Kevin Austin has warned Swansea City they must halt Bristol Rovers's latest striking sensation if they are to notch a seventh straight home win tomorrow. Former Rovers defender Austin, who quit the Memorial Stadium for Swansea in the summer, comes face to face with good friend Junior Agogo when two of League Two's heavyweights clash at Vetch Field.

Austin believes the 11-goal frontman has the class to follow a string of ex-Rovers forwards like Nathan Ellington, Jason Roberts, Bobby Zamora and Marcus Stewart onto greater things.

And he has told Swansea that stopping Agogo will be key if they are to strike a blow in the race for a place in League One this weekend.

''Junior has got a bit of everything,'' Austin said. ''He has pace, power and two good feet and on his day he can be a real handful.

''Marking him in training was a nightmare and I'm sure it will be exactly the same tomorrow.

''Rovers have produced some great strikers over the years and I'm certain Junior has the ability to play at a higher level if he wants to do that.''

Agogo's focus tomorrow will be on extending a five-game unbeaten stretch which has seen Rovers climb to fifth in the table, only two points behind Kenny Jackett's side.

''I'm not surprised by how well they're doing given the players and the manager they've got in,'' Austin added. ''If anything I expected them to be top of the league.

''They're full of confidence at the minute, but we're not doing too badly ourselves and we know we're capable of getting the three points.''

For all their success on home soil, Swansea have faltered in their last two outings - at Grimsby and Wycombe - and Jackett could abandon his usual 4-4-2 formation as he bids to engineer an improvement.

The alternative is a three-man backline featuring Austin, Garry Monk and Izzy Iriekpen, with Sam Ricketts and Andy Gurney pushing up to midfield and Lee Trundle playing just behind a front two of Paul Connor and Adrian Forbes.

''We did switch to a 3-5-2 for the last half hour at Grimsby and changing systems is something every manager should consider,'' the Swansea boss said. ''We've been disappointed with our performances in the last couple of games and we want to get back to being top class again tomorrow. ''Bristol Rovers, like Swansea, are a big club and it's a local derby, so the atmosphere should be fantastic. ''Hopefully we can combine aggression, guts and good football to give our fans something to cheer.'' Andy Robinson (back) is again struggling to be fit.

Manager Kenny Jackett hopes another full-house at the Vetch for Saturday's visit of Bristol Rovers will help Swansea rediscover their best form. "In the last two games we've not been terrible, but we have dropped below the level we have been playing," he said.

"But that happens sometimes so it's important for us to raise our standard again. We'll have a fantastic crowd behind us so we're confident."

The Swans should also be boosted by Andy Robinson's return to fitness.

The midfielder missed the League Two draw with Grimsby last Saturday and Tuesday's LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Wycombe.

Bristol Rovers are two points behind Swansea in fifth place in the league table, and Jackett is wary of their "intimidating strike force".

"We realise it'll be a tough game," Jackett added. "It's a local derby and both clubs have got promotion aspirations and in good positions in the league.

"It'll be a full-house so it'll be a great game for us. Our home record is very good and if we can put in the effort and keep playing the type of football the fans want to see, then they'll keep spurring us on."

Meanwhile, the club has announced plans to increase the Vetch Field's capacity to more than 13,000 at the for the remainder of the season.

Said Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins: "An engineer has looked at the back of the North Bank and we have proposed that a temporary structure be put in to support some of the steel work and allow us to increase the capacity by up to 1,200."

Swansea City are planning to increase the Vetch Field's capacity to more than 13,000 for the remainder of their final season at the ground. The club are set to splash out around £30,000 on engineering work which will allow up to 1,200 more fans to stand on the North Bank until the gates swing shut for the last time next April.

Safety chiefs sanctioned an increase last month which stretched the Vetch's capacity to more than 12,000.

Now Swansea are waiting for the go-ahead to make more space for supporters after Saturday's home game with Bristol Rovers.

"We are desperate to ensure that everyone who wants to come and watch Swansea City play between now and the end of the season is able to do so," explained chairman Huw Jenkins.

"An engineer has looked at the back of the North Bank and we have proposed that a temporary structure be put in to support some of the steel work and allow us to increase the capacity by up to 1,200.

"It's going to cost, but we are really returning our supporters' money to them by trying to improve the North Bank.

"We have to wait for Swansea Council, safety officers and various other parties to agree, but we're hopeful that the work could be done between Bristol Rovers and our next home game against Darlington on November 17."

Boss Kenny Jackett, meanwhile, was today assessing the fitness of midfielder Andy Robinson (back) ahead of Rovers' visit.

"Andy couldn't put a sock on last week because his back was so bad and he is still struggling," said Vetch physio Richie Evans. "At the moment he is about 50-50 to make it."

Goalkeeper Willy Gueret is expected to play despite injuring a foot in Tuesday's LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Wycombe, while Andy Gurney is due to return having missed out in midweek for personal reasons.

Rovers, the only side with a higher average gate than Swansea in League Two, are expected to bring in excess of 1,000 fans this weekend and home supporters are being urged to turn up early.

SWANSEA CITY boss Kenny Jackett believes promotion rivals Bristol Rovers will get the backlash from his team's depressing 1-0 LDV Vans Trophy second round exit at Wycombe on Tuesday.

It was only the second occasion former QPR number two Jackett had seen his players beaten in 10 league and cup clashes.

And the ex-Wales and Watford star has demanded that the cup setback is immediately corrected against the Pirates in front of a bumper Vetch gate on Saturday.

Rovers, bossed by one-time Swans managerial target Ian Atkins, are only two points behind the third-placed Swans in the table, having played one game more.

Their visit to west Wales is likely to attract a near 10,000 crowd.

"This is just the sort of match we need after the Wycombe disappointment," boomed Jackett (pictured right).

"I couldn't fault my players' efforts at the Causeway Stadium. They had a go, but we found it difficult to lift ourselves in front of a 1,021 crowd.

"The atmosphere is likely to be terrific at the Vetch Field for Rovers. It is a big game, so vital for each team.

"Our fans have been terrific this season, they have turned up in their thousands for us.

"That was one of the main reasons I wanted to see us get to the final of the LDV Vans Trophy.

"It would have been great to have given our followers a showpiece at the Millennium Stadium in the spring to look forward to.

"It wasn't to be and we have to work off our dismay on the training ground this week. We will be back firing for the Rovers match."

Swansea hope to have former Swindon defender Andy Gurney back in contention for this proverbial six-pointer. The ex-Reading man was rested at Wycombe.

The Swans' FA Cup first round tie at Cheltenham has been switched to Sunday, November 14 with a 2.00pm kick-off because of racing dates in the area that weekend.

But club skipper Roberto Martinez last night held up promotion as the main priority over cup success this term.

He said, "It has to be this way. We need to focus on bringing League One soccer to our new stadium at the Morfa for next year.

"I can't say whether or not our great run in the FA Cup last season deflected us from our goal of promotion.

"But, after we lost to Tranmere in the fifth round in the February, some of our rivals had played more matches and had points in the bag.

"I'm disappointed over Wycombe. We have set high standards this campaign and maybe we didn't reach those marks on Tuesday."

The forthright Spaniard went on, "There is a collective responsibility in the team.

"I play in central midfield and so have a direct effect on others with my influence - maybe I didn't play to my standard at Wycombe."

Kenny Jackett wants performance levels to be raised if Swansea City are to get back on track following a disappointing LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Wycombe last night. Swansea put in a shocking second-half showing at Causeway Stadium as they looked to recover from Adam Birchall's fifth-minute opener.

But after creating a handful of chances before the break, Swansea were devoid of ideas and failed to muster a single shot on target in the second half.

Jackett was at a loss to explain the poor display after the break.

''The second half fell flat and we couldn't get it going,'' he conceded.

''It hurt to lose this game, we prepared very well for it. I picked as strong a side as I had available and was fully intent on doing as well as I possibly could.

''I wanted to make the final and even win it if we could.

'''I don't know what happened in the second half. We lost a little bit of confidence on the ball and perhaps we found it difficult to know when to pass it or make Wycombe turn.

''I didn't think there was a lack of effort but we did fall between two stools.''

So it will be back to concentrating on the league for Swansea on Saturday, and you probably won't hear Jackett complain about that.

Just over a decade ago John Cornforth lifted the Autoglass Trophy at Wembley.

Jackett had been hoping that the captain of his class of 2004, Roberto Martinez, would follow in Cornforth's footsteps by taking his side to glory in the same competition, albeit under a different name.

But many more performances like this and it will be another 10 years before there is more success in this much-maligned competition.

All the signs were good. Luton had been beaten in round one and Wycombe, a side who had only won once since Swansea's last visit in Coca-Cola League Two in September, were next on the road to Cardiff.

In the build up to this second round clash, the Swansea boss had dismissed suggestions that the competition should play second fiddle to league tests.

He wanted success, he wanted to reach the final at the Millennium Stadium and go on to win it.

It wouldn't be a distraction to league business if Swansea were to do well in the competition, said Jackett.

Well it certainly won't be now. Swansea are out, and they went out without even a whimper.

Jackett made only two changes to his side which drew in Grimsby on Saturday.

Andy Gurney's back problem forced him to sit it out, while Leon Britton made way to allow Brad Maylett to have a run on the left.

Neither change weakened Jackett's side, while Tony Adams, on the other hand, rested five first-team players.

Success for Swansea was on the cards, you would have thought.

But Wycombe had other ideas and Weales Under-21 international Adam Birchall, on loan from Arsenal, dispatched a fifth-minute goal to seal Swansea's fate.

But it was not so much the defeat that would have upset the 125 hardy souls who had made the trip down the M4 corridor, but the nature of it.

Martinez tried to find some positives from the performance, but after a pretty poor first half, when Swansea did at least create some chances, they were dire after the break and failed to even have a shot on target for Wycombe keeper Frank Talia to worry about.

''We never got into our stride. Sometimes you need a little bit of luck or a piece of brilliance and we just didn't get that,'' said Martinez, who was still upbeat after the defeat.

''It was a big disappointment because it was a game we wanted to win. But it was one of those nights when nothing went right for us.

''We conceded a very sloppy goal by our standards and after that the game changed completely.

''We were chasing the game after that. They were happy to defend and were not trying to be too constructive, but fair play to them for recognising that's what they had to do.''

In the opening exchanges Paul Connor, who never stopped trying, should have put Swansea in front after only two minutes.

But his shot struck Roger Johnson with Talia beaten and the tone was set for the night.

Both Tate and Martinez had chances to clear from Wycombe's first attack, but their failure to do so allowed the home side to work the ball to Birchall and, in acres of space, he fired past a helpless Willy Gueret.

Swansea did have their chances and some Lee Trundle magic almost led to an equaliser, while Connor shot wide from distance.

But it looked as if Swansea were just going through the motions, and things went from bad to worse in the second half.

With the home side negating the effect of Trundle and Martinez, Swansea looked bereft of ideas, not knowing when to hit a long ball or pass their way through the home defence.

Gueret made a good save from a Danny Senda free-kick, while Ian Stonebridge hit the bar with the Swansea keeper beaten.

At the other end, Jackett's men found it tough to break through a resolute Wycombe rearguard.

''I thought we were unlucky in the first half to go in 1-0 down,'' said Jackett.

''We had some good moves and decent chances. The second half fell flat, however, and we couldn't get it going.

''It was very disappointing after the break because I thought we could do something in this competition.''

More performances like this and it will be another 10 years before Swansea even get close to another final.

Swansea boss Kenny Jackett slammed his troops after a spiritless showing in a 1-0 LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Wycombe.

Wycombe seized the lead after just four minutes and rarely looked like letting their third round place slip.

Welsh Under-21 striker Adam Birchall made no mistake from just six yards out after Danny Senda's pass.

"We were not good enough," Jackett said. "It was a poor goal to concede.

"Our performance level is a concern, we lost our way too easily. We had some good moves in the first half, but Wycombe shut us out very well.

"We wanted to go as far as possible in this competition and I'm very angry with how we lost concentration.

"Our second half show upset me. Wycombe just got the better of us. We have Bristol Rovers on Saturday and that will be a very different type of game. We need to bounce back and learn from this."

Wycombe manager Tony Adams was pleased with his side's work-rate.

"We'll keep working hard as a team and look to get results that way," he said.

"Our defence, especially full-backs, were great. I tried a new system and it worked well.

"We were solid and strong. It's a happy camp here now. I'm still searching for some players but it's looking up.

"We rode our luck at times, but our defence won it for us."

ADAM BIRCHALL'S early strike dynamited the Swans' dream of a springtime Millennium Stadium showpiece in a shocking LDV Vans Trophy Second Round tie last night.

A Swansea victory would put the Vetch club only four matches from Cardiff and a possible £500,000 jackpot. But all hopes faded as Wales U21 international Birchall rifled home on five minutes.

Paul Connor (twice) and Lee Trundle did have first-half opportunities, but Tony Adams' charges will point to wasted chances themselves - Danny Senda, Zema Abbey and Ian Stonebridge all frustrated.

Swans' manager Kenny Jackett painted a grim silhouette at the death and his mood certainly wasn't helped by seeing Roberto Martinez, Kris O'Leary and Garry Monk cautioned among three Wanderers' players.

The third-placed Swans, six points but 13 spots above their free-falling opponents in League Two, made two changes to the side that grabbed a useful draw at Grimsby last Saturday.

Former Swindon defender Andy Gurney was rested while diminutive midfielder Leon Britton was axed to the bench as Alan Tate came in at right back and winger Brad Maylett returned.

Swansea knew the omens were favourable before kick off. They had triumphed 1-0 at this arena in a corresponding League encounter on September 18 and had dismantled the Chairboys in a two-legged southern section area final enroute to winning this competition - then the Autoglass Trophy - at Wembley in 1994.

Adams' strugglers, desperate to notch a first victory in six games, showed major surgery from the team who had crashed 1-0 at Darlington four days previously. In came former Norwich striker Abbey, Gary Silk, Matt Bloomfield, Jonny Dixon, and Roger Johnson.

And the new mix appeared potent as Wanderers snatched a lead in the sixth minute. Martinez fatally lost possession to Senda who found borrowed Arsenal starlet Birchall with a pinpoint pass.

The unmarked raider easily cut between Tate and Monk before beating the helpless Willy Gueret with a low finish from 14 yards.

It was the Welshman's fifth goal for Wycombe. And his team should have doubled the visitor's misery - the leaping Abbey wastefully sending his far post header off target.

Industrious Matt Bloomfield then saw his dipping drive pouched by Gueret and Martinez's frustration in central midfield saw him yellow carded for a scything challenge on the same player.

Dire distribution ruined a flurry of Swans raids. Yet Kenny Jackett's men could have been in front after only 90 seconds. Chairboys' keeper Frank Talia just managed to keep out a comic-cut back pass, Connor then seeing his goal-bound effort blocked by Johnson.

Swansea were always finding it a struggle to break Senda and Bloomfield's midfield grip. But Connor should have done better with an angled effort after Adrian Forbes' clever flick had set him free.

And the Swans certainly cursed their fortune 13 minutes from the interval.

Trundle's spin had lost Silk, but the ex-Wrexham man's fierce drive cannoned back off Talia's body.

Jackett replaced Tate, who had almost spectacularly put through his own net near half time, with towering Izzy Iriekpen and 35-year-old warhorse Kevin Nugent came on for his 590th pro appearance - at Connor's expense.

Swansea were urgently attempting to up the tempo of a contest that was dying in front of a sparse gate of only 1,021. Around a tenth of the figure had travelled from West Wales and their evening dragged on as Senda and Russell Martin lashed wide.

Swansea played their final card as Britton replaced an ineffective Maylett on 69 minutes. But the change made little difference and after Abbey screwed wide of a gaping net, Stonebridge chipped against the crossbar.

Swansea City return to Wycombe tonight intent on doing further damage to the freefalling Wanderers' season. Tony Adams's side have tumbled from top spot to 16th in the Coca-Cola League Two table since Swansea won at the Causeway Stadium on September 18.

No win has come in six league matches since Andy Robinson's winner, with Wycombe's sole success in the last seven weeks coming against non-league Aldershot in round one of the LDV Vans Trophy.

And Kenny Jackett takes a full-strength side back to Buckinghamshire this evening determined to end Wycombe's LDV interest at the second-round stage.

"We've won there once already this season, and I want to do exactly the same thing tonight," said the Swansea boss.

Jackett, who helped Queens Park Rangers to the southern section semi-final of this competition last season, is likely to retain the same starting XI which drew at Grimsby over the weekend in the continued absence of midfielder Robinson (back).

After victory over League One leaders Luton in round one, Swansea know success tonight would leave them only three hurdles away from a day out at the Millennium Stadium.

"The LDV Vans Trophy can be a bit of a slow-burner early on," Jackett added.

"But it's not a long road to the Millennium Stadium and there's a big prize at the end for us if we can win the games.

"I'm not concerned about players playing too many games or anything like that.

"As far as I'm concerned, if we're in a game we're trying to win it, so our preparation has been just the same as it was when we played Wycombe in the league."

Former England and Arsenal star Adams does not seem so convinced.

He is expected to shuffle his pack and could drop former Swansea loan striker Nathan Tyson.

Following Wycombe's latest reverse, by the odd goal at Darlington on Saturday, Adams said: "I've been in football long enough to know that things will not continue going against us and it's just a question of time before we turn things around. I hope that will be against Swansea."

Jackett, meanwhile, has taken former Bristol City youngster Marvin Brown on trial.

The 21-year-old ex-England youth international, who has had loan spells at Torquay and Cheltenham, can play up front or on the right flank.

"He's been recommended to me by a scout in Bristol and I'm going have a look for a few days," Jackett said.

"But I wouldn't say I'm searching for a striker despite the fact that Scott Fitzgerald has gone back to Watford.

"In Lee Trundle, Paul Connor, Adrian Forbes and Kevin Nugent, I feel we've got four forwards who can all score goals as long as they stay fit."

James Thomas was back on the training ground yesterday after long-term knee problems, but he still looks some way from a return to action.

Success in the LDV Vans Trophy may not be the top priority for promotion-hungry Swansea City fans, but Kristian O'Leary knows how important a victory is tonight. A win at Tony Adams's Wycombe Wanderers will leave Kenny Jackett's men three rounds away from a final at the Millennium Stadium.

And having witnessed Swansea's triumph in this competition 10 years ago, O'Leary believes the chance for a repeat should not be sneezed at.

Swansea won what was the then Autoglass Trophy at Wembley on April 24, 1994.

Frank Burrows's men beat Huddersfield 3-1 on penalties after the game ended 1-1.

''I was 16 and still at school when we won the Autoglass Trophy,'' recalls O'Leary.

''I remember going up with some of the other lads who were signed up on schoolboy terms with the club.

''We had a great day out and it was nice to come back with the trophy.

''The fans were superb and they sung their hearts out. I am sure it would be the same if we got there again.

''This is a cup competition which takes a little while to get going,'' he added.

''But a win tonight and it starts to get interesting.

''And success in any competition can only be good.''

A decade ago Wycombe were seen off in the two-legged Southern Area final 3-2 on aggregate.

O'Leary would love to see a repeat of that victory tonight, insisting it would continue to build the team spirit in the Swansea camp.

''We need to keep winning games whatever the competition,'' he added.

''It is a great boost to the confidence of the team. You only have to look at Arsenal.

''They went 49 league games unbeaten and they were only defeated a couple of times elsewhere during that spell.

''That was unbelievable and any run like that is a massive boost for confidence.

''The more you win the more that grows so we have to go looking for victory tonight.''

O'Leary was at the heart of Swansea's 1-0 league win at Causeway Stadium in mid-September, a victory which has seen Adams's men go into freefall.

But despite Wycombe's poor run, the Swansea midfielder knows the former England defender will be desperate for his team to put things right.

''Tony Adams will not accept what has happened since we beat them,'' said O'Leary.

''We all know how tough a game it was up there in the league and tonight it will be no different.

''We scored fairly early and they came at us and we had to defend really well.

''We haven't won in our last two away games and hopefully we can get a win tonight.

