventry City man's low 20-yard effort whizzed almost apologetically past Quakers goal-keeper Chris Porter.

But the lead lasted only two minutes, Clark rounding the Swans de-fence to fire past Freestone after latching onto Conlon's flick-on.

Freestone was beaten again in the 69th minute when home captain Craig Liddle pounced at the far post to redirect Neil Wainwright's deep right-hand cross into the net.

Cusack replaced Phillips and Jason Smith with Watkin and Neil Sharp, and the change of formation almost paid instant dividends as Watkin, Williams and Thomas all either hit the wordwork or had efforts blocked during a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Freestone made a magnificent save five minutes from time, turning a ferocious 25-yard Adam Rundle effort over the crossbar.

It proved vital as, four minutes later, Watkin snatched Swansea a draw when he headed Williams's cross past Porter from close range.

Swansea legend John Toshack has dismissed speculation linking him with a return to the Vetch.

Reports are rife that Toshack is to be approached to help turn around the fortunes of the club he once led to the top of the old First Division. But the 53-year-old, who was at the Vetch Field to witness the 2-2 draw with Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday, refused to be drawn on the rumours.

He said: "It's the first I've heard of it, I have certainly had no contact with Swansea City."

It had been thought that the Swans board had secretly made contact with the former Sporting Lisbon and Real Madrid supremo, who was capped 40 times by Wales in a playing career spanning 15 years.

Toshack became manager of Swansea in 1978 and took them from the old Fourth to the First Division in just four seasons. Meanwhile, current boss Nick Cusack has today vowed to try and do all in his powers to prevent a repeat of the injury time goal that prevented the Swans taking all three points on Saturday.

REVITALISED Swansea City striker John Williams returns to his former club tonight aiming to prove he has a part to play in Nick Cusack's Vetch Field regime.

Williams, who spent six months at Darlington before joining the Swans for a third spell in June 2001, is in lean shape after losing almost a stone in weight over the summer.

34-year-old striker is feeling "much sharper" than he did last season after player-coach Cusack ordered him to improve his fitness ahead of the new campaign. worked himself into shape, the former Coventry and Cardiff City now aims to dislodge Swansea's first-choice striker pairing of Jamie Wood and James Thomas - and prove his best days are not behind him.

"I feel I've still got a very big part to play at Swansea," said Williams, who spent 12 months at the Vetch from August 1991 and had a loan spell there in

1995.

"I hate the `super-sub' tag. I would much rather be in the starting line-up and I feel I'm still good enough to be there.

"Competition is tough with six strikers at the club, but that doesn't really bother me because I love a challenge.

"They could've signed Pele - I would've still fought for my place and had the same belief in myself."

Williams, who was at Cardiff City for the 1998-99 season, admitted the strain of travelling from his Birmingham home to Swansea last season took its toll and his fitness suffered.

But over the summer he moved to Wales and, while his team-mates were relaxing on their sun-loungers, put himself through a gruelling fitness regime.

"I was under a lot of strain towards the end of last season, commuting from Birmingham, and I wasn't really settled," said Williams.

"The manager said in no uncertain terms that I had to move closer to Swansea and knuckle down to improve my fitness.

"Plus, with one year left on my contract, I felt I owed it to myself to finish on a high. So I got a personal fitness trainer, worked out a programme and did a lot of running and fitness work. I never go on the scales, but I think I've lost about a stone."

Williams looked much sharper during the pre-season matches and, having appeared as if he would be fourth-or fifth-choice striker this season, has shot back up the pecking order.

"I had a good pre-season and I'm feeling much sharper than I did last year," he said. "I've still got my pace - when I was young I was extremely fast, now I'm just fast - which is an asset I hoped the manager will utilise.

"I can use my pace to create two or three chances each game, either for myself or the team."

Williams made a substitute appearance in the first game of the season against Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday and is expected to be on the bench again tonight.

34, I know the onus is on me to prove I can still do the business," said Williams. "Hopefully, I'll get another chance to show what I can do.

"I'm looking forward to going back to Darlington as I have good memories of my time at the club. They have a good bunch of lads."

Cusack, expected to name an unchanged side from Saturday's 2-2 draw, said the club would view video evidence before deciding whether to appeal against the dismissal of Kris O'Leary at the weekend.

He said, "We have to lodge any appeal with the Football League no later than Tuesday night.

"People at the club will take a look at a video of the incident and if it shows what we expect [that O'Leary made no contact with the player] then we will be appealing."

GARETH PHILLIPS was handed a "shock" 90 minutes against Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday - then admitted he thought he had been frozen out of the first team.

The 22-year-old midfielder was a peripheral figure during pre-season and said his confidence had taken a battering when he was omitted from player-coach Nick Cusack's preferred XI. But on Saturday Phillips was the beneficiary of Cusack's decision to relegate Andrew Mumford to the substitutes' bench following some indifferent performances from the midfielder.

"It was a bit of a shock to be included," said Pontypridd-born Phillips, who joined the Swans as a trainee in July 1998.

"But I was delighted to be involved and, hopefully, I did enough to warrant a place against Darlington on Tuesday and perhaps hold onto the shirt.

"The way things were shaping up in pre-season, I really didn't expect to be playing in the first game against Rushden."

Phillips added, "I could see the team the manager had in mind and I was not a part of it. That affected my confidence and I was starting to feel down about myself."

The tenacious midfielder enjoyed his best season at the Vetch last year, scoring his first ever league goal in the opening day defeat of Macclesfield Town.

Phillips effectively switched to right-back in the closing stages of the 2001-02 campaign following injury to Lee Jenkins and Terry Evans.

But this season the fit-again Jenkins is preferred at right wingback and Phillips has been squeezed out of midfield following the arrival of Paul Reid and Matt Murphy.

"It's not nice being on the side-lines," he said. "Last season I was buzzing around but this year I have been more subdued. But I just have to knuckle down and work hard at winning a place in the side and, now that I'm there, holding onto it.

"With the quality of players in the squad now, you cannot afford to relax for one moment. You have to be on top of your game week in, week out."

Phillips, who has made a total of 67 Swans appearances, said he felt sympathy for former Vetch colleagues Chris Todd and Jonathan Coates, who were released by Cusack in the summer.

"I've kept in touch with Chris and Jon and they're both finding it hard to find a new club," said Phillips. "Fingers crossed, I won't be in that position next summer. I want to earn a new contract because there's no better job than playing football."