Match Report

Swansea City 1 Walsall 0 - Report by Paul Nicholas, Pics by Dai Smith

On a night with a full fixture programme, 5^th placed Walsall arrived at the Liberty Stadium to face the Swans who lined up with the now familiar 4-5-1 formation:

De Vries
Rangel - Monk - Tate - Painter
Butler - Bodde - Pratley - Britton - Robinson
Scotland

The game started at a brisk pace, and the speed of the game was making it difficult for the Swans to get into their preferred smooth passing game.  Walsall seemed to be more physical than we were and their game plan was certainly one of disruption as they chased everything in the early stages.  I would say that in the first 20 minutes, Walsall enjoyed the majority of the possession and territorial advantage, but as the game settled down, the Swans slotted into a more comfortable pattern of play, and the control and passing game started to emerge. 

Scotland, up front, was having few chances, and struggled to win the aerial challenges against clearly taller defensive opposition.  Britton, Butler and Robinson were lively, and despite some wayward distribution on occasions, Pratley and Bodde were involved in most of what was happening. 

There was a lot of fight and character in the way the Swans were playing, and when the ball was given away, invariably they tackled back to retrieve possession.  

The trouble when you set yourselves (and the crowd) high standards, any failure to reach those standards causes frustration.  It would be harsh to say that we weren’t playing well, we were just a little below what we have seen at home in some recent games.  Compared to what the teams who arrive at the Liberty deliver up by way of entertainment, we are way ahead. 

Defensively in the first half, Monk and Tate were dominant, and with Rangel and Painter always looking to move forward, we were starting to look far more comfortable.  De Vries had been troubled very little, with only one save of note (made to look spectacular for the benefit of the crowd), and his main contribution to the half was his distribution which always helps to build the attacks from the very back of defence. 

Half time arrived with no goals, although in the last 10 minutes of the half, the Swans launched attack after attack at the Walsall goal, with Bodde having a couple of medium range attempts, and some crosses and goalmouth scrambles causing Walsall some problems, and for which we certainly deserved some sort of result.  With Carlisle and Doncaster both leading in their games, we needed to get an early breakthrough to keep the momentum, and a chance to retain the 8 point gap that we were enjoying at kick off.  

Within minutes of the re-start, Bodde was caught, and for some time the injury looked serious.  The stretcher was brought on, but thankfully, he rose to his feet, and just a few moments later unleashed a terrific left foot shot past the Walsall keeper to make it 1-0. 

From that moment, Walsall looked rattled, and the Swans started to dominate.  It was still a very fast moving game, and when a penalty was surprisingly (to some of us) awarded for a Butler Swallow Dive, it looked like game over.  That was – until you remember our track record of penalties this season.  People complain that De Vries can’t save them, well we’ve also got boys that can’t score them, so a double wammy. 

With Scotland having been replaced by Bauza a few minutes before the spot kick was awarded, Pratley picked up the ball, placed it carefully and watched as their keeper palmed it around his right hand post.

If any more penalties are awarded at home, maybe the winner of the Face in the Crowd competition in the match programme could be invited to have a go. 

The penalty miss seemed to kick Walsall back into gear, but except for one superb one handed save by De Vries, we kept control and ended the game 1-0 winners, so staying 8 points clear of 2^nd place, and 12 pts clear of 3^rd place. 

We play a superb passing game of football, from the last line of defence to the strikers.  It deserves higher league exposure, and if we continue to grind out the remaining games this year, get our home games won, a pick up a reasonable number of away points, then we will get the chance to test our skills against much better teams than we have been playing this season. 

An entertaining and enjoyable game made frustrating only by how often we made life difficult for ourselves in losing the ball too easily.  Our fitness levels are terrific, and we play for a full 90 minutes.  Promotion is there for the taking or the throwing away.  Port Vale here we come. 

I apologise for the lack of technical and footballing detail, but I’m not Giggsy.  He is still somewhere out in New Zealand drinking in hotel bars with Ian Botham and other cricketing celebrities of this world.  Some people never get their priorities right do they? 

No sweat.

They came to get behind the ball and hope for a lucky break. They didn't get it but it took a very good save by Dorus to keep out a well hit shot from outside the box.

Other than that they were pretty toothless and often had no better idea than booting it long out of defense for a goal kick to us! Bizarre play once or twice.

We looked like we knew we had to be patient right from the off. Walsall were quick to get eleven behind the ball and so we were able to pass it around with ease at the back.

Scotland had a shot that fizzed past the foot of a post and a close range flick, after Tate headed back across goal, that somehow went straight into Ince's hands. And although we were well on top and in control, we failed to make many clear cut chances in the first half.

But we did get our just deserts in the second when a very well worked move created space for Bodde to shoot from the edge of the box. Ince was well beaten on his right hand post,

Later Robinson tried to curl it to the other corner but a strong hand from the keeper kept it out.

Walsall were forced to come out a bit but in truth they never looked too dangerous. The game should have been put to bed when we got a pretty cheap penalty after Butler turned his full back and invited the challenge.

By then Bauza had replaced Scotland so we needed a new taker. Robbo looked interested but Pratley emerged with ball in hand much to the surprise of most around me. His shot was weak, at saveable height and was easily beaten away. So another missed penalty. Who next? Bodde maybe? At least he would put his foot through it.

We held out pretty easily in truth, and even their final aerial threat never really materialised.

So three important points I think. This virtually kills Walsall off from chasing us now. Only Donny, Forest and Carlisle can even contemplate it I would say.

And with so many games between them coming up they are in a bit of a mini-league fighting over second place.

That will be very good news for us. And if we keep winning then that gap can only get bigger :D

Walsall's Rhys Weston had earlier survived a first-half penalty appeal.

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