''If we do then it's a step nearer to Cardiff.''

Swansea City's FA Cup first-round tie at Cheltenham will be played on Sunday, November 14 (2pm), on police advice. A major meeting at Cheltenham Racecourse means the cup opener has been put back a day, with Swansea's re-arranged League Two meeting with Darlington also being knocked on 24 hours to Wednesday, November 17, as a result.

But the Vetch Field club have rejected a request from Shrewsbury Town to bring their league encounter three days later forward to a midday kick-off.

The Shrews wanted the early start to reduce policing costs, but Swansea's owners have said no.

''It would have actually saved us money to bring the game forward because the Football League always pay for a team's hotel when the kick-is noon or earlier,'' director David Morgan explained.

''But we are expecting at least 1,000 of our fans to travel for what is a derby match of sorts, and we are also aware that some of them have already made plans and bookings.

''So we've rejected the request for the benefit of those fans as well as the players, who like playing in front of a large away following.''

ROBERTO MARTINEZ believes winning the LDV Vans Trophy would help Swansea City realise their Football League ambitions.

Swansea hope to take another step on the road to the Millennium Stadium tonight when they face League Two rivals Wycombe Wanderers in the second round of the competition.

Swans skipper Martinez insists Kenny Jackett's side are more than capable of picking up the cup they won at Wembley when it was known as the Autoglass Trophy in 1994.

The Spanish midfielder is the only current Swansea player to have gone all the way in the competition, having been at Wigan when the Lancashire side won the Auto Windscreens Shield in 1999.

Martinez recalled how Wigan's triumph - they beat Milwall 1-0 after a northern area final success against Wrexham - helped spur them onto league success.

And he believes the same would happen to Swansea if they won the competition again.

"Winning the trophy gave everyone at Wigan a great feeling - as I'm sure it did when Swansea won it in 1994," said Martinez.

"First of all, it was a fantastic day in the history of the club. Something that everyone enjoyed and will never forget.

"And I really believe that moment was very important in the success that Wigan went on to enjoy over the following few years.

"Football is a game of confidence and winning a competition like that gives you fantastic confidence as a football club.

"It triggered something positive at Wigan. We were top of the league for the majority of the following season, but ended up losing out in the play-offs.

"Wigan found it hard to escape the old Second Division, but they eventually went up and I'm convinced the LDV win helped the players and the club believe they could be successful.

"A similar thing could happen at Swansea. Winning the competition would give the whole club a lift and help us achieve our ultimate aim, which is to win promotion to League One, and eventually reach the Championship too."

A place in the southern area quarter-finals awaits the winners of tonight's clash at the Causeway Stadium.

And the omens appear to be in Swansea's favour. It was at Wycombe that the Vetch Field side secured a 3-2 aggregate win in the competition to set up their Wembley final against Huddersfield 10 years ago.

Plus, of course, Swansea have already triumphed in the league in Buckinghamshire this season, Andy Robinson scoring the goal that gave Jackett's men a 1-0 win at Wycombe on September 18.

"There's no reason why we can't go all the way in this competition," said Martinez.

"We beat Luton in the first round of the competition and they're the top team in the bottom two divisions of the league.

"And I don't think there's another team left in the tournament who we'd fear. We're still in the early stages of the competition - the first couple of rounds are never particularly glamorous.

"But it will come alive if we can get to the latter stages.

"And we're excited by the chance to make another piece of history for the football club."

Wanderers beat Conference outfit Aldershot 1-0 in the first round of the LDV, but their League Two campaign has gone off the rails.

Tony Adams' side haven't won a league match since Swansea knocked them off the top of the table, and they slid to a lowly 16th position after losing 1-0 at Darlington on Saturday.

"It's going to be tough because Wycombe are desperate for a win and they'll be looking for success in this competition to kick-start their season," said Martinez.

"But we got a good result at Grimsby at the weekend and we'll go to Wycombe full of confidence that we can pick up a win and make further progress in the competition."

Kenny Jackett has declared his intention to battle for success on four fronts this season after Swansea City were handed an away tie at Cheltenham in the FA Cup first round. Jackett does not buy into the theory that Swansea's exhilarating run to the fifth round last season detracted from their bid to escape what was then Division Three.

And the Swansea boss is demanding that his side aim to progress as far as possible not only in the FA Cup but the LDV Vans Trophy - where they take on Wycombe in round two tomorrow night - and the FAW Premier Cup while chasing promotion from League Two.

"We are out of the Carling Cup already, but I want us to go as far as we can in the three cup competitions we are still involved in," Jackett insisted.

"You can always make excuses about why things have gone wrong, but I don't believe in all that.

"I want my team to win as many games as possible and to keep on making progress."

Swansea were today waiting for news from Cheltenham on whether the Whaddon Road tie will be on Saturday 13 or Sunday 14 November.

Whenever they make the short trip east, Jackett's team will go feeling confident that they can beat their League Two rivals to a place in the second round.

"The good thing for us is that we should take quite a number of supporters up there," he added.

"We know Cheltenham well having drawn 1-1 with them at home earlier in the season and, while we know it will be tough, we'll still go there with nothing to fear.

"You always hope for a home tie, but we feel we're capable of doing something on the road."

Swansea were rarely at their best on their latest away day, a 1-1 draw at Grimsby over the weekend, when they needed a brilliant penalty save from Willy Gueret and a successful spot-kick from Lee Trundle 20 minutes from the end to earn a share of the spoils.

"We came here wanting to win the game, but the way it went I think we've got to be reasonably happy with a point," said Trundle, who claimed he had told Gueret which way to dive when he denied Grimsby's Dean Gordon.

"I knew he'd hit it that way because he's left footed like me and he likes to put power in his penalties like me and that's way to go for the most power.

"Willy has been brilliant for us and he helped us get a point from a game we might have lost 2-0 last season."

Swansea have failed in a bid to extend Scott Fitzgerald's loan spell by a further month after the player opted for a return to Watford, leaving Jackett with fewer attacking options ahead of the trip to Wycombe.

YOU just can't keep Swans striker Lee Trundle out of the headlines at present - but even he had to admit goalkeeper Willy Gueret deserves the lion's share of the plaudits.
Trundle might have been the one who salvaged his team a point from the penalty spot at Blundell Park on Saturday, but it was the outstanding Gueret who Swansea were most indebted to.

The former Millwall keeper kept the Swans in the contest when he correctly guessed the flight of Dean Gordon's second-half spot-kick to make a second crucial penalty save of the season.

And, though there was nothing he could have done to prevent Colin Cramb stealing in to head Grimsby into a 1-0 lead, Gueret made a number of other superb stops to keep Swansea in the hunt for a result.

It was the latest in a series of eye-catching performances the Frenchman has produced since being installed as Swans legend Roger Freestone's successor in the summer.

At this rate, with contract extensions starting to fly about like confetti down at the Vetch, 31-year-old Gueret will be next in line to make his stay in South Wales a more long-term one.

"Willy has been a star man for us this season and deserves a lot of credit," said Trundle, who celebrated his 50th Swans appearance when he cancelled out Cramb's opener with his fifth goal of the campaign, keeping Kenny Jackett's side third in the table.

"He's been playing brilliantly. Had we gone 1-0 down in games like this last season, it's possible we'd have gone on to lose 2-0 or more.

"But Willy has really helped the rest of the side to keep things tight.

"He's got great experience, he talks to his defenders well and, as he's demonstrated again here, he makes crucial saves."

With tongue wedged firmly in cheek, Trundle even claimed some of the credit for Gueret's save from former Cardiff loan signing Gordon.

"It was like earlier in the season (in the 1-0 win against Lincoln) when Willy saved a penalty after I told him which way to dive," said Trundle, who had to dispense some more advice at Blundell Park after Garry Monk conceded another spot-kick by felling Michael Reddy inside the box.

"Because Dean Gordon is a left-footed player, he likes to strike the ball instead of just placing it, so he's going to get more power putting it in the bottom right-hand corner.

"So I said to Willy I thought he'd go that way and he did.

"But it doesn't really matter what I say to Willy because he's still got to make the save.

"Luckily for us, he made a great save which kept us in the match."

Gueret also received a glowing post-match tribute from Jackett, who aimed most of the criticism for Swansea's shortcomings at himself for not switching to a more productive 3-5-2 system earlier than he did.

"Willy's had a very good start to the season," said Jackett. "As well as proving what a good goalkeeper he is, his communication is very good for a foreign player. He's clear about his shouting. He makes himself known and heard.

"I'm not surprised he's doing so well because we were able to take a good look at him in the summer.

"A lot of players are recommended to you, but you never quite know how they're going to fit in until you've actually signed them.

"But Willie trained with us for several weeks before we had to make a decision and that helped me to properly assess his ability in training and in matches."

Two Gueret saves, one at close range from a Rob Jones header and one from a 25-yard drive struck by Gordon, were the highlights of an atrocious first half as Swansea ventured onto Cleethorpes soil for the first time in a decade.

It had been an awful opening in which Swansea never looked remotely like claiming a win that would have sent them back to the League Two summit.

But the second half was unrecognisable from the first. It was enthralling stuff. So fast and furious that it seemed the league championship depended on the outcome of that 45 minutes alone.

Ten minutes after Gueret's heroics, the Mariners were in front when the rampant Gordon raced down the left and looped over a cross which sat up perfectly for Cramb to head home.

But Swansea, as is their way this season, fought back to draw level when sub Kevin Nugent was shoved over in the area by Terrell Forbes and Trundle stroked in the spot-kick.

And Jackett gave himself a verbal kicking afterwards for not tinkering with Swansea's system sooner than the 54th minute, when he sent on Nugent for Leon Britton, pushed Sam Ricketts into midfield and told Trundle to float just behind the front two.

"From the start of the second half if looked as if it was only going one way and you could see their goal coming," he said.

"I could blame myself for that as I could've possibly made the change to 3-5-2 earlier than I did. It could've possibly made a big difference to the outcome had I done that.

"That system suited us a lot better today. It made things more open and got Lee Trundle on the ball a bit more.

"We had to do something because it was dead in the first half.

"A 4-4-2 system wasn't working for us at all. We didn't look cohesive, our front two looked isolated and our midfield players were getting in between people."

Swansea remain third in the table and just two points adrift of leaders Scunthorpe, who could only draw 1-1 with second-placed Leyton Orient.

But, though they keep on showing impressive character and determination to get back into matches, realistically the Swans will have to play much better than this if they are to hold onto one of the automatic promotion spots.

"While I don't undervalue the point or the spirit the players showed to get back into the game, I'm looking for better," he said.

"We went 55 minutes without getting a proper shot on goal. That's not good enough. You've got to get strikes in long before that if you want to be successful."

PROMOTION might be the top priority for Swansea this season, but boss Kenny Jackett insists he wants success in three cup competitions too.

It is unlikely many tears would be shed among Swans fans if getting out of League Two was the only thing Jackett's men were left to concentrate on over the next nine months.

Especially as last season's long FA Cup run was arguably one of the factors which had a negative effect on Swansea's bid to win promotion from Division Three.

But, speaking after the Swans were handed a trip to fellow League Two side Cheltenham in the first round of this year's competition, Jackett insisted progress in the cup could go hand-in-hand with success in the league.

And the ambitious Swansea manager said he also wanted the club to prosper in the FAW Premier Cup and their LDV Vans Trophy campaign, which continues tomorrow night at Wycombe.

"The FA Cup is very important to me, and I want us to progress in every competition we're still involved in," said Jackett.

"We're out of the Carling Cup after being beaten at Queens Park Rangers, but we're still involved in the LDV Vans Trophy and we've got the FAW Premier Cup to come later in the season.

"I want to progress on all fronts and try to win every game in all competitions.

"We beat Luton in the first round of the LDV and now we've got an exciting game against Wycombe on Tuesday night.

"Some people might view it as a negative distraction, but I don't see it that way. It's a great distraction from the league and I'm looking forward to it."

Swansea enjoyed a memorable FA Cup run last season, beating Championship outfit Preston on the way to a fifth-round clash at Tranmere which they lost 2-1.

And they'll set off on the path to the Millennium Stadium once more with a visit to Whaddon Road on November 13.

"We would've liked to have had a home draw, but we feel we're capable of doing something against Cheltenham," said Jackett.

"We drew 1-1 against them at the Vetch earlier in the season and we'll know each other well. It'll be tough game, but we've got nothing to fear from it

"It's a short trip so I'd imagine we'll take quite a number of supporters up to Cheltenham. It should be a good day and I'm already looking forward to it."

Striker Scott Fitzgerald, meanwhile, has gone back to Watford after his loan spell at the Vetch came to an end after Saturday's 1-1 draw at Grimsby.

Fitzgerald made just one start, in the 2-0 LDV win against Luton, and three substitute appearances during his month-long stay at Swansea.

SWANSEA CITY are reaping the rewards for a spot of boardroom bravery, according to chairman Huw Jenkins.

The appointment of former Wales international Kenny Jackett as the management successor to Brian Flynn last season met with less than universal approval.

A lack of experience and a penchant for long ball tactics seemed set to put Jackett on a collision course with City's discerning fan base.

And a sticky start to the new season hardly helped ingratiate him, with disgruntled supporters calling for his head on more than one occasion.

But while fans - and even some players - may have had their doubts early on, Jenkins insists he never wavered in his support for the new man.

That unstinting support now seems to have paid off - so far at least - with the Swans currently riding high in League Two with one of the best defensive records in the division.

And Jenkins said: "Yes, Kenny had abuse at the start of the season. And so did I, which wasn't very pleasant.

"But even though the start we had to the season was slower than expected I always had confidence we would turn it around. We have stuck together as a club and shown we've got the courage to make tough decisions.

"I haven't been surprised by Kenny. He has done what I thought he would do.

"It was a calculated risk to give him the job in the first place, but in all things in life you are never sure of success.

"We always knew deep down that we had got what we wanted. Kenny is hard working, like us, and dying to succeed.

"People looked at his lack of experience when we appointed him and criticised us for it.

"But look at Mark Hughes. He became Wales manager with no experience and then went to Blackburn without any club experience."

Jenkins currently gives the impression of a man completely at ease with life.

He has ridden out the storm surrounding Flynn's dismissal and the subsequent lacklustre start by his successor.

With a new £24m home on the horizon and promotion looking at least a realistic prospect, life is good in Wales' second city.

But while he may be delighted to give his manager a ringing endorsement, Jenkins admits Jackett doesn't quite have the golden touch with everything he puts his mind to.

"We all make mistakes, but the important thing is to learn quickly from them," said Jenkins without revealing his rookie manager's 'mistakes'.

"Kenny just has to make sure he learns from them as even decisions that are not quite right will hurt him more because he is the one making them.

"Kenny analyses everything and he even has the players analysing their own performances on the coach coming back from away trips.

"He doesn't let them just chat or play cards until they have analysed what they have done.

"That is what being professional is about. To achieve success I expect that kind of approach.

"Without being disrespectful to anyone we have moved on as a club now."

Despite the current feel-good factor at the Vetch, Jenkins rightly points out that aside from topping the table this season, Swansea have achieved nothing tangible - yet.

Swansea also led the way before Christmas last year under Flynn before a disastrous fall-off in form saw the club miss out on the play-offs by some way.

That proved too much to bear for the board, who sacked Flynn and installed Jackett.

And Jenkins said: "That is in the back of our minds, but what happened last season will not be allowed to happen again.

"We all desperately wanted promotion or to reach the play-offs and it hurt the players when it didn't happen.

"Things are different now and we have far more experienced players in the squad. We are a lot more physical in our approach now and I am confident the manager will not allow the same thing to happen again.

"Since I have been involved with Swansea we have been progressive and that is what I want to continue.

"We have always got to move forward. The squad is certainly stronger than last year. We still need a little bit of luck over the season and at this stage I would say getting into the play-offs would constitute success.

"I would be disappointed if we didn't keep going forward.

"Next season we will have a new stadium to move into and the next few years look likely to be an exciting time to be a part of things."

Swansea fans have seen too many false dawns in the past to be easily won over this time around.

Boom has almost inevitably been followed by bust in the past but Jenkins has pledged to keep the club on an even footing.

The Swans currently have a clean bill of health financially after coming out of a Credit Voluntary Arrangement over their debts at the turn of the year, which in turn allowed them to wipe away the bitter memories of administration.

And with the new £24m stadium at Morfa approaching completion Jenkins is working hard to ensure the bubble does not burst.

"We won't just throw money around as has happened in the past," said Jenkins. "You can never say never, but whatever happens on the field we will not let situations build to a stage where they cripple the club in any way."

LEE TRUNDLE kept Swansea City in the hunt for promotion with a penalty that rescued a deserved point - then boss Kenny Jackett admitted they might have snatched all three if he had changed his formation earlier.

Top-scorer Trundle celebrated his 50th Swans appearance when he struck his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot to cancel out Colin Cramb's opener and keep the Vetch side third in the table.

Swansea star man Willy Gueret had also saved a Dean Gordon penalty at the start of a thrilling second half after defender Garry Monk hauled down Michael Reddy inside the area.

After a dire opening 45 minutes, Cramb threatened to make Swansea's first trip to Blundell Park for 10 years a miserable one when he opened the scoring by converting Gordon's deep left-sided cross.

But Trundle ensured Swansea took something home from a grey afternoon in Cleethorpes when he converted from the spot after Swansea assistant boss Kevin Nugent had been bundled over in the box by Terrell Forbes.

Jackett's men were never at their match-winning best, though they deserved a share of the spoils after producing another battling performance to avoid a successive away defeat.

The Swans looked much more inventive after switching to a 3-5-2 formation 10 minutes into the second half, and Jackett thought his side might have tasted a win had he made that change earlier. "We weren't getting anywhere in the first-half - 4-4-2 wasn't working for us," said the Swans boss.

"We didn't look cohesive, the midfielders were getting in the way of each other and we didn't have a proper shot on goal until the 55th minute.

"But we looked a lot better when we changed the system to 3-5-2, with Sam Ricketts pushing up into midfield and Lee Trundle playing in the 'hole' behind Kevin Nugent and Scott Fitzgerald.

"And I do look at myself and think perhaps I should've done that earlier. It might have made a difference to the result if I had.

"Having said that, I can't be too disappointed that we've earned a point here. We can play a lot better, but at least we kept battling away and adopted another never-say-die approach."

Swansea had been desperate to regain the League Two leadership after last Saturday's postponement against Darlington resulted in them dropping down two places. But they remain in third place and now face Bristol Rovers at home before turning their attentions to an FA Cup first-round clash away to Cheltenham.

Jackett had made one change to the side that beat Leyton Orient 1-0 almost a fortnight ago, Andy Robinson missing the long trek north after failing to recover from hip and back trouble.

That meant Leon Britton was handed only his second start since August on the left of midfield.

Ahead of the match Jackett had implored his team to hit the ground running after last weekend's washout left them with an unwanted 11-day break, but they were pushed on to the back foot for much of what was an uninspiring first 45 minutes.

The first chance fell to Grimsby on 15 minutes when they won a free-kick down the inside left channel which resulted in Andy Gurney picking up a silly booking for dissent and the ball being brought forward 10 yards.

Fortunately for the visitors, Terry Fleming's set-piece was cleared and Jon Daly's follow-up effort flew wide.

Britton had Swansea's first chance - a low 18-yard strike that was charged down by Justin Whittle - but Jackett's men did little to test Grimsby's ex-Wales Under-21 goalkeeper Anthony Williams, who spent one month on loan at the Vetch last season.

The home side were carving out the best openings and Gueret was pressed into action, saving first a close-range header from towering centre-back Rob Jones and then beating out a venomous 25-yard drive from former Cardiff loan signing Gordon.

Sandwiched in between those two efforts was a clever 18-yard curler from Jason Crowe that dipped just over Gueret's crossbar.

The closest Swansea came in the first half was when Britton picked up a short Roberto Martinez corner in the 34th minute and struck his shot into the side netting.

The match brightened up after the restart, and Gueret was at the centre of some frantic moments.

