Match Report

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Swans produced a superb performance in atrocious conditions to see off Wolves who were top of the table this morning. Swans best display of the season was capped off with a  Jordi Gomez goal inside 25 seconds and a brace from Jason Scotland.

Roberto was forced to make a number of changes following the victory at Preston. Tom Butler failed in his battle for fitness and was replaced by Andrea Orlandi. Ferrie Bodde missed out after accumulating five bookings and serving his one match ban. He was replaced by a fit again Darren Pratley, and Jason Scotland, (who did not even make the bench at Preston) returned in place of Gorka Pintado.  

Wolves, despite a spate of injuries still looked a very good side on paper. Welsh international keeper Wayne Hennessy who scored an own goal in the midweek defeat against Reading, was dropped down to the bench. Also on the bench was another Welsh international in Sam Vokes.  

Side – de Vries, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Painter, Orlandi, Britton, Pratley, Gomez, Gower, Scotland. Subs – Tate, Jones, Brandy, Bauza, Pintado.  

Over the years I’ve witnessed Swans conceding far more early goals than I’ve seen us score. Well today it was the rarest of days with a Jordi Gomez goal within 25 seconds. From the kick off Swans worked the ball down the right. Jason Scotland, Darren Pratley and Andrea Orlandi were all involved before Jordi Gomez, who made a terrific run towards the box was picked out by Orlandi’s pass. Gomez took one touch to control the ball then picked his spot past a static Carl Ikeme in the Wolves goal.  

If Swans fans needed lifting in the awful driving rain an early lead against a Wolves side top of the table this morning was just what they would have wanted.  

Both sides settled down to play a passing game and the level of skill on display from both sides was remarkable given the conditions.  

Wolves struck back on 16 minutes courtesy of some dubious defending from the Swans back line. David Edwards fed the ball through to Andy Keogh. He was forced wide but was able to get his shot away without any sort of challenge and beat Dorus de Vries from a narrow angle. De Vries will be disappointed with the goal but Keogh should never have been given the time or the space afforded to him.  

The Wolves equaliser was a real shot in the arm for them and they now looked the team that had taken the Division by storm in the early weeks of the season. They had a great chance to extend their lead when a slick passing move created space for Neill Collins but with the goal at his mercy he headed wide.  

Swans to their credit fought their way back and Jason Scotland came close after Ikeme came racing off his line and ended up in no mans land. Scotland was at an acute angle but struck his shot low and hard and it took an excellent piece of defending for Collins to clear the ball off the line.  

As with the Cardiff game 2 weeks ago the half hour point saw Swans start to take control of the game. Wolves were starting to lose the midfield battle in which once more Leon Britton in particular was outstanding.  

On 33 minutes Swans had the ball in the back of the Wolves net only to be denied by a linesman’s flag. Andrea Orlandi played a terrific cross field pass to Mark Gower. He cut inside the full back and unleashed a terrific right foot shot that bent inside the near post. Jordi Gomez had tried to get a touch on the ball as it flew goal-ward but didn’t seem to get any sort of contact. It was unclear whether the referee had given the offside against Gomez, who, in attempting to play the ball must have been ‘active’ or Jason Scotland who most certainly was not ‘active’.  

Swans continued to press and from a corner Darren Pratley rose high above the defence and got a good header in. His effort was probably going just wide but Garry Monk read the situation well and headed towards goal from just 4 yards and was desperately unlucky to see the ball strike the bar.

Swans had built up a terrific head of steam and the goal their play had warranted arrived on 40 minutes. Mark Gower found Jason Scotland inside the Wolves area. He turned his defender brilliantly and tried to lift the ball over the body of the advancing Ikeme. His shot hit Ikeme and ballooned toward goal just crossing the line before a defender was able to hack the ball clear.  

The goal was fair reward for Swans dominance and they saw the half out comfortably.  

The second half began as the first had ended with Swans looking the better side. Mick McCarthy was forced into the first substitution bringing on Sam Vokes for George Friend.   Within a minute of coming on Vokes looked certain to score trying to turn in a right wing cross from just 6 yards out but Dorus de Vries pulled off a remarkable save to deny him.  

