Match report

Swansea City 1 Rotherham United 1 - Match Report by Nigel Gigg, Pictures by Andrew Thomas

A bitterly cold day with the temperature only just above freezing for today's game against Rotherham United.

Rotherham, managed by ex Swan Allan Knill were pre season favourites for relegation after going into administration and starting the season on minus ten points. However, against the odds, they have clawed their way out of the drop zone and came into today's game with 22 points and lying in 19th place.

Rotherham had another ex Swan featuring in goalkeeper Neil Cutler, who will always have a place in the heart of many Swans fans after playing in goal in what could have been our last Football league game against Hull in May 2003.

Swans were without the suspended Andy Robinson and Tom Butler took his place on the left of midfield.

Side- Gueret, Tate, Lawrence, Austin, Britton, Pratley, Craney, Butler, Fallon, Trundle. Subs- Oakes, Amankwaah, Iriekepen, Williams, Akinfenwa.

Swans created the games first chance with an excellent move involving Leon Britton ending with an Ian Craney shot that was easily saved by Neil Cutler.

Referee, Mr Whitestone did little to endear himself to the Swans fans booking Marcos Painter for what seemed a good challenge. It was to set a familiar trend for Mr Whitestone.

Rory Fallon almost scored with a good turn and shot that Cutler did well to save at the expense of a corner. Lee Trundle had a opportunity from the corner, beating Cutler, but his shot was just wide of the post.

Rotherham were trying to play football but were looking second best. They did create one great chance from the excellent Martin Woods who turned Kevin Austin inside out and got through one on one with Willy Gueret. Willy for once was off his line in double quick time and closed the shot down.

Swans had a clear opportunity on 27 minutes to take the lead. Alan Tate tried to squeeze a header in at the near post, his effort was blocked but came back to him. Tatey cleverly laid the ball across the six yard line to Dennis Lawrence but he lacked composure and fired the ball over the bar.

Swans had lost their way in the middle of the first half but regained the initiative toward half time when Lee Trundle created a great chance for Leon Britton. However, Leon although only 3 or 4 yards out could be forgiven for missing as he stretched for the ball.

Lee Trundle also went close with a right foot shot that Cutler saved at close range with his legs.

Swans probably deserved the lead at half time but the combination of wasted chances, good goalkeeping and bad luck kept it at 0-0.

Tom Butler almost scored two minutes into the second half with a chip over Cutler that was going just wide of the post before Rory Fallon came storming in at the far post. As with Leon Britton in the first half the goal looked at his mercy but stretching he could only tap the ball into the arms of the grateful Cutler.

Against the run of play it was Rotherham that took the lead on 55 minutes. The highly impressive Woods played the ball out of defence and found Eugen Bopp whose speculative shot from 30 yards may have taken a slight deflection but it totally wrong footed Willy Gueret who looked leaden footed as the ball flew within two feet of Willy without him seemingly moving a muscle.

Swans almost hit back immediately with a Dennis Lawrence header which Cutler again saved well. Rory Fallon really should have scored with a header from just 4 yards out.

Rotherham were gifted a chance to seal their win when Swans midfield and defence didn't react at all to a quickly taken free kick and Willy saved their blushes with a save at the feet of Will Hoskins.

The home crowd were getting more and more frustrated with proceedings, not helped by Kenny Jackett's reluctance to throw on Bayo Akinfenwa and Mr Whitestone's persistent whistling and inability to keep the game flowing.

When Kenny Jackett did make the substitution he brought on Tom Williams for Tom Butler but again his options were limited with three defenders on the bench.

Rory Fallon had another great chance to score but somehow he managed to head over from just 2 yards out as the crowds patience wore thinner and thinner. Finally, with just 12 minutes left Bayo replaced Marcos Painter as Swans went to a 4-3-3 formation.

With 5 minutes left Tom Williams was hacked down by Woods and reacted poorly by felling Woods with a two foot kick. Both players received yellow cards and Williams was lucky his wasn't red. Trundle and Rotherham's Wiseman were also booked in the aftermath.

The resultant Swans free kick was met in the box by Kevin Austin and his header from close range hit Cutler and seemed to point to the Swans just having one of those days.

However with just 45 seconds left Swans grabbed the equaliser. A deep cross from Alan Tate was thumped into the box and the deftest of headers from Bayo Akinfenwa directed the ball into the corner of the net from 12 yards out.

Swans couldn't grab the winner but it felt like a point won rather than two lost at full time.

We will play worse and win games in the months to come. The overall quality of our play was good today and it really was just one of those days.

Ratings-

Gueret 6 - 95% of what he did was faultless. But goalkeepers just can't afford to make mistakes.

Tate 7 - Good game and again supported Leon well down the right.
Lawrence 7 - Decent game in defence but missed a sitter.
Austin 8- Pick of defence.
Painter 7 - Decent game in defence and attack.

Britton 9 - Won possession time and again and quick to turn defence into attack.
Pratley 6- Much quieter than last week.
Craney 6 - As above.
Butler 7 - Had a good game but will no doubt lose his place with Robbo returning from suspension.

Trundle 7 - Some great touches and as last week seemed happy creating chances for others.
Fallon 6 - Like Willy did loads of great work but strikers are judged on goal scoring and chances / goals ratio and Rory failed badly in front of goal today.

Subs -
Williams 5 - Probably deserved a red card for a crude lunge. Has made no progress with his anger management skills since he joined us.
Akinfenwa 7- Always causes panic in defences with his sheer presence.

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