No sooner had the Frenchman palmed away a fierce right-foot shot from Daly than he spared Monk's blushes with his spot-kick save. For all his heroics, though, there was nothing Gueret could do to stop Cramb converting Gordon's cross to give Grimsby the lead.

Jackett withdrew Britton for Nugent and switched to 3-5-2, but Connor squandered a great chance on the hour mark when he fired a left-foot shot wide.

With Connor making way for Scott Fitzgerald, Swansea got back into the match when Sam Ricketts crossed for Nugent and Terrell Forbes chopped down the Swans No 2.

Up stepped Trundle who, to the delight of the 300 travelling fans behind the goal, fired into the bottom right-hand corner to make it 1-1.

The game continued at a furious pace as both sides fought for a winner, and Gurney almost provided one for Swansea on 77 minutes when he forced Williams into making a stooping save to keep out a low 20-yard drive.

Town might have snatched all three points when Gueret's reflex save from Cramb fell to Fleming, but the midfielder fired his effort over the bar.

IT might not have been exactly where Andy Gurney expected to be plying his trade this season but the tough-tackling full-back is glad he's at Swansea City.

With Championship clubs knocking on his door less than a year ago and second-tier football only denied by the uncertainty of the play-offs, the 30-year-old certainly looked like he was going places.

And it was no surprise when he did leave the County Ground in September after being an ever-present in his three years with the Robins.

But when it was revealed that League Two Swansea were his successful suitors, more than a few eyebrows were raised in football circles.

But even though the Bristol-born battler admitted the latest twist has caught him a bit on the hop, Gurney has insisted he's better off by his switch to South Wales.

"Yeah, perhaps I am a bit surprised at what's happened but that's just football," said Gurney, who is set to start at Blundell Park today as the Swans seek to keep themselves among the leading pack.

"To be perfectly honest, I didn't really know what to expect. When I spoke to the manager he was very positive about things and stressed that he felt we had a good chance.

"And having been here a little while myself I think he's right - there's certainly the potential to achieve something here.

"I'm pleased to be here and I'm enjoying my football at the moment and honestly that's all that matters to me."

Kenny Jackett probably couldn't believe his luck when he found out Gurney was available on a free, duly snapping him up at the start of September.

Jackett was already well prepped on the former Bristol Rovers, Torquay and Reading man's versatility and reliability having been at Loftus Road when QPR reportedly offered Swindon boss Andy King £150,000 for his services.

Gurney admitted one phone call from Jackett and a quick insight to the plans down at the Vetch more than helped him come to the decision to sign.

Neutrals could be forgiven for not looking too much into Gurney's use of the word "potential," a phrase all too often wheeled out by players when signing for their new club.

But although acknowledging "potential" is too regularly used out of place at certain clubs, Gurney is adamant it hits the nail on the head when it comes to describing the Swans.

"Obviously when players come to new clubs you have to say the right things and very often potential is used," said Gurney. "But, regardless of that, I think everything being said about this club is true. Having seen the new ground and future plans for myself it is definitely a club looking to progress.

"In that respect I didn't see it as a step back because I felt I was going to a club much more ambitious than the one I was at.

"The crowds we're getting show that, if nothing else, we can take the club up to the next level then it can only grow.

"That part's up to us and as players we must match that off-the-field ambition."

His fellow team-mates can help Gurney move one step closer to returning from whence he came by picking up three points at Grimsby today, ensuring Jackett's men remain among the clubs setting the pace for promotion to League One.

With Leyton Orient and Scunthorpe meeting each other it leaves the Swans with a chance of reclaiming the top spot they relinquished when their home game with Darlington was rained off last week.

And Gurney reckons the key to staying there will come with a balanced blend of enjoyment and level heads.

"Of course we've got to enjoy it when we do get a good result like we did against Orient," he said. "But when we've come off we have to know that it's done and dusted. It's gone and you have to look to the next game.

"All we can focus on now is going to Grimsby and making sure we follow it up with three points. It is a cliche but you honestly can't look beyond the next game."

Gurney looks set to retain his right-back berth for the long coach trip north, even though he admits his troublesome back still isn't 100 per cent.

"It's getting better," he said. "I'm still getting a bit of soreness and a few aches, but movement in it is a lot better.

"I'm not totally pain-free but I've had the bit of rest I needed and I've seen the osteopath. I've had plenty of massages, so slowly but surely I'm getting there."

Swansea are without back strain victim Andy Robinson, so Leon Britton deputises, but are hopeful that Kris O'Leary will pass a morning fitness test.

Swansea City have been handed a double fitness boost ahead of Saturday's trip to Grimsby. Both Andy Gurney and Andy Robinson were doubts for last week's washed-out League Two clash with Darlington at Vetch Field, but they have both been back on the training pitch and club physio Richard Evans says both will be in the squad for the trip to the Lincolnshire coast.

''Andy Gurney missed a session on Monday to see the osteopath for the last time regarding his back problem,'' said Evans.

''Since then he has trained with the squad and he should be fine for Saturday.

''It has been something that has plagued him for some time before he came to the club and it started to show itself again over the last few weeks, but he should be okay now.

''Andy Robinson has also recovered from his hip injury.''

Midfielder Kristian O'Leary picked up a calf injury in training earlier in the week.

Evans expected O'Leary to sit out training today, but said he should also be available.

''It's only a slight problem,'' he added, ''and I expect him to be fit in time for the game.''

Izzy Iriekpen has also trained with the squad all this week.

The news is not quite so good for James Thomas, however, with the striker's injury to his right knee taking longer to heal than expected.

Thomas has been blighted with injury this season and eventually underwent surgery earlier this month to cure his knee problem.

But his latest comeback bid has been put on hold again after advice from a specialist.

''James went back to see the consultant on Monday and he told him to take things a bit easier,'' said Evans.

''That means he could be on the sidelines for a further two weeks, which is obviously not good news.

''The result of the operation was good and afterwards we would have been expecting him to be out for only a couple of weeks.

''But this has put James back a step or two again.''

SWANS boss Kenny Jackett is praying his players won't be too ring rusty at Grimsby tomorrow after their weekend out of the action.

Jackett's side lost their place at the top of League Two when their Vetch Field clash with Darlington last Saturday was rained off.

And now Jackett hopes his high-flyers will be able to pick up where they left off at Blundell Park tomorrow afternoon.

"I've had a word with them all because they have to know how important it is to hit the ground running," he said. "We can't afford to be too rusty having not played in 10 days because Grimsby won't be in the same boat.

"We have to start well if we want to carry on the run we were in before the weather got in the way. The last thing we want is a similar scenario to Southend because we all know what happened there."

Swansea are just two points off leaders Scunthorpe with a game in hand and will be looking to keep themselves among the early pacesetters with three points at 14th-placed Grimsby.

But Jackett has warned that the lowly Mariners' - who lost to Ian Rush's Chester in their last outing - are better than their standing suggests.

"It's a bit surprising where they are at the moment," said Jackett. "They've brought in a lot of players and changed things around quite a bit there. I've had them watched and my scouts reckon they should have won their last three games so we have to be prepared.

"They will try to attack us and we have to be ready for that."

With the bad weather having already affected the Swans' training this week, a trip to notoriously wet Cleethorpes isn't exactly what Jackett's men would have wanted, no doubt still soaked through from their recent running sessions on the Swansea beaches while the rest of South Wales kept dry inside.

"I always seem to end up facing Grimsby with whatever club I'm at," laughed Jackett. "But I don't think it matters what the weather's like, it's always wet and windy in Cleethorpes - even in July!"

But it is a worrying injury list rather than the conditions that looks likely to bog down the Swans ahead of their trip north tomorrow as midfielders Andy Robinson and Kris O'Leary are both rated by Jackett as only 50-50 to make the squad.

Robinson has failed to recover from a hip problem picked up in the recent win over Leyton Orient, while O'Leary limped off from training in midweek after a kick to the calf.

"They're both touch and go at the moment," said Jackett. "Andy trained early on in the week but had to pull out yesterday, and Kris hasn't been back after taking a knock on Tuesday.

"But I do have good options should they not pull through, so we'll have to wait and see."

Brad Maylett is available despite having his date for a hernia operation put back, the club not happy with the procedure offered to them, but is only likely to be able to provide cover from the bench. Leon Britton could make a case for his inclusion after spending recent weeks among the substitutes, while summer signing from Watford Gary Fisken could make his first start in a Swans' shirt.

There is some good news for Jackett after he confirmed long-term absentee Izzy Iriekpen is available for selection having trained all week with no recurrence of his thigh problem.

LEON BRITTON hopes he will be the next Swansea City player to win a new contract, admitting, "I'm desperate to be part of the club's future."

Swans boss Kenny Jackett has already tied Lee Trundle to an extra two years and taken up the option to extend the contract of fellow forward Paul Connor.

That leaves Britton and a clutch of other Swansea players whose contracts expire at the end of this season sweating on their futures.

But the former West Ham midfielder hopes to be spared that anxiety by following in the footsteps of Trundle and Connor and being offered fresh terms sooner rather than later.

"I would love it if the club said they wanted to talk to me next week about a new deal," said Britton, who has been pushed to the fringes of Jackett's first-choice XI in recent weeks.

"Seeing a couple of the other players being given contract extensions - and deservedly so - makes me hope that perhaps I might be next.

"It's difficult at the moment because I'm not in the team, but I'd like to think the club still see me as part of the future.

"I've still got a good few years in front of me and I've got a lot to offer.

"I'm settled in Swansea and, with such exciting times ahead for the club, I've got no desire to go anywhere else."

Britton endeared himself to Swans fans when he played a key role in the club's successful fight against relegation two seasons ago.

But his first-team chances have been limited under Jackett and he admitted, "I really need to be in the team to earn myself a new contract. The season will fly by after Christmas and it'll be worrying if I'm not playing."

Britton was "really gutted" when last weekend's clash against Darlington was called off as he had been picked to make his first start in seven games.

And he'll probably be back on the bench at Grimsby on Saturday as the man he was due to replace in midfield, Andy Robinson, has recovered from a hip injury.

Cardiff City have been rewarded for their Carling Cup victory at Bournemouth on Tuesday with a home fourth-round tie against Premiership Portsmouth.

Full Carling Cup fourth round draw: Burnley v Tottenham, Nottm Forest v Fulham, Newcastle v Chelsea, Liverpool v Middlesbrough, Watford v Southampton, Manchester Utd v Crystal Palace, Arsenal v Everton, Cardiff City v Portsmouth.

SWANSEA CITY boss Kenny Jackett believes he has the strikeforce to shoot down Coca-Cola League defences.

Only a few days after Lee Trundle tied himself to a new two-year contract at the Vetch, Jackett has taken up an option to extend the contract of fellow striker Paul Connor.

The £35,000 signing from Rochdale will now remain a Swansea player until the summer of 2006 after initially agreeing an 18-month deal with former manager Brian Flynn last March.

"When I signed we agreed the option of another year and, happily for me, that's been sorted out," said the former Stoke striker, who has scored three goals this season.

"I had a decent time at the end of last season. I guess the manager decided he quite liked me because he came to me during the summer and said he wanted to take up the extra year.

"I was well pleased with that because it's given me a bit of security.

"I came a long way from home when I joined Swansea and it's nice to know that I've got a couple of years ahead of me down here.

"Hopefully, the manager will keep picking me and I'll keep doing my best for the club."

Jackett has other firepower options now that Adrian Forbes - with three goals in as many games - has showed the finishing touch that brought him 14 goals at Luton Town last season.

But Brad Maylett and James Thomas still expect to be on the sidelines for some time and are out of contention for Saturday's trip to Grimsby.

Former Swan defender Richard Duffy has had his loan spell at Burnley extended by another month.

Wales Under-21 defender Duffy, 19, joined the Clarets from Portsmouth on an original one-month deal in September.

John Toshack remains evens-money favourite for the Wales manager's job despite John Aldridge throwing his hat into the ring.

Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland striker Aldridge has been priced at 8-1.

"This is too good an opportunity to pass me by," said Aldridge who has links with Wales in his playing spell at Newport.

"I had five successful years at Tranmere Rovers and was involved in international football for nearly 14 years, taking in two World Cups and a European Championship. So I know what it's all about."

Swansea City hope to keep Scott Fitzgerald on loan for another month despite his bit-part role since arriving from Watford. Fitzgerald has started just one game - when he lasted 66 minutes in the LDV Vans Trophy - and made only two brief substitute appearances in League Two since arriving at Vetch Field amid a striker crisis four weeks ago.

He is due to return to Vicarage Road after this weekend's trip to Grimsby, but Kenny Jackett has revealed plans to extend the 24-year-old's stay in South Wales.

''I've been impressed with Scott and I would like to keep him for another month,'' the Swansea boss said.

''He has been unlucky not to get more of a chance since he came here.

''He arrived when we had a lot of injury problems up front and then everybody came back quicker than we expected.

''But he has been a good addition to our squad and he's a good player, so I'd certainly like to keep him.''

Jackett accepts Watford may say no, having sent out their top scorer of last season to get some games under his belt.

''We'll have to see whether it's feasible with Scott and with Watford,'' he added.

''I think they've got a couple of injuries and it may be that they want him back, but if there is any chance of keeping Scott I would take it and we'll just have to see.''

As Jackett bids to keep Fitzgerald, he has said goodbye to French trialist David Camara.

Willy Gueret's former Le Mans team-mate had trained with Swansea for three weeks and was due to play in Monday night's postponed reserve game with Swindon.

''I never did see him in a game,'' Jackett added, ''but he has been training with us for quite some time and we've decided we can't offer him a contract.''

Swansea are confident, meanwhile, that Andy Gurney will play at Grimsby despite his absence from training at the start of this week.

''He went for some more treatment on his back,'' Jackett explained, ''but it wasn't because it flared up again, it was to make sure the problem stays away.''

The search is still on for a sponsor for Swansea's new sports stadium. Council leaders say they are in talks with a number of companies about a possible deal for the naming rights of the £27 million development.

The authority dropped the working title of White Rock earlier this year to try and encourage investment.

A deal is expected to bring in around £800,000 and has been factored in as part of the council's business plan for the new stadium.

Specialist companies have been brought on board to market the stadium including a selection of the best seats in the ground.

But a council spokeswoman wouldn't be drawn into speculation about the identity of the new companies thinking of throwing their support behind the scheme.

She said: "This process is ongoing and confidential due its commercial sensitivity, therefore it is not appropriate at this stage to give any further information.

"Councillors and the media will be informed of progress at the appropriate time."

Work on the new stadium is continuing as planned and is expected to be ready in time for the 2005-2006 football and rugby seasons.

The ground will be the new home for Swansea City Football Club with the Neath-Swansea Osprey's playing a number of their home ties there too.

It is also expected to be used for concerts and festivals, bringing in much-needed cash for the council and sports teams.

A new company, Stadco, has been set up by the council and the teams to manage the impressive new facility.

Profits from the 20,000-seater stadium will be split between the three parties after a slice has been put into a fund for repairs and renewals.

Finding a sponsor is seen as a key part of the authority's business plan for the stadium.

A spokeswoman for Swansea Council said: "The capital budget for the stadium includes an assumed income from the selling of naming rights.

"The council has formally appointed agents for marketing this opportunity, and is in discussion with prospective firms."

Former Wales boss Terry Yorath believes Swansea City have the right blend of players to escape League Two this season. Yorath, who had two spells at the Vetch Field helm in the late 1980s and early 1990s, helped Huddersfield Town out of the Football League basement as boss Peter Jackson's No. 2 last season.

The Terriers were well beaten by Swansea as Brian Flynn's soared to the top of what was Division Three in the opening weeks of the campaign.

But Yorath's team took revenge when managerless Swansea went to Yorkshire and succumbed feebly 3-0 in March.

A little over a week later Kenny Jackett took over, and Yorath believes his old club now look good to go up next spring.

''As well as the right tactics and a little bit of luck, to get out of Swansea's division you need to get the right mixture of playing good football and being physical.

''Swansea showed they could play the football when they beat us down here last season - it wasn't our greatest day, but Lee Trundle was on fire and the 2-0 scoreline flattered us really.

''But when they came to our place we beat them really well and I think Kenny Jacket is right when he says they needed some physical presence in the side.

''At Huddersfield we had players like Andy Booth, Efe Sodje and Steve Yates. They're the sort of strong, physical players you need because set-pieces are so vital in the division.

''It's about putting your foot in or your head in and winning tackles or headers. Then you've got a chance, because once you do that people with ability always come out on top.

''Swansea have definitely got the players who can score goals, so I can see them going up this year.''

Yorath, the mastermind of Swansea's promotion campaign from the old Division Four back in 1988, was back in the city yesterday signing copies of his new autobiography, Hard Man Hard Knocks.

He was sad to see his friend Flynn leave the Vetch, but believes that in Jackett, another former Welsh international colleague, Swansea may have found the man to deliver success at their new stadium.

''I was very surprised when Brian went because I thought he'd done very well to keep the club in the league,'' the 54-year-old adds.

''But in Kenny they look to have a bright young manager and I hope he does well.

''He has been brought up in a good at school at Watford under Graham Taylor and, while he was always very quiet when the Welsh squad got together, he was very knowledgeable on the game.

''Hopefully everything he has learned will work at Swansea, because they're a club who wouldn't look out of place in the next division and to get there in time for the new stadium would be fantastic.

''Things would be just starting to come together again, and maybe some of the glory years will come back.''

Swansea City fans will soon be rushing to their computers in a bid to get their hands on one of their hero's shirts. Gerry McGonagle whose father died of cancer two years ago, is organising an auction of as many famous football shirts as possible.

The Scotsman, who now works at BT in Cardiff, is trying to raise as much money as possible for Marie Curie Cancer Care nurses.

He said: "I have so far got one of John Hartson's shirts and David Morgan at Swansea City has given me one of Lee Trundle's shirts.

"But I am still waiting to hear if Cardiff City and Wrexham football clubs have shirts they can donate to me."

Mr McGonagle is going to sell the shirts on internet auction site eBay in a bid to raise money for the nurses.

He added: "When my dad was ill the nurses were with him so much and I feel now is the right time to give something back.

"I think the work these nurses do needs recognition and more help and advice needs to be available on how families cope with cancer."

Once Mr McGonagle receives his final batch of shirts, he will put them on eBay.

SWANSEA CITY boss Kenny Jackett believes he has the strikeforce to shoot down Coca-Cola League defences.

Only a few days after Lee Trundle tied himself to a new two-year contract at the Vetch, Jackett has taken up an option to extend the contract of fellow striker Paul Connor.

The £35,000 signing from Rochdale will now remain a Swansea player until the summer of 2006 after initially agreeing an 18-month deal with former manager Brian Flynn last March.

"When I signed we agreed the option of another year and, happily for me, that's been sorted out," said the former Stoke striker, who has scored three goals this season.

"I had a decent time at the end of last season. I guess the manager decided he quite liked me because he came to me during the summer and said he wanted to take up the extra year.

"I was well pleased with that because it's given me a bit of security.

"I came a long way from home when I joined Swansea and it's nice to know that I've got a couple of years ahead of me down here.

"Hopefully, the manager will keep picking me and I'll keep doing my best for the club."

Jackett has other firepower options now that Adrian Forbes - with three goals in as many games - has showed the finishing touch that brought him 14 goals at Luton Town last season.

But Brad Maylett and James Thomas still expect to be on the sidelines for some time and are out of contention for Saturday's trip to Grimsby.

Former Swan defender Richard Duffy has had his loan spell at Burnley extended by another month.

Wales Under-21 defender Duffy, 19, joined the Clarets from Portsmouth on an original one-month deal in September.

John Toshack remains evens-money favourite for the Wales manager's job despite John Aldridge throwing his hat into the ring.

Former Liverpool and Republic of Ireland striker Aldridge has been priced at 8-1.

"This is too good an opportunity to pass me by," said Aldridge who has links with Wales in his playing spell at Newport.

"I had five successful years at Tranmere Rovers and was involved in international football for nearly 14 years, taking in two World Cups and a European Championship. So I know what it's all about."