On 56 minutes Swans got their third goal. There looked little danger as Jason Scotland picked the ball up near the touch line 30 yards out. He expertly spun and left his marker for dead. He raced into the area and most were expecting a low cross. Scotland had had a taste of goal and wanted another. He drove a low hard shot past the keeper before he had chance to move.  

Roberto Martinez soon replaced Andrea Orlandi with Owain Tudur Jones as he looked to shore up his midfield. However, in all honesty Wolves didn’t look likely to threaten the Swans lead such was our dominance.  

Swans continued to look the better side but chances were limited as the midfield sat deeper and all too often only Jason Scotland and Jordi Gomez were getting into the final third.

On 72 minutes Gorka Pintado replaced Jason Scotland who looked far from happy to come off. Assistant Manager Graham Jones threw his arms around Scotland as he left the field and tried his best to placate the striker.  

So Swans climb to seventh place in the Championship before another two week break. Today was possibly our best display of the season to date. Jordi Gomez in midfield has probably made himself an automatic selection with the excellent support he gives to Jason Scotland. With Ferrie Bodde back for the next game Roberto will have a sleepless night or so worrying who to leave out. Great problem to have isn’t it? 

Ratings-

De Vries 7 – One terrific save but quite poor dealing with crosses.
Rangel 8 – Terrific going forward.
Monk 7 – Seems to be dogged with bad luck in front of goal or is it poor finishing?
Williams 8 – Another assured performance.
Painter 7 – Started poorly against Carlos Edwards but got the better of him in the second half.
Orlandi 7 – Much better than his last start. Some sublime touches.
Britton 8 – Pick of an excellent midfield. 
Pratley 7 – Back from injury and helped Swans dominate the midfield.
Gomez 8 – Another goal and another excellent performance.
Gower 8 – Looks so much more at home on the left wing.
Scotland 9 – Outstanding. Strong as an ox and took both goals superbly. It was interesting today as I was sitting just behind the Wolves dugout. I had five or six Wolves backroom staff and players that hadn’t made the sixteen sitting in the row behind me. They were amazed at the strength shown by Jason Scotland and were full of praise for him, even before he had scored. They felt he tied up both centre halves and seemed to have given them the hardest afternoon they have had this season.

 Subs –

Jones 8 – Did just what was asked of him. Broke up several attacks and always found his man with his passes.
Pintado 7 – One decent shot. Shame for him that we were sitting much deeper by the time he came on. Bauza  - Not sure if he even touched the ball in the two minutes he was given.

Swansea City: De Vries, Williams, Painter, Monk, Rangel, Britton, Pratley, Orlandi (Tudur-Jones 64), Gower (Bauza 90), Gomez, Scotland (Pintado 72).

Booked: Painter, Gomez, Orlandi, Scotland.

Goals: Gomez 1, Scotland 41, 57.

Wolverhampton: Ikeme, Collins, Stearman, Friend (Vokes 52), Foley, Henry, David Edwards, Jones, Carlos Edwards (Shackell 81), Keogh, Ward.

Booked: Keogh.

Goals: Keogh 16.

Att: 17,556

Ref: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).

Swansea manager Roberto Martinez:

"I'm delighted with the way we were able to defend and soak up the pressure and play football on top of that.

"It was the complete performance and the goals came at good times throughout the game.

"Jason Scotland looked sharp from the first second, he hit the crossbar, scored two goals, looked strong and had that bit of magic."

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy:

"(Swansea boss) Roberto Martinez would have been thrilled with the goals he got and rightly so.

"I'm not blaming it on players missing, I'm blaming the players on the pitch.

"I feel sorry for (goalkeeper) Carl Ikeme that what was in front of him didn't do anything."

Swansea: De Vries, Williams, Painter, Monk, Rangel, Britton, Pratley, Orlandi (Tudur-Jones 64), Gower (Bauza 90), Gomez, Scotland (Pintado 72).
Subs Not Used: Tate, Brandy.

Booked: Painter, Gomez, Orlandi, Scotland.

Goals: Gomez 1, Scotland 41, 57.

Wolverhampton: Ikeme, Collins, Stearman, Friend (Vokes 52), Foley, Henry, David Edwards, Jones, Carlos Edwards (Shackell 81), Keogh, Ward.
Subs Not Used: Hennessey, Potter, Hemmings.

Booked: Keogh.

Goals: Keogh 16.

Att: 17,556

Ref: Trevor Kettle (Rutland).

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