Paul Connor will be a Swansea City player until summer 2006 after Kenny Jackett took up an option to extend his contract. The £35,000 striker agreed an initial 18-month deal when Brian Flynn brought him to Vetch Field from Rochdale last March.

But Connor, 25, has revealed that Jackett triggered a clause in his contract during the close season to keep him at Swansea beyond this campaign.

"When I signed we agreed the option of another year and happily for me that's been sorted out," he said.

"I had a decent time at the end of last season and I guess the manager decided he quite liked me because he came to me during the summer and said he wanted to take up the extra year.

"I was well pleased with that because it's given me a bit of security.

"I came a long way from home when I joined Swansea and it's nice to know that I've got a couple of years ahead of me down here.

"Hopefully the manager will keep picking me and I'll keep doing my best for the club."

Connor, who has three goals to his name this season, will feature in Jackett's side at Grimsby on Saturday.

After last weekend's home clash with Darlington fell foul of the weather, Swansea aim to regain top spot in the League Two table at Blundell Park - and to bury the bad memories of their last away day, a 4-2 reverse at Southend.

"To score two but concede four was very disappointing, especially with the way we've defended this season," Connor added.

"But we've all said Southend was just a blip and we'll aim to prove that against Grimsby.

"They've got some decent players and it will be a difficult game for us, but we've got a lot of quality and a lot of confidence and we'll go their fancying our chances of getting a win."

Swansea's official travel club have seats available for the trip to Grimsby, priced £18 members and £20 non-members, departing Morriston Cross at 6.30am and the Quadrant 6.45am. More details are available from the club shop.

Swansea failed in an unlikely bid to persuade Darlington to return to South Wales tonight to play Saturday's postponed game.

The fixture has been rearranged for Tuesday, November 16, with refunds available to any fans who had bought tickets for the weekend and cannot make the new date.

Vetch Field director David Morgan has apologised to supporters for the late postponement.

He said: "The pitch was in perfect condition on Friday and Saturday morning. Even at 1.15pm the referee said it was playable.

"We're sorry for both sets of fans, but we can't control the weather."

FORGOTTEN striker James Thomas will get opportunities to salvage his Swansea City career, boss Kenny Jackett has promised.

While man-of-the-moment Lee Trundle is celebrating being handed a two-year extension to his contract, fellow forward Thomas knows his Vetch Field future is far less certain.

The former Blackburn striker has suffered a depressing downturn in fortune since he himself won an extra two years for hitting the unforgettable hat-trick that stopped Swansea sliding out of the league almost 18 months ago.

As if being kept out of the team at the start of the season was not worrying enough, a niggling knee injury is now eating into the short amount of time Thomas has left to earn himself another new deal.

But, though Thomas is still unable to pencil in a date for his comeback, Jackett insists the 25-year-old still has plenty of time to rescue his Vetch career.

"James is down in the dumps at the moment being out of the picture, and it's frustrating for me too because I want to see him play," said the Swans boss.

"I haven't got a crystal ball so I don't know exactly when he's likely to be back.

"Although he's had an operation on his knee and been given the all-clear on a couple of occasions to carry on with his rehab, he gets so far then breaks down again.

"As for his future at the club, I'm not in a position where I can really think about that at the moment because I haven't seen enough of him.

"But he'll come through this and there will be opportunities for him to show me what he can do. His chance will come."

Thomas ensured he will never be forgotten by Swans fans when he wrote his name into Vetch folklore with that dream treble in the 4-2 win over Hull in May 2003 that stopped the club slipping into the Nationwide Conference.

But he was rarely in the spotlight last season, with most of his 22 appearances coming as a substitute, and struck just three goals in a campaign interrupted by various injuries.

Things have been even worse this term, with the Morriston-born striker being restricted to brief appearances from the bench in the opening two matches before injury struck.

"I've spoken to James a number of times about wanting to give him the opportunity because I haven't really seen him play since I've been at the club," said Jackett.

"I'm not going to just forget about him. I've followed his career even since he was at Blackburn.

"I know he's a local lad who's popular with the supporters, and I want to give him a chance here."

Thomas is not the only forgotten man at the Vetch. Defender Leon Hylton has been on the sidelines since February and now faces an operation in a bid to clear up a hernia problem.

"Leon is another player who I haven't had the chance to see in action and, again, that's frustrating for him and for me," said Jackett, who has another player, winger Brad Maylett, needing surgery on a hernia problem.

"But, again, if all goes well, I should get the chance before the end of the season to see Leon play."

Midfielder Andy Robinson should be fit for Saturday's trip to Grimsby after suffering a hip problem that would have ruled him out of the postponed clash against Darlington.

That game, called off on Saturday because of a waterlogged Vetch pitch, has been rearranged for Tuesday, November 16.

The former Swansea City player, 19, joined the Clarets from Portsmouth on an original one-month deal in September.

Leon Britton fears he will be back on the bench at Grimsby next weekend after Saturday's Vetch Field washout. The former West Ham man was all set to make his first Swansea City start since August against Darlington until a lunchtime downpour saw referee Andre Marriner call the game off.

Britton was picked on the left of midfield ahead of Andy Robinson, who had collected a hip injury in last Tuesday's win over Leyton Orient and was not 100 per cent fit.

"Andy was still feeling it slightly so we decided to go with Leon," Kenny Jackett revealed.

"But Andy should be okay again by the time we face Grimsby, so there will be a decision to make there."

Jackett, who could also have Izzy Iriekpen available at Blundell Park, could not hide his frustration after the elements denied his side the chance to earn a seventh consecutive home win.

But the Swansea boss was expecting some good news today, with star striker Lee Trundle due to put the finishing touches on a two-year contract extension.

"A lot of clubs wouldn't mind having Lee, and I'm delighted I'm going to have the opportunity to work with him until 2007," Jackett said.

"Goalscorers are hard to come by and Lee's record is obviously terrific.

"On top of that he has also created a lot and his build-up play has been very good. That's something I've been pleasantly surprised about.

"A lot of goalscorers are quite anonymous for long periods of games - their only contribution is the finishing touch - but you can't say that about Lee."

Jackett has always denied a claim made by Northampton boss Colin Calderwood in the summer that he offered Trundle to the Cobblers.

And he added: "I came to the club with an open mind about Lee, as I did with all the players, and I have been pleasantly surprised by his application.

"I talked to people like Denis Smith and Kevin Russell at Wrexham about him and they spoke well about his personality, his attitude and his sense of humour - which can be a handful with him and Mr Robinson around.

"I would like to think Lee is fit now having worked over the summer, and hopefully we can reap the rewards together over the next couple of years."

Swansea have yet to agree a new date for the Darlington game, which was given the go-ahead after a 1pm pitch inspection before a cloudburst saw referee Marriner change his mind at 1.55pm.

While Swansea's players spent the afternoon running on the beach, their owners were left counting the costs of the decision, which could run to £5,000.

LEE TRUNDLE last night revealed why he has agreed to extend his Swansea City career by two years - insisting, "I can go all the way to the Championship with the Swans."

Star striker Trundle, 28 earlier this month, will today put pen to paper on a new Swansea contract that ties him to the club until 2007.

The news is a major boost to boss Kenny Jackett and his team, who are pushing hard to secure League One football in time for their move to a new stadium at Morfa next season.

Swansea lost a little momentum - and their place at the top of League Two - at the weekend after their home clash against Darlington was postponed because of a waterlogged Vetch Field pitch.

But Jackett's side will begin preparing for Saturday's trip to Grimsby confident of regaining the league leadership - and boosted by Trundle's decision to commit his immediate future to the club.

"I've been saying for a while now that I wanted to agree a new contract and I'm just pleased to get it all tied up," said Trundle, whose present deal was due to expire at the end of this season.

"I wanted to sign a long contract just to show a bit of commitment to the club and the fans, who've been great to me since I've been down here.

"I didn't have any hesitation about extending my contract by two years because I really feel there's a bright future ahead for the club and I want to be part of that.

"With the club moving to a brand new stadium next season and us being top of the league at the moment, this just seems like the right time for me to give something back.

"I know there was a bit of speculation about my future in the summer, but I've never felt unsettled here.

"There's never been a point when I've worried I might not be part of the manager's long-term plans and it's always been in my mind to sign a new deal."

Trundle, who struck 21 goals in his first season at the Vetch after moving from Wrexham in the summer of 2003, and is the current top marksman with four, has made no secret of his desire to ply his trade a couple of rungs higher up the Football League ladder.

But he said, "There's no need for me to go anywhere else if I feel I can play at a higher level with Swansea.

"You've got to take one step at a time and at the moment we've just got to focus on winning promotion to League One. But this club has the potential to go further.

"If we can get out of this league this season, there's no reason why in another year or two we couldn't push towards the Coca-Cola Championship - I'd love to play in that division with Swansea.

"My new contract takes me to the end of the 2006-07 season and I'd like to think we can achieve a lot between now and then."

Swansea lost the chance to open up a gap at the top of League Two when the Darlington match fell victim to the heavy rain that lashed Wales on Saturday.

The Swans dropped to third as Scunthorpe regained the league leadership with a 1-0 home win against Yeovil and Leyton Orient triumphed 4-3 at Lincoln to move into second.

"It was disappointing to have the Darlington game called off because we wanted to build on the win against Orient," said Trundle.

"And it was a shame to be knocked off the top of the league. Though we've now got a game in hand, we'd rather have points in the bag.

"But it's still early in the season and we're looking forward to Grimsby now.

"Apart from the defeat at Southend, we've been doing quite well away from home and we'll be fired up to get another good result and work our way back to the top of the table."

JOHN Hartson can sense the Swansea feelgood factor - despite living 450 miles away!

The Welsh international is as proud as punch about the Swans' recent impressive form - and delighted to see the rest of the sporting scene on the up.

All that after a thoroughly depressing period for the city when it looked like the proud traditions of the city's sporting institutions were finished.

It took a last-gasp turn-around to spare the Swans the ignominy of a spell in non-league two seasons ago and although the Whites have been swallowed up by regional rugby, the city now has a team to be proud of in the Ospreys.

There are heroes to be worshipped; the scintillating Gavin Henson and the showman Lee Trundle.

There's a long way to go yet before Swansea can feel it's back where it belongs; the rise of Cardiff City has hurt badly but with a superb stadium in the offing the city is continuing to gather renewed momentum.

"The rivalry with Cardiff is so intense so it's great that the Swans have topped the league this season and the fans have something to shout about," said Hartson.

"There's a lot more hope and optimism about sport in the city then there was, which is tremendous.

"But can you believe that Swansea were in a higher division than Cardiff in the 2000/01 season?

"We were in Division Two while Cardiff were in Division Three.

"It seems such a long way off now.

"I don't begrudge Cardiff their success because I want all the Welsh teams to do well but their success and Swansea's constant heartbreak was killing the people of Swansea because it's a great footballing city with a huge tradition.

"Success in the last ten years has been few and far between for us.

"I was at Wembley when we beat Huddersfield in the 1994 Autoglass final and watched games during the 1999/2000 season when John Hollins won us promotion. But those good times have been hard to come by.

"I was back at Wembley in 1997 when we lost to Northampton in the Division Three play-off final to virtually the last kick of the game and while we've had good FA Cup runs under Brian Flynn, Swansea haven't had much to make us smile so seeing them at the top of the league is great - let's hope they can keep it up.

"For the rugby people it's great to see the Ospreys going so well, too."

Kenny Jackett's Swansea have been showing the kind of mean streak needed to grind out results, despite being written off at the start of the season.

"After a difficult initial start when fans were calling for him to be sacked, Kenny has stuck with it," added Hartson.

"He did get a lot of stick at the start but he lost five of his first seven games.

"But that is the same at any club because football is a results business. If Martin O'Neill doesn't win for three or four games at Celtic then he's under pressure.

"But, in fairness, the Swansea board were very fair with Kenny.

"They gave him a bit of time and a little bit to spend to bring his own players in and now it's paying dividends.

"Patience is the key.

"I know Kenny wasn't quite the big name manager the Swans fans may have wanted and so perhaps they were a little too quick to get on his back.

"But the board must be praised for allowing Kenny that vital period of time to stamp his authority on the team.

"It would have been easy for the board to buckle under the pressure from the fans.

"The directors' box is surrounded by very vocal supporters and it would have been easy for the board to give in to the fans' demands.

"I'm told that Kenny is a top-class operator, but lacked that managerial experience before getting the Swansea job. Coaches need time to get their message across so, therefore, the team needs a period of time to adapt to his methods and ideas. He's had time to work with them, got a winning system, shored up the defence and Kenny has repaid the faith the board showed in him.

"He hasn't just taken over Brian Flynn's team, he's brought in a few young players and one or two free transfers and transformed them into a tough team that's hard to beat. "Kenny has also got Lee Trundle playing well and, more importantly scoring a few goals. Lee is a very important player for Swansea as he can create something from nothing and win games almost by himself.

"But Kenny has made him work hard for the team and it's working. Kristian O'Leary's back playing well again and I hope everything continues because it's still very early days - and I'm sure Kenny would be the first to point that out."

Under previous manager Brian Flynn, Swansea lived - and ultimately almost died - by the 'we'll score more than you' adage. But Jackett's back four, with the exception of that trip to Southend, have been making Scrooge look a picture of frivolous generosity.

"You've got to be mean at the back to win anything," added Hartson.

"And those clean sheets are helping the Swans pick up a lot of points on the road.

"Historically, Swansea aren't great travellers, but the fact they're winning - or not getting beaten - away has really impressed me.

"Picking up points here and there away from home can mean the difference between promotion challengers and being an also-ran.

"The Vetch is a tough place for the opposition to get results.

"Everyone I speak to says it's a horrible place to go to, because the atmosphere is very intimidating which makes the Swans a good home side." Of course, fortress Vetch Field will be no more next season.

It's an emotional time for the Swans as they've already started packing in readiness for the summer move to the stadium with no name in the shadows of Kilvey Hill.

And Hartson, raised not a million miles from the Swans' new home in Trallwn, said: "It is important that Swansea have a good season so next year we can get as many people in the new ground as we can.

"It's a fantastic stadium and deserves to be hosting higher division football and top class rugby.

"It'll be one of the best grounds in the lower two divisions but Swansea will lose that intimidating atmosphere.

"Teams like Southampton and Millwall lost their home edge when they moved and Swansea might suffer similarly as it'll be a beautiful stadium with warm, spacious and welcoming dressing rooms and will have a great surface.

"But the Swans' fans will have to ensure that the welcome is as intimidating.

"The move is crucial, though, to Swansea's future, it's the way forward. The new ground will hopefully bring in more revenue, sponsorship and give us the facilities to progress."

Hartson is hoping one day to get to know all about the welcoming dressing rooms and silky playing surface - by coming home to finish his career. "Hopefully, I'll end my playing days at Swansea one day in the future," he said. "That is something that I've always dreamed of and is my long-term ambition. Everything will need to be right at the time.

"The way things are going looks good."

DARLINGTON yesterday may have been the victim of some woeful Welsh weather - but the Swans still worked up a sweat thanks to slave-driver boss Kenny Jackett.

Within moments of learning their League Two fixture had been called off due to a waterlogged Vetch Field, Jackett marched his men down to Swansea Bay for an impromptu training session.

"I don't like them having two days off," said Jackett, clearly frustrated by losing out on the chance to pull away at the top of the table. "I don't mind the odd day but during a training week it's not what I want.

"They needed a good run today and then they can enjoy their Sunday off."

Jackett, however, clearly had no intention of braving the wind and the rain of the South Wales coast, preferring instead to catch one of the few local games that survived the heavy rain that plagued the sporting fixture lists.

And the taskmaster, who promised to get his squad fighting fit on his arrival last April, admitted the rainy-day suggestion hasn't made him Mr Popular in the dressing room.

"Perhaps not," smiled Jackett. "You could certainly see Lee Trundle's face change!"

But even the thought of a hard slog on the Swansea sand won't have wiped the smile off star striker Trundle's face after the Liverpudlian agreed a two-year-extension to his contract this week.

And Jackett admitted the deal is a major boost for the ambitious Swans.

"It's great news for the club," he said.

"His record as a goalscorer is very good but he's also impressed me with the amount of goals he has created for us.

"When I came I was very interested in looking at him and working with him and he's done very well. And it's nice now to get someone of his quality to work with for some time to come."

Jackett also paid tribute to the Scouser's dressing room banter, adding: "His sense of humour - especially when he's with Andy Robinson - can be a real handful at times.

"But it's something I can cope with when he's really producing the goods."

But you can bet it is Jackett who was laughing loudest yesterday after making sure Trundle and the rest of the Swans playing staff were left to sweat it out in the wet!

While the Swans players were left to slog on the beach, Wrexham players and fans faced a long slog back from Torquay after rain also saw their game postponed.

Swansea slipped to third in Coca-Cola League Two as Scunthorpe and Leyton Orient both won, while their game at home to Darlington was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.

Scunthorpe are the new leaders, with a two point advantage after 1-0 win at home to Yeovil thanks to Andy Butler's strike 12 minutes from time.

Lee Steele hit a hat-trick for Orient as they ground out a 4-3 win away at Lincoln, coming from behind three times.

Gareth McAuley put the home side ahead just three minutes into the game and after Steele levelled after 11 minutes, Simon Yeo quickly restored the advantage.

Jabo Ibehre equalised for Orient after 37 minutes and after McAuley got his second in the second half to put Orient behind yet again, Steele scored twice in the last 12 minutes to seal victory for Martin Ling's charges.

Managerless Shrewsbury lifted themselves from the bottom with a point against Southend at Gay Meadow.

After Jimmy Quinn's departure last week, Kevin Street put the Shrews ahead after 14 minutes. However, Wayne Gray levelled for the Shrimpers shortly before the hour mark to secure a 1-1 draw.

Chester eased their relegation concerns with a 2-1 victory at home to Grimsby, thanks to a quick double by Michael Branch.

The former Everton striker found the net after 39 and 42 minutes to give Chester a 2-0 lead, and Jon Daly's goal was not enough to salvage anything from the game for the Mariners.

Cambridge remain in the relegation zone after slipping to a 2-1 loss at Cheltenham despite taking an early lead.

Adam Tann scored two minutes into the game but former Wolves youngster Ashley Vincent brought Cheltenham level after 28 minutes.

And substitute Damian Spencer pounced in injury time to hand all three points to John Ward's men.

Graeme Rix's position as Oxford manager looks increasingly endangered after a narrow defeat at the hands of Macclesfield.

Oxford lost 1-0 at the Moss Rose after Mike Sheron found a breakthrough five minutes into the second half.

Northampton romped to a 5-1 win at home to Rochdale as former Cobbler Daryl Burgess endured a nightmare return to Sixfields.

Burgess put the ball into his own net nine minutes into the game to put Northampton ahead, before fouling Martin Smith in the box to concede a penalty -and receive a red card.

Smith converted the penalty to put the home side 2-0 up after 21 minutes, and got on the scoresheet again seven minutes later.

Rochdale goalkeeper Neil Edwards made his own day much worse by registering an own goal of his own after 63 minutes. Gareth Griffiths got a consolation to make it 4-1 before Josh Lowe scored in injury time to make it 5-1 to move his side up the table from 12th to sixth.

Notts County managed a vital win at home to Boston, winning 2-1 at Meadow Lane to boost themselves up the table to 19th.

Gavin Gordon broke the deadlock after 17 minutes and Chris Palmer doubled the lead after 51 minutes. Paul Ellender pulled one back three minutes later but the Magpies held on for the win.

Ian Atkins' Bristol Rovers beat struggling Kidderminster 2-0 thanks to a brace by Junior Agogo either side of half time to send Harriers back to the bottom of the table.

Another 1-0 victory in League Two was claimed by Rushden, who emerged victorious against Bury.

Alex Hay got the deciding goal shortly before the hour mark to ensure Diamonds left Gigg Lane with the win.

Wycombe were forced to come from behind to earn a point at home to Mansfield.

Derek Asamoah put the Stags in front early in the second half but Adam Birchall found an equaliser on the hour mark to make it honours even.

Lee Trundle today predicted his best football is still to come after agreeing a new Swansea City contract. Kenny Jackett's star striker will put pen to paper on a two-year extension to his current deal on Monday, as revealed in last night's Evening Post.

And Trundle, who will be a Swansea player until June 2007, hopes to improve on an already impressive record of 25 goals in 44 starts over the next two and a half years.

He said: "I think I've played the best football of my career since I came to Swansea.

"And, hopefully, having just turned 28, I should now be coming into my prime.

"The new contract means I'll be a Swansea player when I'm 30 and these should be my best years."

Fans' favourite Trundle left Wrexham for Swansea on a free when his Racecourse contract expired 15 months ago, but he insisted there was never any chance of a repeat performance with his Swansea deal up next summer.

"Staying was never in doubt once the club said they wanted to keep me," he added.

"I've enjoyed my time at Swansea since the start and the fans have played a massive part in that.

"They took me to heart right from day one and, hopefully, this is a way of saying thank you to them.

"I've said in the past that I want to play at a higher level but, hopefully, I can do that with Swansea.

"The new stadium is going to feel like a Premiership ground and, with our supporters, teams aren't going to relish coming there.

"Hopefully, we will be in the next division by the time we move there.

"The chairman, the manager and the players have certainly got their minds set on achieving that."

THERE was more good news to come out of the Vetch Field yesterday when it emerged star striker Lee Trundle has agreed a contract extension.

With Swansea pushing hard for promotion in time for the move to their new stadium at Morfa next summer, they have been boosted by the news Trundle is poised to put pen to paper on a deal that ties him to the club until 2007.

Trundle's contract was due to expire at the end of the current campaign and fears he might not be invited to extend his Swans career grew in the summer when it was rumoured the club tried to sell him to Northampton.

But Swansea insist offering the 28-year-old former Wrexham striker, who has scored three goals this season and played a key role in the team's rise to the top of League Two, an extra two years demonstrates he is a big part of boss Kenny Jackett's future plans.

"This is excellent news for everyone involved in the club," said Swans chairman Huw Jenkins.

"Kenny wanted Lee to be a part of what we're doing over the next couple of years and this just shows what Lee thinks of us as a club and the supporters."

FORGET 1-0 to the Arsenal - these days it's more likely to be 'One-Nil, to the Swanseaaa.'

Kenny Jackett's table-toppers are making a habit out of the scoreline the Gunners were once famous for.

You have to go back 15 years or so to when cries of "boring, boring Arsenal" were ringing out from Premiership terraces as George Graham's Gunners churned out one single-goal victory after another.

While Swans boss Jackett would doubtless bristle at the 'boring' tag being attached, these days it is his team gaining a reputation for keeping it tight at the back and being economical in front of goal.

But this is not something new at the Vetch. Just five years ago, of course, Swansea were doing an identical thing as John Hollins's side broke every defensive record going to lift the old Division Three Championship.

And while a current campaign that continues with the visit of Darlington this afternoon is only 14 games old, a number of parallels are already emerging.

Back in 1999-00 Swansea won 11 league matches 1-0. So far this term, Jackett's men have claimed five league victories by that narrow margin.

Hollins' promotion winners conceded a miserly 30 goals in the whole season. Jackett's current League Two leaders boast the second meanest defence in the entire Football League with just 10 goals let in.

And then, of course, there was the club record 22 clean sheets Swansea kept in that victorious campaign. Already this season, Jackett's bunch have shut out the opposition eight times.

The comparisons are not lost on Swansea stalwart Kris O'Leary, who, as the last remaining member of the championship-winning team, hopes the ultimate parallel can be drawn and Swansea finish this season as they did the 99-00 one - as champions.

"Thinking about how things have gone so far this season reminds me of the promotion year," said O'Leary, who made 19 league appearances in the championship-winning campaign and been a regular this term.

"There are a lot of comparisons between the current side and the one that won the league.

"Not only because we've got such a good defensive record at the moment and we're winning a lot of matches 1-0, but also the fantastic team spirit.

"We broke a lot of defensive records in 1999-00 and the back four that played the majority of that season - Steve Jones, Matthew Bound, Jason Smith and Michael Howard, with Roger Freestone in goal behind them, of course - take most of the credit. They were superb.

"The make-up of the current defence is similar, it's big and strong, with people brought in to beef it up.

"And, of course, the other main comparisons are we're not conceding many goals this season and we're winning a lot of matches 1-0.

"Take nothing away from the team that won the league, but we've got flair players who give you that little bit extra.

"I'd have to say, though, that it's going to take something to beat the defensive records we set five years ago. They were such outstanding achievements.

"It was good to be part of a team that had such an impressive record, though I played in a few different positions that season and finished it in midfield - as I am at the moment!

"It is something to be proud of. I've still got the jersey I wore when we clinched the championship on the final day of the season against Rotherham.

"If I could have another jersey to hang up on the wall at the end of this season, that would be fantastic."

The encouraging thing for Jackett's class of 2004-05 - hoping to stretch their one-point lead at the top of League Two today - is they are in a much better position than Hollins side were at the equivalent stage of the campaign.

O'Leary said, "The funny thing is that, just like this season, we didn't get off to the best of starts in 1999. We lost the first game, York away, and didn't really get going until October or November.

"In the middle of November we were still quite low down in the table, but then we set off on a fantastic run where we went 11 league games unbeaten and kept that record number of clean sheets.

"That lasted right through Christmas and into the New Year, but then we hit a sticky patch towards the end of the season.

"But the strange thing is we managed to stay towards the top of the league. I remember losing 1-0 at Plymouth, which took the bad run to something like eight games without a win. But in the dressing room after the game I couldn't quite believe it when I heard we were still in the top three.

"We then won the next three matches which put us at the top of the table and I'll never forget playing in the last game of the season when we drew at Rotherham to win the championship."

O'Leary also has a message for those people who criticised Jackett for introducing a more direct style of play that made Swansea somewhat less pleasing on the eye earlier this season.

"You've got to remember the way we've been playing this season is similar to how we played in 1999-00 and that's the last bit of success this club has had," said the man from Port Talbot.

"You can't expect to win promotion from this division by simply playing free-flowing football all the time. You need to mix it up a bit.

"At the moment I think we've got the right balance and things are working well. We might not have turned many teams over so far, but before long I think we're going to stroll through matches like we did when we beat Kidderminster 3-0 last month."

Now in his 10th season at the Vetch, O'Leary counts himself as something of a veteran of the Swans side, even if he only turned 27 last summer.

"It feels strange to be the last remaining member of the 1999-00 side," said O'Leary, enjoying a new lease of life as a central midfielder in Jackett's new regime. "I'm not used to being one of the elder statesmen.

"But I'm enjoying the season and if I can help some of the younger lads in the squad, then I'm glad to.

"I'm training and playing with a smile on my face and if I could be ever-present in a promotion-winning team, I couldn't ask for more than that."

After the midweek win over Leyton Orient (1-0 the scoreline, of course) Swansea hope to extend their League Two leadership against a team boosted by the summer arrival of three former Premiership strikers, Craig Hignett, Alun Armstrong and Clyde Wijnhard.

Swansea are expected to be without Andy Robinson (hip injury), Leon Britton being favourite to replace him on the left of midfield, while Brad Maylett is missing with a hernia problem.

"Darlington will be another tough game, but the way we're playing, we don't fear anyone."

One-nil to Swansea, anyone?

Safety bosses have upped crowd limits at the Vetch to help the top-of-the-table Swans cope with bumper fan numbers. The high-flying Swans are at the top of football's League Two.

They are pulling in the division's biggest numbers.

So many people want to watch them, safety chiefs have now agreed to increase the crowd capacity in response.

They have allowed the capacity at the Vetch Field to go up by 500 on the North Bank for tomorrow's game with Darlington.

If supporters do not block the safety aisles a further 500 will be added for the Bristol Rovers game on November 6 taking the 'full house' total to 12,250. The Swans are also negotiating to allocate more than half the West Terrace to home supporters allowing in an additional 1,200 home fans.

The visiting club would be allocated the rest for 1,000 supporters.

But the club and the Safety Advisory Group, which includes the emergency services and Swansea Council, are warning that if supporters ignore the safety rules tomorrow capacity could be cut again.

The present limits were imposed in February after repeated appeals to the North Bank faithful that action would be taken were often ignored.

Even without the success of the team the club are expecting bumper gates towards the end of the season as supporters pay sentimental last visits to the Vetch before the move to the new stadium next season.

Club director David Morgan said today: "We want as many supporters as possible to be able to gain entry to the ground to witness the end of an era for the club.

"We are grateful to the Safety Advisory Group, but our supporters must understand that continued compliance will determine if this capacity continues top the end of the season."

Police are urging supporters to allow extra travelling time because of the increased crowds.

Constable Lyn Phillips, police football liaison officer for Swansea, said: "Attendance against Leyton Orient was 8,500. Many people turned up late expecting to access their usual part of the ground, but a number were unable to do so.

"As a result of the increased attendance the Safety Advisory Group has agreed to an increase of 500 place in the capacity of the North Bank which will assist to alleviate the problems that have occurred.

"However it is emphasised that with the increasing amount of traffic entering the city centre on match days, supporters should allow more time for the journey and to find a car parking space, as well as arriving early at the ground to avoid disappointment."

Lifelong Swans fan David Owen, 54, of Newton Road in Mumbles said the move was a welcome one.

He added today: "It's great to see so many people wanting to support the team.

"It's just what they need.''

Supporters' Club member Ken Jones, of Vicarage Road, Morriston said: "It's a long time since I can remember so many people watching.

"It can get a bit packed down there though so this will help.''

Lee Trundle has agreed a contract extension which will keep him at Swansea City until the summer of 2007. Swansea's star striker will put pen to paper on the new deal on Monday to deliver a massive boost to the Vetch Field club as they push for promotion to League One in time for the move to a new stadium at Morfa next year.

Trundle's current contract was due to expire at the end of this season, and fans had feared that the man signed by Brian Flynn could walk away on a Bosman free transfer in May.

But the Scouse crowd-pleaser, scorer of 25 goals in 44 starts since switching from Wrexham 15 months ago, indicated his desire to discuss fresh terms back in August and, after a month of negotiations, an agreement has been reached.

''From our point of view, from the supporters' point of view and, indeed, everybody's point of view this is fantastic news,'' said Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins.

''Kenny (Jackett) wanted Lee to be a part of what we're going to be doing over the next couple of years and this just shows what Lee thinks of us as a club and of the supporters.

''It's a sign that he thinks we are heading in the right direction as a football club. He can't wait to run out at the new stadium next year in front of 20,000 fans.''

Jenkins insisted there had never been any suggestion of Trundle moving onto another club, adding: ''Lee is comfortable with everything here and he is more than happy that Swansea City are moving forward.

''He will sign the new deal on Monday and we're all pleased that together we can now concentrate on winning promotion this season.''

Trundle will lead Swansea's bid for a seventh straight home win when Darlington visit tomorrow.

Some of his magic may be required against a Quakers side who, behind Swansea, boast the second best defensive record in the division.

Jackett's men will need to be at their best in defence, too, against a visiting attack featuring ex-Premiership stars Craig Hignett, Clyde Wijnhard and Alun Armstrong.

''It says a lot about this league that Darlington have been able to bring in that calibre of player,'' the Swansea boss said.

''And certainly, we will have to be at our best if we are to get another win and try to step away from a few teams in the division.

''You watch Arsenal in the Premiership and they look like they can win at 75 per cent, but we can't get away with that.''

Swansea were giving Andy Robinson (hip) a fitness test today amid fears he will miss out for the first time this season.

Leon Britton stands by in what is likely to be the only change from Tuesday's win over Leyton Orient.

''With our fans behind us, I always thought we could build a strong home record and tomorrow is another chance to capitalise on our great support,'' added Jackett.

With another big Vetch crowd expected, Swansea fans are again being urged to turn up early.

Not content with taking Roger Freestone's Swansea City shirt, Willy Gueret is now targeting his predecessor's club record. Freestone wrote his name in the Vetch Field history books as the last line of defence in the Swansea side who won the 2000 Third Division Championship, clocking up 22 league clean sheets to eclipse the previous best tally of 21 set in 1925.

But Gueret, the man who has made the daunting task of replacing a Swansea legend look easy, reckons the new record is in danger of lasting only five years.

"I think we can make it to 22," says Gueret, "and then I think we can go past it."

The Frenchman's confidence us understandable.

In 14 League Two matches since arriving in South Wales over the summer, the former Millwall goalkeeper has managed eight shut-outs.

More of the same in the months ahead and Freestone's mark will be under threat by March.

"When I first came to Swansea on trial I was just looking for a club where I would play regular first-team football, and I couldn't have hoped for things to go quite so well," Gueret adds.

"The gaffer gave me a chance and after the first few games I was a little bit disappointed with the results we were getting and the way we were losing games.

"But since then we have started to play some good football and the wins have come as well."

While Kenny Jackett's team have entertained at times, opponents have not been demolished in the scintillating manner of early last season.

Rather than a razor-sharp attack, this Swansea side's success up until now has been largely based on a defence capable of blunting almost everything thrown at them.

"I've been very pleased with the way the whole team defends," says Gueret, "and it was good for us to come back with a clean sheet against Leyton Orient on Tuesday after what happened last weekend."

Last Saturday's trip to Southend, when he was beaten inside eight seconds and conceded three more times, goes down as Gueret's bleakest hour as a Swansea player. "We started the game as if we were asleep, like we were still in the dressing room for the first 10 minutes.

"Not surprisingly we went a goal down, and although we played some decent football after that, we made some more bad mistakes which cost us.

"What we have done well most of the time is avoid the mistakes and we need to keep on doing that if we are going to be successful."

Save for a couple of inexplicable forays out of his penalty box in the first week of the campaign, Gueret has barely put a foot - or hand - wrong in his Swansea career.

"I'm never happy if I concede one goal, never mind four," he goes on.

"But I'm quite pleased with eight clean sheets so far.

"The lads in front of me feel just the same, because we all have to work hard together to stop teams from scoring.

"It's always a pleasure for me personally to make a save, but it's a pleasure too to see the lads in front doing their jobs in defence. Clean sheets are about 11 players on the pitch, not just the goalkeeper, and if I don't have to make another save this season because of them doing well then I'll be quite happy."

Were that unlikely scenario to come true, Jackett's men would definitely be celebrating promotion in May.

Anything close to the more feasible target of Freestone's record, Gueret muses, should mean League One football in time for the move to a new stadium too.

By then the Guadeloupe- born gloveman's contract will be up, though on current form Swansea would be mad to let a player they signed after missing out on Neil Cutler and Martyn Margetson go.

Would Gueret, already a firm fans' favourite, like to stay on?

"Why not?" he smiles.

"The weather isn't great in Swansea, but if the manager wanted to keep me, I would say no problem."

Brad Maylett faces up to six weeks on the sidelines after it was confirmed he needs an operation to cure a hernia. Swansea City's worst fears were realised yesterday when Maylett visited a specialist in his home city of Manchester.

He told the 24-year-old winger that he does need surgery and he has been pencilled in to have the operation on Tuesday week.

Leon Hylton saw the same specialist yesterday and he too will go under the surgeon's knife for a hernia.

Winger Maylett had been complaining of abdominal pains for some months and pulled up in the warm down after Tuesday's win over Leyton Orient.

The news that he now needs surgery will come as a big blow to Maylett, who has provided stiff competition for Adrian Forbes on the right side of the Swansea midfield in the last few weeks.

Forbes had been the No. 1 choice for Kenny Jackett.

But Maylett won himself two starts against Mansfield and Southend before dropping back to the bench on Tuesday.

Hylton has not played a league game for Swansea since February and has made only 21 appearances in league and cup matches since signing for the club in February 2003.

His Vetch Field career has been riddled with injuries, and club physio Richard Evans hopes that surgery will finally put an end to the former Aston Villa youngster's injury misery.

''Leon saw the specialist in Manchester along with Brad,'' he said.

''When he said he needed a hernia operation too it came as a bit of surprise to us because he had not shown those symptoms.

''This is the last option we have in our attempt to get him right.
''Hopefully this operation will give us the impetus and he can get back to full fitness again.''

David Hodgson firmly believes his star strikers can fire his side back into the promotion race. Former Premiership frontmen Craig Hignett, Clyde Wijnhard and Alun Armstrong have struck 10 goals between them since arriving at the impressive Williamson Motors Stadium.

Hignett signed for the Quakers in mid-September with Armstrong and Wijnhard following closely on his heels.

Now Hodgson says all three can help his team find the sort of form which has taken Kenny Jackett's men to the League Two summit.

''Swansea aren't top of the league for nothing,'' said the former Middlesbrough and Liverpool midfielder.

''They are at the top because they have been consistent.

''If we'd had our strikers in at the beginning of the season I am sure that we would have been top of the league with them.

''For the first eight games we had no recognised strikers and we're still only eight points behind Swansea.

''We now have a strike force in place which is capable of scoring goals, as they have already proved,'' added Hodgson.

While Darlington are finally beginning to click going forward, they have been badly struck by injury problems at the back.

Central defenders Craig Liddle, Joey Hutchinson and ex-Middlesbrough man Curtis Fleming will all miss tomorrow's clash at Vetch Field.

Hodgson admits there is no quick-fix solution to the problem.

''When we kicked off the campaign we knew that we needed a front line,'' he added.

''We put that one right and then we lost our entire back line.

''We don't have a bottomless pit and we can't go out and bring in two or three more players.

''We have to look at the picture and decide whether the lads we have at the back are capable of competing with the best in League Two.''

Swansea City will be without winger Brad Maylett for at least a month.
After seeing a specialist on Thursday, Maylett was told that he needs surgery to cure an abdominal problem.

The club are looking to make the arrangements for the operation as soon as possible, but he may be considered for duty before the treatment.

Midfielder Andy Robinson is set to miss Saturday's home League Two game with Darlington after pulling a muscle in Tuesday's win over Leyton Orient.

"He's getting pain with movement, but we will give him until as late as possible before making a decision," said club physio Richard Evans.

Brad Maylett will see a specialist in Manchester today in a bid to cure a long-standing abdominal problem. The Swansea City midfielder felt pain in the warm down after Tuesday's win over Leyton Orient.

Maylett played no part in the Swansea victory which took them back to the top of League Two.

But after a short work out following the game, he pulled up while running.

Maylett will see the specialist today amid fears the injury could be a hernia.

Club physio Richard Evans said: ''Brad has had an abdominal problem for a while now.

''He will have a consultation review today and we will wait to find out the results, but he is showing symptoms of a hernia.''

Maylett will definitely miss Saturday's clash with Darlington at Vetch Field.

His fellow midfielder Andy Robinson has also emerged as a doubt to face the Quakers after limping off on Tuesday with a hip injury.

''Andy is 50:50 at the moment for Saturday,'' said Evans, ''I can't say much more than that until I examine him again.

''He pulled the muscle at the top of the hip where the upper body rotates from.

''The injury happened when he took a shot in the first half and he aggravated it in the second.

''He is getting pain with movement at the moment, but we will give him until as late as possible before making a decision on whether he is in or out.''

Kristian O'Leary also picked up a knock on his ankle on Tuesday, but he should shake the injury off by the weekend.

Andy Gurney, who has been troubled by a persistent back problem, came through unscathed against Orient and Evans is pleased with his progress.

Meanwhile, Swansea's Pontin's Combination reserve clash with Swindon Town, which was scheduled for next Wednesday, has been moved to Monday at the Vetch (7pm).

Tickets for the LDV Vans Trophy second-round tie against Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday, November 2, have gone on sale.

Tickets can be bought on the night, but fans will get a £2 discount per ticket by ordering from the Wycombe ticket hotline on 01494 441118.

YOU wouldn't blame Swansea City fans if they were keeping a lid on their excitement after the club's return to the top of League Two on Tuesday night.

The 1-0 win over Leyton Orient was, after all, little more than 12 months after Swansea last sat proudly at the top of the division only to end up sliding down the table into mid-table mediocrity.

Swans captain Roberto Martinez insists the experience of last season, when promotion dreams slowly evaporated over bleak winter months, has ensured feet are being kept firmly on the ground down at the Vetch.

But the Spanish midfielder is nonetheless confident that there will be no repeat of Swansea's depressing fall from grace last term, insisting that the best is yet to come from Kenny Jackett's class of 2004-05.

"Everyone is all too aware of the way things fell away last season and we're desperate to make sure that doesn't happen again," said Swansea's 31-year-old skipper.

"There are a number of reasons why I don't think it will happen - why I think we can hold onto our place at the top of the table this time.

"Looking back on last season, I think we peaked too soon. We picked up 12 points in August, 10 in September and eight in October.

"Then, of course, results dropped off even more and we slipped down the table.

"But this season we've done the opposite. Having started more slowly, we've improved as we've gone along - and we're still improving.

"We do not look like a team that has run out of steam. We showed glimpses of our potential at the start of the season and that is starting to come through now.

"You have not seen the best of this side yet."

That will be music to the ears of Swans fans, who watched despairingly last year as Brian Flynn's team failed to maintain their early-season flourish and ended up finishing 10th.

But, in truth, amid all the excitement of Swansea's goal-crazy opening there were signs right from the start that all was not quite right defensively.

Fast forward 12 months and Swansea are a completely different beast.

The goals might not be flowing in like they were this time last year, but it is the defensive stubbornness (Saturday's shock 4-2 hiccup at Southend aside) Jackett has introduced that has proved the cornerstone of Swansea's current success.

Having conceded only 10 goals in 14 league outings, the Swans boast the second meanest defence in the entire Coca-Cola League.

"Just like we had this time last season, there is a lot of talent in the side, but the key difference this year is we're keeping things tighter at the back," said Martinez, ever-present in the Swans side since being brought back in from the cold at the end of August.

"Our organisation all over the pitch has improved and that's been a big, big plus. We've become a hard team to beat.

"When you add that to the talent we have in the team, it creates a recipe for success.

"And there are other key things working in our favour that we didn't have at this stage last season.

"For a start, almost the whole squad is available for selection. As you'll remember, last season we suffered a number of injury problems that had an impact on our results.

"We had so many different line-ups that it was bound to affect the level of our performance.

"Factors like that, you can't control. Even the top teams in Europe are going to suffer if they lose four or five players through injury.

"At the moment, we do not have negative notes like that.

"Everyone is playing with confidence. Each time we go out on the pitch, we feel that we're going to win the game. That's something that you can't teach.

"But, as I said, we're not yet the finished article. We're very happy with the way things are going, but we're keeping our feet on the ground because we know there's a long way to go."

Swansea had to hang on for the win against Orient, and one concern voiced by some fans is, apart from the 3-0 win over Kidderminster last month, Jackett's men have been unable to finish sides off.

But Martinez said, "It would've been good had we managed to score a second goal against Orient, but I think we've been playing quite cleverly.

"In games where we are 1-0 up, we haven't wanted to take any risks. We've just concentrated on defending well and, to be honest, we were happy to let Tuesday's game die off once we scored.

"I think the most important thing is we win games, no matter how we do it or how many goals we score."

Swansea's aim now is to open up a gap at the top of League Two when Darlington visit the Vetch on Saturday.

"That's going to be an exciting match because, in people like Craig Hignett and Clyde Wijnhard, they have the best forwards they've had for a long time," said Martinez.

"It will be an interesting game. But the way things are going at the moment, I can hardly wait for the next match to come along."

Draped in a Welsh flag at the end, Adrian Forbes is finally displaying his true colours in a Swansea City shirt. Three goals in three games, the latest the second matchwinner among them, and the player who was hailed as Kenny Jackett's No. 1 summer signing is at last living up to his billing.

There were others in the home ranks who impressed as an accomplished Leyton Orient side were seen off, notably Garry Monk at the back, Roberto Martinez and Kristian O'Leary in central midfield and the front two of Lee Trundle and Paul Connor, but this was Forbes's night.

The 25-year-old has undoubted pedigree: he was a favourite at Norwich, won a Third Division Championship as a winger at Luton and then top scored with 14 goals as a striker at Kenilworth Road last season.

But Forbes, who boasts the speed of a Jaguar and the engine of a tank, admits that the transition to life at Swansea has not been a smooth ride.

Only now, after being dropped and fighting his way back into Jackett's side, is he starting to approach top gear.

''I have been frustrated with the way things have gone,'' Forbes said, ''and obviously I wasn't playing well enough in the manager's eyes because I was left out after the Chester game.

''But I've come back with three goals and that's probably my best performance in a Swansea shirt.

''I have said all along that I'd rather be playing up front, but with Paul Connor and Lee Trundle up there it's going to be difficult for me to get in.

''As long as I'm starting and doing my best then I'm happy.

''Getting some goals at last has definitely taken a weight off my shoulders because everyone was expecting that from me straightaway after what happened at Luton last season.

''I was playing up front then, and playing on the right has definitely been a factor, but I've got a few now from the wing and hopefully that can continue.''

Hopefully, indeed, for Forbes's contribution last night proved key in what was the sort of ding-dong contest expected between the sides occupying positions one and two in the League Two table.

The man who spends his summers training with boxer Herbie Hyde was Swansea's biggest hitter, tormenting Orient with his boundless surges down the flank.

He delivered the crucial blow just a minute before the interval, when Sam Ricketts sent Trundle through on the left edge of the penalty box and his centre reached Forbes sliding in on the far post.

''Luckily for me it just trickled over the line,'' he said through a smile.

''I want to do my best and I'm almost there now, although I still think there's a lot more to come.

''I've played well and I've scored, but with Brad (Maylett) doing well when he gets his chance I know I've got to do it again on Saturday, the Saturday after that and the Saturday after that.''

Forbes's sentiments might be echoed by the entire Swansea squad just now, for the refusal to get carried away - in light, no doubt, of what happened last season - is a recurring theme.

They have gone one step further than the class of 2003-4 already by regaining top spot in the table.

But this is not a squad of players who will need calendars for Christmas, for Jackett is a manager who will keep banging home that nothing is won until May.

There is a sense, nevertheless, that his team may just have struck an important blow in the promotion race yesterday.

On the evidence of their showing at Vetch Field, the O's may well be saying cheerio to League Two come next summer, for this was as hard-earned a victory as Swansea have achieved in this campaign.

Unlike many of this division's visitors to South West Wales, the Londoners did not arrive in search of a point.

Their intent was clear when Justin Miller rocketed a shot just over the bar as early as the seventh minute, and this was not a fixture which allowed Swansea to rediscover their miserly touch without a large helping of graft.

Orient asked further questions in the first half, most notably when Gary Alexander struck a post and Lee Steele was only just off target when the home side had failed to clear.

Trundle had earlier been denied an opener by the offside flag and hit the woodwork himself after a trademark turn, while Paul Connor headed wide after Andy Robinson's tenacity had created a chance.

Swansea shaded it after the break, with Forbes, Connor and Trundle all going close before a late Orient rally left Jackett chewing his nails.

Willy Gueret watched his post rattle again from Wayne Carlisle's free-kick, then held head in hands as Trundle wasted an opportunity to calm home nerves from his punt forward.

''They gave us a couple of scares,'' Forbes conceded, ''but we did the same to them and I think we've proved that we're capable of staying at the top of the table.''

Orient boss Martin Ling, who insisted later that his side are the best in the division, was not convinced.

But there was no telling Forbes, nor for that matter 8,000 or so others who celebrated with him at the end.

Kenny Jackett has challenged Swansea City to pull away from the pack after they regained the League Two lead with victory over Leyton Orient last night. Adrian Forbes's 44th-minute goal, his third in three matches, sent Swansea back to the summit at the expense of the side who had snatched first place from them over the weekend.

But with Scunthorpe just a point in arrears after their win over Southend last night, it remains tight at the top of the Coca-Cola basement.

And despite a sixth straight home win, Jackett is demanding more from his side ahead of Darlington's visit this weekend.

''At some stage someone is going to stretch the division out because that happens every league,'' he said, ''and when it does happen I want us to be up there.

''It's fantastic to be top again and it's a feeling I want to get used to, so that has to be our aim now.

''I think there are a number of sides in the division who are capable of stretching the division out - it's still tight now but it's still in its infancy really.

''There will probably be a clutch of sides who move ahead and I'm confident that we can be one of them.

''It's going to take the sort of determination we showed against Orient to do that, plus some improved play. I would like us to go on to the next stage and dominate a few games now.

''But what is crucial is that we remain at 100 per cent in every match we play, because if you come down even five or 10 per cent in this league the division will catch you up.''

Darlington, who boast former Premiership stars Craig Hignett, Alun Armstrong and Clyde Wijnhard in their forward line, are sure to provide another stiff test of Swansea's promotion credentials on Saturday.

Jackett's men may have to pass it without their player of last season, Andy Robinson, who strained a muscle in his hip last night, but the Swansea boss is in upbeat mood after victory over an Orient team who look destined to figure in the promotion shake-up.

''I was impressed with them, they are a good footballing side who gave us a few hairy moments,'' he added.

''But I felt in the second half especially we got the measure of them and, while there are still areas where we can improve, it was a fantastic win for us after the defeat at Southend last weekend.''

Jackett reserved special praise for matchwinner Forbes, who is approaching his best after a slow start to his Vetch Field career.

''Adrian is a good player and that was probably his best game in a Swansea shirt. He has lots of energy and enjoys the physical side of the game and I think the fans are starting to warm to him now.''

Swansea City 1-0 Leyton Orient
NORMAL service was resumed at the Vetch Field last night as Adrian Forbes sent Swansea City back to the top of League Two with his third goal in three games.

Swansea, stung by the shock 4-2 defeat at Southend last weekend, responded by chalking up a sixth successive home win and a scoreline they are becoming happily familiar with.

But, after watching his side ship four goals at Roots Hall, it is the clean sheet rather than the margin of victory that will have pleased Swans boss Kenny Jackett after an absorbing top-two encounter.

Though Martin Ling's Londoners could count themselves unfortunate not to claim at least a point from the clash, Jackett will have been delighted to see the return of the defensive mean streak that saw Swansea concede just one goal in six matches ahead of the Southend setback.

The Swans had to be patient in the first half as both sides thumped shots against the woodwork and this keenly-fought contest switched quickly from one end to the other.

But the vital breakthrough came just before half time when Lee Trundle raced onto a Sam Ricketts pass and supplied a left-footed cross that Forbes fired into the bottom of the net after rushing in at the far post.

Swansea missed a flurry of second-half chances to extend their lead and had to endure a nervous last 10 minutes as Orient went close to snatching an equaliser.

But the result, as the saying goes, is the most important thing and another "one-nil to the Swansea" will keep spirits high and ensure Saturday's home meeting with Darlington will be eagerly anticipated.

After seeing Swansea's exemplary defensive record tarnished in Essex, it must have given Jackett some satisfaction that he was able to field his first-choice backline for Orient's visit.

Andy Gurney returned from a back problem to take up the right-back position Garry Monk had filled so uncomfortably for 45 minutes at Roots Hall and, with the former Southampton defender returning to his preferred central station, Alan Tate was the man who made way.

One other change to the weekend lineup saw Forbes rewarded for his goal-scoring cameo at Southend by replacing Brad Maylett on the right of the Swans midfield.

Swansea's task was to ensure Ling's side suffered their first defeat in six matches, though it was the visitors who almost stole an early lead when Justin Miller speculated with a long-range thunderbolt that whistled just over the bar after nine minutes.

But Swansea soon found some rhythm and, after Trundle had a "goal" ruled out for offside, the home side fashioned an opening from a corner.

Trundle's out-swinging set-piece was helped back into the danger zone by Paul Connor but Gurney was unable to get clean contact and spooned his shot high of the target.

The Swans came much closer just before the half-hour mark when the ever-entertaining Trundle collected a pass from Andy Robinson and dragged the ball one way and then the other before producing a shot that flew across goalkeeper Lee Harrison and rattled the right-hand post.

Moments later Robinson, showing a marked improvement on recent performances, set up a superb chance for Connor when he chased a seemingly lost cause.

The livewire Liverpudlian charged down a Wayne Carlisle clearance before bursting down the left to prevent the ball going out for a goal-kick and hooked a deep cross that Connor headed over.

Back came Orient and it was the turn of their striker Gary Alexander to strike the woodwork when he turned Matthew Lockwood's drag-back against the right-hand post.

There was another scare for the Swans when Alexander's eight-goal strike partner Lee Steele, afforded far too much time to create space for a shot, fired a few centimetres over the crossbar.

But, seconds after Robinson had cut in from the left and sent a 20-yard effort into the stand behind the goal, Swansea's patience paid off when the Orient defenders failed to clear Trundle's ball across the face of goal and Forbes tucked it past Harrison.

The former Luton winger's Vetch career had been slow to get going, but you can't argue with three goals in three games and it is easier to appreciate now just how he netted 14 times for the Hatters last season.

And Forbes, who opened his Swans account in the 1-0 win against Mansfield almost a fortnight ago, was at the thick of things again four minutes after the break when he scampered menacingly down the right before threading a cross from the byline that defender Donny Barnard hacked clear off the line.

There was almost a carbon copy moments later when Barnard was forced to scramble away another Forbes cross from three yards out, while the Swansea goalscorer almost gained an assist in the 54th minute when he provided a perfect centre that Connor glanced wide.

With both sides zipping into the tackles and pressing forward with vigour, it was a match you couldn't take your eyes off, though clear-cut chances were becoming scarce.

But Swansea did have a magnificent opportunity to make it 2-0 seven minutes before the end when Kris O'Leary found Trundle lurking in acres of space down the right.

The Swans striker, however, should have done better after manoeuvring his way towards the edge of the box than fire straight into Harrison's arms.

Swansea hearts were in their mouths for the last few minutes when first Alexander struck the outside of a post and then Carlisle clattered the woodwork with a superb 30-yard free-kick.

Trundle should have made it certain in the dying moments when he raced clear of the last defender, but fired over the bar with his left foot when he would have been better off using his right.

No matter, though, because Swansea are back at the top.

These are good times at the Vetch.

Leyton Orient's credentials as League Two pacesetters face the toughest possible examination tonight when they take on second-placed Swansea City at the Vetch Field.

But Martin Ling believes his side are well able to handle the extra edge that goes with playing against their nearest challengers.

"People are building it up as a pressure match, but pressure was 13 months ago when we were travelling to Carlisle on a Tuesday night, they were bottom of the league and we were second from bottom," said the Orient manager.

Ling has since inspired a turnaround in fortunes and Saturday's 4-1 victory over Shrewsbury saw the club occupy top spot for the first time in 12 years.

"I have told people around the club that I want them to be positive and to enjoy the fact that we are top of the league, but it's worth remembering that there is a long way to go," he said.

The manager's cautious approach is largely the product of last season's disappointing conclusion.

"Everyone talked about us being a play-off team last year, but then we relaxed and went on to win one out of the last 16 games," he said. "So it's important to enjoy the moment but also know the pitfalls."

Swansea surrendered top spot after losing 4-2 at Southend on Saturday, though the scoreline was an aberration for a team that have developed a reputation for playing conservatively.

"Kenny Jacket has got them well organised," said Ling. "But hopefully Saturday's defeat will have created a few doubts and we can capitalise on that."

Gabriel Zakuani is expected to be among the Orient substitutes after recovering from an ankle injury.

SOCCER AM's resident tricks merchant Lee Trundle earned himself another spell in the showboating spotlight at Roots Hall.

Star Swans' turn Trundle came within inches of scoring one of the goals of this, or any other season for that matter, as his audacious chip from a restart struck the crossbar.

David Beckham did score from his own half for Manchester United in open play in 1996, but Trundle almost went one better than Pele who famously missed out from long range during the 1970 World Cup.

With Swansea having just conceded a fourth goal and trailing 4-2 with time running out, Trundle spotted Southend goalkeeper Ryan Clarke had strayed off his line.

"I've tried that one a couple of times, but it's the closest I've been," admitted Trundle, already a cult figure on Sky's Saturday morning football show Soccer AM where he is a regular contributor to the programme's showboating section.

"There was a bit of commotion behind the goal and I don't think the keeper wanted to go right back on his line. He was a few yards off and that's why I tried it.

"It was a good strike and when I saw him pedalling back I thought it had a chance of going in. But it's come back off the crossbar."

Trundle was the one bright beacon for Swansea on a miserable wet day on the Essex coast. Two pieces of typical skill supplied goals for Paul Connor and Adrian Forbes and his cross led to strong penalty claims that could have drawn Swansea level at 3-3.

And Trundle was still convinced during the post-match inquest that a spot-kick should have been awarded for handball against Southend defender Che Wilson.

"I went through and tried to get a cross in and it's hit his (Wilson's) arm," he said.

"The referee said he couldn't get his arm out of the way and I suppose you can't argue with that. But his arm definitely stopped the cross coming in so it's a penalty to me. You get them sometimes, but I always think they should be penalties."

Trundle said Swansea had been shaken by conceding the fastest goal in League football this season, Fredy Eastwood heading home within eight seconds of his debut.

"It was strange because we'd said in the changing rooms before the game how important it was to start sharp and start brightly," he said.

"And then we go and give away a goal like that. It was a bit disheartening, but we got ourselves back in the game and had a couple of chances to take the lead.

"We played some good football but you're going to get beat every now and then. You're not always going to stay top of the league every game.

"But we've got to get that consistency back.

"We've got two home games now - against Leyton Orient and Darlington - and it's a chance to get six points."

Lee Trundle has urged Swansea City to prove their 4-2 beating at Southend was a one-off by toppling new League Two leaders Leyton Orient at Vetch Field tomorrow night. Trundle was denied the goal of the season when he saw a 50-yard effort come back off the bar and led an impressive Swansea attacking display at Roots Hall.

But Kenny Jackett's men, the Coca-Cola League's meanest side before the weekend, saw their fine defensive record ripped apart by on-loan Grays Athletic rookie Fredy Eastwood.

Now Trundle, provider of goals for Paul Connor and Adrian Forbes on Saturday, wants an instant return to the miserly form which had sent Swansea to top spot.

''I think Southend was definitely just a blip,'' the Scouse striker said.

''We played some good football throughout the game, but you're going to get beaten during a season and you're not going to stay top of the league all the time.

''But consistency is what we're looking for, and it's crucial now that we go and get a win tomorrow night.

''We're looking forward to getting back out there and, with another home game (against Darlington) to come on Saturday, it's a chance for us to pick up six points,'' Trundle added.

Swansea will leapfrog Orient if they can clock up a sixth straight home win, but a dramatic improvement on Southend - where they fell behind inside eight seconds - is required.

''We talked about starting well beforehand so to go and give a goal away like that was a bit disheartening,'' Trundle added.

''Although we got ourselves back into the game, it all went on from there in what was a pretty crazy game.''

Of his spectacular late effort, which came straight from the kick-off after Southend's fourth goal, Trundle said: ''I saw the keeper off his line so I thought I'd give it a go. It's not something I've tried in training, it's more instinctive, but I have tried it before in games and that's definitely the closest I've come.''

Jackett was full of praise for Trundle but conceded that his side must wise-up in defence once more if they are to continue their push for promotion.

''In possession we did quite well, but out of it we were not at our best,'' the Swansea boss said.

''If we're as loose as that, we will not get points on a consistent basis even if we do keep doing the good things going forward.

''So long as we win games I don't really mind if it's 1-0 or 5-4, but we must improve if we're going to beat Leyton Orient and Darlington.

''We're at home where our form has been good, but they're two good sides and we have to get our performance level back up.''

With another bumper crowd expected tomorrow, Swansea have reminded fans that the game is not a sell-out and turnstiles will be open in all parts of the ground.

Leyton Orient went top on goal difference after a crushing 4-1 win against Shrewsbury. Lee Steele and Andrew Scott both scored twice for the home side as they cruised to victory at Brisbane Road.

David Fox scored a late consolation but could not stop Martin Ling's side taking over from Swansea at the top of the table.

It left the Shrews bottom after Kidderminster grabbed a last-minute win against Scunthorpe at Aggborough.

Jan Molby's side were behind to Stephen Torpey's opener but hit back through Ian Foster.

Paul Hayes restored the lead, only for Foster to level again - but Kelvin Langmead scored a dramatic last-minute winner to lift his side off the bottom.

Andy Kirk scored twice against fading Wycombe as Boston moved up the table to seventh. Kirk scored after 14 minutes at York Street and added a second six minutes after the break.

Bury were given a late scare by Darlington after looking like cruising to an easy win after Chris Porter and Terry Dunfield scored just before the break at the Williamson Motors Stadium.

Clyde Wijnhard scored a late goal to set up an exciting finish but the Shakers held on.

Mansfield beat nearby rivals Notts County 3-1 at Field Mill.

Rhys Day and Craig Woodman gave the Stags a two-goal lead at the break and Colin Larkin sealed the win, although Gavin Gordon scored a consolation.

Lincoln secured their third away win of the season with a 1-0 victory against Oxford at the Kassam Stadium.

Francis Green scored the winner on the stroke of half-time and his side clung on for the victory.

Cheltenham beat Rochdale at Spotland with all the action coming in the final half hour.

John Melligan opened the scoring for the visitors after 63 minutes and Brian Wilson scored a second six minutes before the full-time whistle.

Gary Jones scored a late penalty for the Dale but they could not find a leveller.

Jonathan Parkin scored a winner four minutes from full-time against Yeovil to secure Macclesfield's 2-1 win at Huish Park.

Terry Skiverton scored an own goal to give the Silkmen the lead, only for Darren Way to equalise for the home side just after the break.

Grimsby and Bristol Rovers could not find a goal between them at Blundell Park, while Stuart Drummond scored the winner for Ian Rush's Chester 13 minutes from time as they won 1-0 at Rushden.

Comic build-up, comic book game. Terry Alderton's signing had turned Swansea City's trip to Southend into a national story even before a ball was kicked and, even though the stand-up comedian was sat down in the stands, there was plenty more to talk about once the game began.

Fredy Eastwood, the 20-year-old with a name which suggests he should be good at shooting, usually turns out in the Conference South down the road from Roots Hall for Grays Athletic.

Signed on loan and given his chance because of injuries, he needed less than eight seconds to write his name on a Football League scoresheet, and all of 87 minutes to chalk up a hat-trick in the professional game which saw off the side on top of the table.

Even Roy of the Rovers might have got the champagne out after such a feat.

Then there was the visiting centre-forward who has had quite an impact since stepping up from non-league, the great entertainer who is Lee Trundle.

It might not have gone in, but his shot from halfway, which beat the goalkeeper and came back off the crossbar, deserves to feature highly in the long list of this crowd favourite's finest moments.

Save for Pele and Beckham, such deeds are usually the preserve of cartoon footballers.

After a ridiculous week, this was a crazy afternoon.

Southend were never going to play Alderton, a Shrimpers fan signed on non-contract terms in the week after a performance in Sky One's The Match which showed just why he had not made it through the Roots Hall youth ranks.

Instead it was Ryan Clarke, parachuted in on loan from Bristol Rovers, who guarded the home goal in the absence of Southend regulars Darryl Flahavan and Bart Griemink.

In the end he did okay, and it was Swansea's previously stubborn rearguard which gave way.

Kenny Jackett's team had been breached only six times in 12 league matches before this weekend, making them the meanest in the Coca-Cola League.

Following an afternoon spent shipping goals by the seaside, however, they are not anymore.

All the good things that had made Swansea so watertight - and sent them to the League Two summit - appeared to be forgotten by Jackett's latest new-look defence, making this contest reminiscent of the Brian Flynn-inspired 'you score four, we'll score more' thrillers of early last season.

His successor, whose signings have signalled his greater interest in stopping opponents, accepted part of the blame.

''It's not the best decision I've made as Swansea manager to play Garry Monk at right-back,'' Jackett said.

''The thinking was that it would mean only one change from the last game, with Garry coming in for Andy Gurney on the right and everyone else staying where they were.

''He gave it everything as usual, but at times he over-covered and we did look open down the right side.

''Garry looked uncomfortable so I switched him to the centre at half-time, and with hindsight I probably needed to shuffle my defence better than I did.

''We got it right for the second half and, although we conceded two goals in each half, I wouldn't say that was a fair reflection of the game because my side certainly looked more balanced and comfortable.''

Swansea's calamitous start was courtesy of a surge down their right, where Wayne Gray had the time and space to pick out Eastwood, another who went unchallenged as he headed home with his second senior touch - his first had been to kick off.

In a frantic opening, Mark Gower might twice have doubled the home side's advantage before Swansea drew level with an expertly crafted effort only 11 minutes in.

With a drag and a flick, Trundle made mugs of two Southend players before catching out a few more with a pass from the outside of his boot which sent Paul Connor through to chip home sweetly with his weaker left foot.

A rare quiet patch followed, but just as Jackett began to contemplate his half-time team talk, Spencer Prior was invited to plant a header past Willy Gueret after some dismal marking at a corner.

Swansea were still feeling generous near the hour mark, gifting Gray the chance to cross from the Southend right and watching on as Eastwood cushioned home a third headed goal.

''We can look back at all three and pinpoint things that went wrong and things we could have done better,'' lamented Jackett.

Trundle's response was to tee up Adrian Forbes for his second strike as a substitute inside eight days, and the Scouse striker might have levelled the game had a similar penalty appeal to the one Swansea got at Chester two weeks earlier not been rejected.

''He stopped my cross with his hand, so the way I see it that's a penalty,'' Trundle said.

On another day, as at the Deva Stadium, Swansea would have got a spot-kick, but this one belonged to Eastwood, who killed off Welsh hopes with a 25-yard drive which deflected off Alan Tate to leave Gueret diving in the wrong direction.

''In possession we did some very good things, our passing was good and some of our moves were very constructive, but out of possession we were poor,'' Jackett added.

''We've become used to having the ball and not having to win it back, but we have to learn that away from home you can't just expect to kick off and get the ball. We have to start by saying: 'Right, we're going to get it'.

''It wasn't just at the back; as a side we were loose and we paid the price.''

Leyton Orient, the new leaders after this defeat, are likely to be just as ruthless when they visit Vetch Field tomorrow night.

Should Swansea recover their usual miserliness, though, it will not take an Alderton routine to get Jackett smiling again.

ROOTS HALL regulars knew it, Kenny Jackett sensed it and Swansea City fans were left cursing it.

There was something in the Southend air and it had nothing to do with the smell of shellfish on the seafront.

Even a club which counts Bobby Moore and Stan Collymore among its former players was stunned by the publicity generated by an invitation to offer stand-up comedian Terry Alderton non-contract terms.

Alderton had been a youth team goalkeeper at Roots Hall before football rejection had led to new career paths in comedy, acting and presenting TV programmes like the National Lottery.

But you never forget your first love and when Alderton stepped onto a different stage by denying Gazza, Robbo and other Legends in Sky's reality show The Match, a star was reborn.

So Alderton swapped 53,000 at Newcastle's St James' Park - scene of The Match - for under 5,000 at his beloved Roots Hall and celebrity gatherings for the muck and nettles of League Two football and the lure of three precious points.

In the end Alderton did not even make it into Southend's 16-man squad, though, somewhat strangely, he was kitted out in full 'keeper's regalia in the home dug-out.

It mattered not. Having the funnyman in their squad had put the smiles on Southend faces and, on an extraordinary afternoon, they found another hero - a new gunslinger called Eastwood who fired the bullets past a Swans' defence full of holes.

Last week, Fredy Eastwood, 20, was playing for Grays Athletic in the Nationwide South League.

By teatime on Saturday he was being interviewed on Grandstand after scoring inside eight seconds on his debut and adding two more to the bemusement of Swans boss Jackett.

"The crowd were chanting a lot and I could certainly feel how Southend were up for it," Jackett said of the strange pre-match atmosphere around Roots Hall.

"We were top of the league as well and it was a big performance from Southend. But that's something we have to learn and I'd like to be in that position again."

That the Swans lost out on top spot was down to Leyton Orient - Vetch visitors tomorrow - improving their goal difference, Eastwood's lethal finishing and a slack approach at the back that might have persuaded Alderton to describe it as comedy defending.

Having literally raced into the lead with a goal officially timed at 7.7 seconds, Southend could have been three-up inside six minutes as a new-look Swans back four were left reeling.

Lee Trundle's fancy footwork freed Paul Connor to chip an equaliser past on-loan keeper Ryan Clarke.

But Swansea's defensive demons - more shocking for the fact that Jackett's men had conceded only six league goals before kick-off - returned as former Cardiff defender Spencer Prior rose unmarked to score the first goal of his second Southend spell.

Jackett responded to that pre-interval blow by reshaping his back four.

Garry Monk moved from an uncustomary right-back role into the middle, Kevin Austin switching from centre to left-back and Sam Ricketts swapping flanks.

"If I got anything wrong in the game it was that I needed to shuffle my defence a little bit better than I originally did," said Jackett candidly.

"Garry gave it everything he's got at right-back but at times he over covered and we did look open down the side. I played Garry there as it was one-for-one.

"Andy Gurney was out and by putting Garry there everyone else stayed exactly the same.

"I didn't think it was the best decision I've made but we played too loose and that was why we paid the price."

Jackett's assertion that Swansea defended better after the break was weakened by scrutiny of Eastwood's second, the lively Wayne Gray pouncing on Austin's error to set up his 58th-minute header.

Substitute Adrian Forbes claimed his second goal in as many matches eight minutes from time and Swansea had a legitimate penalty claim turned away moments later when Che Wilson handled Trundle's cross.

But Eastwood was determined not to let anything spoil his day and he duly secured his place in Shrimpers' history and possession of the match ball with a 20-yarder which deflected off Alan Tate.

Cue party time at Roots Hall, but what of Alderton?

Well, he's off to stand-in for the holidaying Danny Baker on his radio show this week.

As Jimmy Greaves, another football figure with Southend links, would have remarked, "It's a funny old game."

BACK-IN-FAVOUR defender Alan Tate has vowed not to let his Swans shirt go without a fight, insisting, "I am the best centre-back at the club."

And the former Manchester United reserve-team skipper promised he will prove it - starting at Southend today.

After spending the majority of the season out of Kenny Jackett's first team, Tate is back in the heart of the miserly Swans defence.

He celebrated his return - prompted by injuries to Garry Monk and Andy Gurney - with a solid showing against Chester, followed up by an impressive display at home to Mansfield last week.

With Gurney still a doubt thanks to a back problem and Izzy Iriekpen some way off recovering from his groin injury, Tate is expected to get the nod at Roots Hall today.

But even when the missing men of the Swans' defence get back on their feet, Tate has no plans to step aside.

"I'm pleased to be back in the side," said Tate, who first arrived at the Vetch from Old Trafford almost two years ago.

"I've had to wait for my chance and when it came I made sure I took it. Now I'm back in the side, somebody's got to match my performances.

"Hopefully, I can stay here until the end of the season.

"There's no reason why not - I've said before I think I'm the best centre-half at the club and I still believe that. Nothing's going to change my mind."

The fighting talk from Tate will no doubt please boss Jackett, so eager to create competition for places throughout the Swansea ranks as he plots his escape route from the Football League basement.

Equally, Jackett would have been all smiles with the way Tate has responded to his early-season axe by standing up and being counted against Keith Curle's Mansfield to send the Swans to the top of the division.

Tate was dropped for the first time in his Swansea career in August, Jackett shuffling the pack as the pressure of under-performing mounted.

It was a move that surprised many but was eventually justified as his new-look defence of Gurney, Monk, Kevin Austin and Sam Ricketts - all signed by Jackett - turned the Swans into the league's meanest outfit.

But after injuries made a space for Tate, the 22-year-old reckons there's no reason why he can't become a permanent fixture once more.

"I'm confident in my own ability," the 6ft 1in Tate said. "But it's up to me to prove that like I did against Mansfield. I think I've done well so far but only time will tell.

"To be honest, I would have rather got back in the side purely on my ability rather than because of injuries but when you're out of the side you just want to get your chance by whatever means.

"I'm a different type of centre-back and hopefully that will shine through.

"The last time Swansea went up they had two bruisers at the back and that only gets you so far. The fact they went straight back down just proves that.

"And if you've got confidence in your ability and you know how good you are in yourself you will get that chance and you will take it."

For a while it looked as though that chance wouldn't materialise for Tate, one of the integral individuals behind the Swans' last-day sidestep from relegation two seasons ago.

But Tate insisted, even with other clubs ready to offer first-team football, he was always going to stay and battle back.

"Yes, Stockport were interested," he said. "But I never seriously considered it. Sammy McIlroy obviously has good connections at Manchester United and he's seen me play before so he was asking about me.

"But at that time I had only been out of the team for a couple of games and I'm not just going to up and leave like that.

"If it had carried on and carried on then perhaps I would have had to think about it but hopefully it won't come to that now. Above all I want to fight for my place.

"Of course it was frustrating. You're still wishing the lads in your place do well for the team's sake but from personal point of view you're dying to be out there instead of them.

"You just need that chance and if you get it take it. I think I've done that so far and hope to do it again at Southend."

SOUTHEND
Clarke, Jupp, Barrett, Prior, Wilson, Pettefer, Maher, Hunt, Gower, Gray, Eastwood. Subs: Morgan Nicolau, Edwards, Corbett Kightly.

Player to watch - Adam Barrett: The Southend centre-back is the Shrimpers' leading scorer this season with six goals.

SWANSEA
Gueret, Ricketts, Tate, Monk, Austin, Maylett, Martinez, O'Leary, Robinson, Connor, Trundle. Subs: Murphy, Britton, Fisken, Nugent, Forbes.

Player to watch - Kris O'Leary: His switch from defence to midfield has been a success. Won PFA League Two Player of the Month award.

Referee: Mick Russell (Hertfordshire).

Form guide: The Swans have swept to the top of League Two after picking up 13 points from 15 and conceding just one goal. After a bad start Southend have picked up, winning five of their last seven.

Western Mail Verdict: Both teams are in form. A draw.

Friday, October 15, 2004 JACKETT'S FEAR

Table-topping Swansea City head to Southend tomorrow with Kenny Jackett warning they will be victims of their own success. Jackett's men aim to stay on the summit of League Two by stretching their unbeaten run to seven games at Roots Hall. But the Swansea boss fears his side's leaders tag will see them tested more this weekend than at any other stage so far this season. ''It's something we've been speaking about all week, that we're now the side who everyone wants to beat,'' said Jackett. ''We have to be aware that other clubs will be saying to themselves: 'Right, we're playing the team who are top of the league this weekend and we need to raise our game'. ''Teams will always lift their game against the leaders and that's something my players will have to contend with.'' Even a draw tomorrow could see Swansea knocked off their perch by one of the chasing pack, but Jackett is convinced his remoulded side have what is required to compete at the top throughout this campaign. ''From what I've seen, Yeovil look to have put together a very good squad of players and they play some decent football,'' he added. ''And I've also been impressed by Mansfield. They were very good against us last week even though they lost. ''At the moment there is no one outstanding side in the division, although that may change as things develop over the season. ''But I would certainly like to think that there's nobody better than us, and that even if there is we will have it within us to close the gap.'' Swansea are set for their obligatory defensive reshuffle tomorrow as Andy Gurney continues to struggle with a back injury. The former Swindon man has been told he has no serious problem, but needs an extended period of rest. Garry Monk, back after being knocked out at Chester two weeks ago, steps into central defence alongside Alan Tate, with Sam Ricketts likely to switch to the right and Kevin Austin the left. In midfield, Brad Maylett should retain his place despite Adrian Forbes's match-winning substitute's appearance against Mansfield, while Andy Robinson is expected to hold off the challenge of Leon Britton. Southend, just six points behind Swansea in 11th place after three league wins in four, are unlikely to include comedian Terry Alderton - a star of Sky One's The Match - in their 16 despite a goalkeeping crisis. ''Whoever we play and whoever the 'keeper is, we always like to give him plenty to do,'' Jackett added. ''Southend will be a big threat to us tomorrow. I know a lot of their players and I expect them to be competing for a play-off place this season. ''But we're really enjoying being top of the league and I feel my players have what it takes to stay there, as long as they realise that they always need to be on top form in such a tight division.''

Friday, October 15, 2004 BRAD JUST HAPPY FOR A TURN

While all around were losing their heads at Vetch Field last weekend, Brad Maylett could have been excused for banging his against a wall. After two months spent almost exclusively in Adrian Forbes's shadow, the visit of Mansfield was supposed to allow Maylett a spell in the limelight. Having been preferred on the right flank for only the second time since Forbes arrived from Luton in the summer, Maylett did okay against the Stags, asking questions with his pace as Swansea took control. After 75 minutes, though, Swansea had still not scored the goal their efforts had deserved, and Kenny Jackett swapped his two wingers round once more. Forbes, the top marksman at Luton last season, had not got off the mark since switching to South Wales. But within 13 minutes of arriving for his 14th Swansea appearance, Maylett's replacement had planted the winning goal in the far corner of the net to push his team to the summit of League Two. Had Maylett been cursing his luck? ''No way,'' he beams, ''because with three points sealed I thought the gaffer might give us a long weekend off. ''He didn't.'' It says something about the atmosphere in the Swansea camp just now that Maylett can joke about what from his point of view was an unfortunate set of circumstances. For there is no doubt, playing second-fiddle under Jackett having been one of Brian Flynn's starlets has not been easy to swallow. ''It was a bit strange with me coming off and Forbesy coming on and getting the winner, but sometimes that's just the way it goes,'' Maylett went on. ''I would like to be getting on the scoresheet, of course, but the bottom line is that it's a team game and the main thing was that we got another win. ''I thought the game went well enough for me until I had got a bit tired and went off. ''In the first half especially I was getting a bit frustrated because I didn't feel I was seeing enough of the ball, but I enjoyed being back involved in what was a great win for the lads against a decent side.'' The good news for Maylett, who nudged Forbes aside with a fine substitute appearance at Chester a fortnight ago, is that Jackett looks like sticking with him at Southend tomorrow despite Forbes's impact from the bench. The duo's battle for a starting place is perhaps the most intense anywhere in Swansea's squad, with both men aware that one bad showing means more time kicking heels than balls come the next game. ''The gaffer has got two players for every position and that can only be a good thing for the club,'' Maylett adds. ''But that doesn't make it any less frustrating when you're not in the side, and now I'm back in I want to stay there. ''I have worked really hard in training for a chance and I'll be doing the same on Saturdays in the hope that I can get a few more.'' Assuming Forbes does not come off the bench to score the winner, success at Southend should aid Maylett's cause. Jackett, understandably, has been reluctant to make unnecessary changes to a side who could go seven games unbeaten on the Essex coast tomorrow. ''You can't really complain when the team's going well,'' Maylett concedes, ''and it's great for everyone now that we're on top of the league. ''A lot of teams tend to make late runs towards the promotion places at the end of seasons, but we would rather be up there with teams trying to shoot us down all season. ''Hopefully, with the stronger squad we've got this year, we'll be able to stay up there unlike we did last time round.'' With Leyton Orient and Darlington, two more of the division's form sides, to come after the trip to Roots Hall, Maylett drops in a note of caution. ''We don't want to get carried away at the moment because we made that mistake last year. ''Southend are underachieving at the minute and tomorrow will be tough, then we've got two more difficult games next week. ''We've put a lot of work into this season already, but it's going to take a lot more for us to stay at the top.''

Friday, October 15, 2004 LOANER CLARKE NO JOKER

Ryan Clarke will hope to have the last laugh at Roots Hall tomorrow as he attempts to keep a clean sheet against Swansea. The 22-year-old signed on loan from Bristol Rovers yesterday, putting an end to comedian Terry Alderton's dream of playing for the side he turned out for as a youngster. Clarke, in the shadow of veteran Kevin Miller at the Memorial Ground, has been brought in by Shrimpers boss Steve Tilson as cover for the injured Bart Griemink and Darryl Flahavan, who is suspended for tomorrow's game. With Griemink expected back soon and Flahavan only banned for one game, this could be Clarke's solitary outing for Southend. But he wants an extended stay and hopes a good showing will impress Tilson. ''Swansea have been doing well and tomorrow will be a good test for us,'' he said. ''It will be a good test for me as well and I'm quite excited about the game, I'm really looking forward to it. ''It's good to come to Southend and hopefully I can get a few games under my belt. ''If that doesn't happen then I haven't lost anything because I wasn't playing in the side at Bristol.''

Friday, October 15, 2004 CAMARA CLICKS AT VETCH

David Camara is winning his battle to land a Swansea City contract. The French midfielder has been told to stay on at Vetch Field for at least another week after further impressing Kenny Jackett. Willy Gueret's former team-mate at Le Mans, a French second division club, was only expected in Swansea for a couple of days when he arrived on trial a fortnight ago. But despite some communication problems - Camara's English is not great - the 28-year-old free agent is on the way to persuading Jackett that he could succeed in League Two. "I feel David has got something," the Swansea boss said. "There is some interest for me and he's going stay on and train with us because at the moment is a bit too early for me to commit myself. "I've explained the situation to David and he understands the circumstances. "I've told him I can't give him a contract as things stand now, but I would like to see more of him. "And he feels he will get better the longer he stays with us. He is adjusting all the time and he thinks he will prove himself more as he settles down."

Friday, October 15, 2004 Stand-up comic a stand-in keeper

Western Mail SWANSEA CITY could come up against a comedian goalkeeper tomorrow - but former England star Luther Blissett reckons it's no joke. Stand-up comic and lifetime Southend fan Terry Alderton has answered a goalkeeping SOS at Roots Hall after impressing on reality football show The Match. Alderton has also acted in hit TV serial London's Burning and presented the BBC's National Lottery programme - but he knew nothing like it when he shone in last weekend's Sky spectacular between Legends and Celebrities XIs. The 33-year-old pulled off a string of saves from the likes of Peter Beardsley, Rob Lee and Paul Gascoigne and was promptly offered a chance by hometown club Southend. Now the former Southend YTS goalkeeper could be pitched into a League Two debut with table-topping Swansea and Blissett, one of the celebrity team's coaches, reckons Alderton's ability is no joke. "He's got a bit about him," said Blissett. "That was there for everybody to see on the show and he obviously did enough for someone to take a chance on him. "I'm absolutely chuffed one of my boys has done this." A team of celebrities, including You've Been Framed's Jonathan Wilkes, Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell and Gary Lucy from Footballers' Wives were put through their paces by Blissett and ex-England boss Graham Taylor to take on Sir Bobby Robson's professional team for the Sky One programme. But Blissett never thought for one second that Alderton would make the leap from funnyman to footballer. "We were just brought in to make sure they weren't going to get embarrassed," said Blissett. "That would have been easy against some of the calibre of players they were facing. But all fairness to him and the rest of the side they held their own. "I like a laugh and a joke like everybody else but when it comes to the training it was all serious. "And Terry did take it very seriously and I'm sure he'll be doing the same now. "He's not there by fluke and he'll be wanting to make the most of this chance." Alderton replaced injured celebrity goalkeeper Mark Bosnich in The Match and has joined the ranks at Roots Hall on non-contract terms after long-term injury to Bart Griemink and Darryl Flahavan's one-game suspension left Shrimpers boss Steve Tilson without a No 1 to call on. If Alderton's dramatic rise to the Roots Hall ranks has raised a few titters in soccer circles, Swans boss Kenny Jackett, a former playing and coaching colleague of Watford legend Blissett, insisted he won't be underestimating the jester in the green jumper when three points are at stake. "I did watch The Match and I thought he made a couple of good saves," said Jackett. "Knowing the people involved I paid close attention to the series. "I thought he did OK considering the surroundings and circumstances of a one-off match against some good players." But despite giving Alderton the respect his big-screen performance deserved, Jackett promised his strikers won't be taking it easy on the comic, if he does get his dream debut. "We hope to target the keeper every week, hope to get as many shots and crosses in as possible," he said. "That won't be any different." And Swansea's star striker Lee Trundle insisted he will make sure the novice will have his hands full should he play. "I didn't watch the programme," he said. "To be honest, I'd never even heard of him before one of the lads told me about it. "But it doesn't matter who I come up against because I don't worry about the opponents. It's just what we do on the day that counts. "I don't know if it's a publicity stunt or not but if he plays he will have his hands full with our lot. "We always like to get plenty of shots in and we'll be looking to test him for sure. It could be a tough start for him." One of the players no doubt looking to try his luck will be midfielder Kris O'Leary, without a goal in Swans colours since April 2002. And he looks set to get his chance after shaking off an achilles problem in time for the trip to Essex. Garry Monk will return after recovering from concussion suffered against Chester but Izzy Iriekpen (groin) is definitely out while Andy Gurney is still a doubt despite a visit to an osteopath to cure a back problem.

Thursday, October 14, 2004 GURNEY GETS INJURY BOOST

Kenny Jackett has been handed a major boost over the fitness of defender Andy Gurney. There was a big doubt he would be ready for Saturday's trip to Southend because of a niggling back problem. But after visiting a specialist in his home town Bristol on Monday, Gurney resumed training today and the Swansea City boss is more than hopeful he can take his place in the squad to face the Shrimpers. ''Andy felt a lot better yesterday,'' said Jackett, ''and at the moment it's more a yes than a no that he will feature against Southend. ''The specialist said there was no long-term problem with his back, so that's good news. ''I will just have to see how he is in training today and tomorrow, but at the moment it's looking promising. ''He hadn't had a long rest since he arrived, but hopefully he will benefit from five days off.'' Kristian O'Leary has also had an injury checked out this week. He had an MRI scan on a foot problem, but Jackett says the injury will not keep him out of the trip to Roots Hall. ''He will definitely be fit for Saturday,'' said the Swansea boss. ''He has had a scan on the sole of his foot, but it will not cause a problem this weekend.'' Izzy Iriekpen will definitely miss Saturday's clash. He has not trained so far this week after he aggravated the thigh injury he picked up against Kidderminster last month. Meanwhile, the club is expecting a bumper crowd for next Tuesday's League Two clash with Leyton Orient. The game is the first of the three link ticket matches which ensure entry into the Vetch Field's final game against Shrewsbury on April 30. The match is not all ticket and fans can still gain admission on the night to all areas of the ground. Those wanting to buy link tickets for Tuesday's game, the fixture with Chester City on January 29 and the final match with Shrewsbury, must do so before 3pm on Tuesday. Those supporters who were unable to buy a programme at the Mansfield game last week can do so from the club shop.

Thursday, October 14, 2004 Comic cuts unlikely figure for Southend

The Times SO WHO are the football club who had a comedian in goal? No, not Manchester City but Southend United, who yesterday announced that they had signed Terry Alderton, a stand-up comic who impressed between the posts on The Match, Sky One’s football reality show. An injury to Bart Griemink and the suspension of Darryl Flahavan meant that Southend were without a goalkeeper for their Coca-Cola League Two game against Swansea City on Saturday, and Alderton, 33, who once played for Southend’s youth team, was brought back to Roots Hall on a non-contract basis by Steve Tilson, the manager. Unfortunately, the punchline falls a bit flat, as United also signed Ryan Clarke from Bristol Rovers yesterday, and even before that Tilson had described it as “unlikely” that Alderton would start, although a place on the bench is not completely out of the question. As publicity stunts go, it was not bad and Alderton does, after all, have experience of one of football’s biggest stages. As part of the TV programme, he played for the last 20 minutes of a Celebrities v Legends match at St James’ Park and did well. The game was played in front of 50,000 — about ten times the gate at Southend. “Playing in the match last week will be nothing compared to being at Roots Hall,” he said before the signing of Clarke. “Southend is far bigger because three points could be at stake against Swansea. “I was here as a youngster, but football never really worked out for me and I took up comedy instead. It’s great that I can now come back and tread on the hallowed turf.” It’s the way he tells ’em.

Wednesday, October 13, 2004 Defensive worries confront Swans

BBCi Izzy Iriekpen is still troubled by a thigh injury Table-topping Swansea City may be forced into a defensive reshuffle ahead of Saturday's trip to Southend. Andy Gurney has been undergoing treatment for a niggling back injury, whilst Izzy Iriekpen's ongoing thigh problem also makes him a doubt. Better news is that Garry Monk is back in contention after suffering concussion in the game at Chester. "The doctor has given Garry the all clear," Swansea manager Kenny Jackett told the South Wales Evening Post.

Monday, October 11, 2004 FORBES: SPIRIT IS KEY TO SUCCESS

Evening Post Adrian Forbes believes team spirit and the right attitude is the key to success at Swansea City this season. The 25-year-old's first goal for the club in the 88th minute of Friday's win over Mansfield, took the club to the top of Coca-Cola League Two. Forbes has not enjoyed the most productive of starts at his new club since being signed by Kenny Jackett in the summer. After scoring 14 goals at Luton last season, he thought he would be mainly used as a striker at Vetch Field. But he has been predominantly seen on the right wing, the position where he appeared as a late match-winning substitute on Friday. He admits he could be sulking about not being used in his preferred position, but he is happy to get on with it for the sake of the team. ''Attitude is key,'' he said. ''I am not particularly happy to play on the wing, but I am not the kind of person to moan about it. ''I just get on with my job and that is what everyone else has done. ''Brad Maylett played against Luton in the LDV Vans Trophy on the right wing and he played well,'' added Forbes. ''But he lost his place to me at Chester, which arguably he shouldn't have done. ''Against Mansfield I lost my place to him and good luck to him because he did well. ''That's the way it goes in this team. ''Everyone knuckles down and does the work to the best of their ability. ''That has shown through since the first three games and credit for that must go to the manager and the players.'' Forbes, whose diving header stretched Swansea's winning streak at the Vetch to five games, said it was vital the side kept that momentum going. And if they can gain a couple of results on the road, he says they should have a winning formula which could see them in the promotion hunt come May. ''Fingers crossed, if we keep showing that attitude which is spreading right through the club, we can be there or thereabouts," he said. ''It's not down to the manager, it's down to the players to show that attitude. ''They are big enough and ugly enough to know that for themselves. The way we are going, and the way we want to go, we need to be winning every home game. ''Then we can go away and get those 1-0 results like we did at Wycombe or the tough draws like at Chester.''

Sunday, October 10, 2004 Psychologist gives Swans reasons to believe

Wales on Sunday SWANSEA City manager Kenny Jackett has revealed the key man in his side's rise to the top of League Two - but he's not one of his in-form players. While the Swans boss has been well satisfied with the efforts of a host of on-the-field heroes in recent weeks, it's the input of one of his 'behind-the-scenes' guys that is the REAL secret behind City's current success. Jackett's key man is Irish sports shrink Kieran Cosgrove, who has given his squad the belief to overcome an average start to the season and climb to the summit of the League Two table. Thanks to Friday night's battling 1-0 win, which came late in the day before 9,000 fans at Mansfield, the Swans sit proudly at the top of the pile. And after a turbulent start to the season for our Welsh professional clubs, they are doing Wales proud. Their victory came with just a minute to go as substitute Adrian Forbes delivered a superb match winner to send the travelling fans into delirium. And as they threaded their way home to celebrate their side's sixth victory in eight matches, Jackett was happy to talk about the secret weapon that is instilling his players with a new-found resolve. City have now taken 19 points from a possible 24 - leapfrogging Yeovil to reach the summit. And former Wales international Jackett puts a lot of their success down to the behind-the-scenes work of Cosgrove, a man utilised in the past by Watford and QPR during recent promotion campaigns. "Being strong mentally is a huge thing for me and I've worked closely with Kieran for quite a few years," said Jackett. "He is a personal friend who has certainly made my Swans squad very strong mentally. "Despite sometimes being up against a determined defence, I think we always appear capable of scoring because of our self-belief. "You always need to believe you can grind out a result and have the capability to keep clean sheets by keeping the back door firmly locked in defence. "That's exactly what happened against Mansfield. Lee Trundle had a couple of opportunities to score. "But I knew a goal would come - even if we had to wait until deep in stoppage time." Winger Forbes had replaced a lively Brad Maylett on 75 minutes and he leaped high to power home fellow substitute Leon Britton's right-side cross past Stags keeper Kevin Pilkington at the far post. Jackett takes his barnstormers to Southend on Saturday clutching a mandate for another three points. But for the Welshman it's just another brick in the dream he's attempting to create at a club that briefly mixed with soccer's elite under John Toshack 21 years ago. He reflected: "We are now top of the league. But the trick is to stay there. "I don't go along with the thought that you stay behind the leaders and then come with a late run - you can't plan football this way. "I want to see Swansea go up this season because I honestly feel the club have a wonderful opportunity to advance. "Our new 20,000 all-seater stadium at the Morfa is a venue good enough to stage higher-status football from next summer. "You look at the catchment area of the city - it is bigger than a lot of clubs. "Our gate against Mansfield was excellent. But our crowds can go much higher because people will want to travel to the Morfa for its superior facilities." And match-winner Forbes is convinced the Swans are bigger than his previous club Luton, currently riding high in the division above Jackett's team. He argued: "Swansea have a fabulous potential - I see them eventually right up there with the likes of Norwich in time. "I spent a number of years at Carrow Road and I feel the Swans and the Canaries share so many similarities."

Saturday, October 9, 2004 TOP OF THE CLASS

Evening Post Swansea City sit proudly on top of Coca-Cola League Two today after stretching their winning home run to five last night with a 1-0 win over Mansfield. Just like they did against Luton in the LDV Vans Trophy, Kenny Jackett's men left it late to snatch victory, but clinched the three points thanks to Adrian Forbes's first goal for the club in the 88th minute. It looked as if the home side's endeavour was going to come to nothing as Mansfield frustrated Jackett's men again and again. But Forbes finished off fellow substitute Leon Britton's superb deep cross with a diving header to send 8,868 fans home happy. Swansea had attacked all night and went close in a first half through Lee Trundle, Andy Robinson and Sam Ricketts. In fact, with a bit of luck the Swans could even have been 3-0 up inside the first 15 minutes. Paul Connor saw his shot cleared off the line too and Jackett must have thought his luck had run out. If it had not been for a fine save by the again impressive Willy Gueret in the 64th minute, Swansea might have paid a heavy price for those wasted opportunities, but the intervention of Jackett's substitutes just two minutes later finally forced the breakthrough. With time running out, Britton sent over a cross from the right which was powerfully met by Forbes. With previous leaders Yeovil losing 2-1 at Rochdale, it means Swansea are two points clear at the top - and they will stay there for at least another week when they travel to Southend.

Saturday, October 09, 2004 Swans soar to the top

Evening Post THE Battling Swans hit the League Two summit as super-sub Adrian Forbes headed a late winner to smash down Mansfield's barricades on a big international weekend. The former Luton star left the bench on 75 minutes and combined with fellow substitute Leon Britton two minutes from time to send a huge Vetch crowd approaching 10,000 into raptures. Golden-booted Lee Trundle, substitute Kevin Nugent and Andy Robinson all saw blasts repelled after the hour as the determined Swans, wallowing in a glut of possession, swarmed into enemy territory for no reward. But all frustration evaporated as Yeovil's demise at Rochdale and Forbes bullet header broke the deadlock. The Swans showed two changes to the side held at Chester City six days previously. With former Southampton destroyer Garry Monk ruled out with a head knock sustained at the Deva Stadium, in came the experienced Andy Gurney at right-back with Alan Tate switching to central defence. As expected, ex-Burnley winger Brad Maylett slotted onto the right of a four-man midfield with Adrian Forbes dropping to the bench. Swansea were seeking a maximum that would see them top this division for the first time since September 27 last year - providing leaders Yeovil achieved no more than a draw at Rochdale. A huge gate flocked into the antiquated stadium and the home fans roared Kenny Jackett's army forward in the frantic opening moments. A potent Swans raid so nearly opened up the Stags in the fourth minute. Gurney dispossessed Wayne Corden to feed Lee Trundle deep in the area. The ex-Wrexham man's turn was sweet and his stinging drive was just beaten to safety by a sprawling Kevin Pilkington. There was another opportunity minutes later. Maylett escaped on the right and ex-Manchester United trainee Pilkington, under pressure from Paul Connor, initially spilled his catch - only to recover and smother Andy Robinson as he shaped to score. Trundle then speared a spectacular 30-yard half volley inches wide of a post after smooth Spaniard Roberto Martinez had picked the pockets of his Mansfield counterparts. Yet the Swans had enjoyed a huge chunk of fortune 90 seconds into the start of this pulse-racing battle. Alex Neil launched a pinpoint cross from the right that somehow bisected Kevin Austin's legs. Colin Larkin was unmarked six yards out but scooped his right-footer yards over the bar. Andy Robinson launched a screamer that troubled Pilkington and was then involved in a superb Swansea move. The former Tranmere man's clever reverse ball released Sam Ricketts who had charged into the box. The ex-Telford defender's strike appeared to be beating Pilkington - before David Artell thrust out a leg to block. Referee Salisbury had to keep a close eye on the exchanges that were becoming increasingly more hostile as the minutes ebbed by. And Derek Asamoah saw yellow on the half-hour for showing outrageous petulance. The Swans should have moved in front five minutes before the interval. Maylett cut inside borrowed Bristol City player Craig Woodman as he began a swashbuckling, angled run. The wideman found the unmarked Robinson, who somehow pulled his right-foot shot wide from 14 yards. Mansfield had another amazing escape in the minutes that followed. The towering Connor weaved some space in a congested Town box, but then looked on in anguish as his shot was hacked off the line by Woodman with Pilkington beaten.

Friday, October 08, 2004 O'Leary has warning for Swans

Western Mail BUOYANT Kristian O'Leary goes into Swansea's powder keg League Two promotion collision with Mansfield at the Vetch Field tonight warning Swans followers, "Nothing will be won until May." Port Talbot-born O'Leary, the PFA Fans' Divisional Player of the Month, is a Swansea City pillar - almost as constant as the waves that lash against the rugged Mumbles coastline. The former Welsh Under-21 international, 27, is in his ninth season as a full professional. As 10 Swans managers disappeared through the ever-revolving Vetch doors, re-fashioned midfielder O'Leary showed the sort of solidity on which current chief Kenny Jackett now bases his blueprint for success. Swansea, seeking a return to a higher-grade section they left in 2001, have taken 16 points from a possible 21 going into this evening's clash against the seventh-placed Stags. Victory, and leaders Yeovil's inability to secure anything more than a draw at Rochdale, will see the Swans hit top. Around 10,000 followers are expected to cram into a crumbling Vetch - threading between Glamorgan Street and the city jail for just this prospect. But a guarded O'Leary observed, "It'll be great to lead the division - don't forget it happened this time last season, though. "We fell away badly after that. The gaffer (Jackett) likened our campaign to a marathon - I think he was spot on. "We just can't afford to get carried away by our recent run - I'm certain nobody within our squad will allow this to happen." Secretly, though, O'Leary yearns to clinch promotion for his Swans - to mark a special season that sees Swansea leave their old Vetch home for a gleaming new £25m 20,000 all-seater home at the Morfa next summer. Swansea are without skipper Garry Monk - the former Southampton player sitting it out after a sickening head injury in the 1-1 draw at Chester. Andy Gurney comes in at right-back with either Alan Tate or Izzy Iriekpen switching into central defence. Winger Brad Maylett, an impressive second-half substitute at the Deva, will come in for Adrian Forbes on the right of midfield.

Friday, October 08, 2004 Tosh and Cruyff the best- Roberto

Western Mail SWANSEA CITY skipper Roberto Martinez last night declared John Toshack vies with Dutch legend Johann Cruyff as the greatest influence on Spanish football in the past 20 years. Martinez made his stunning assessment as speculation mounts that Toshack could be installed as Wales' new manager. He reckons the FAW should go for Toshack at once, arguing Big John's knack of developing young players can help turn the club's new Morfa Stadium into a theatre of dreams. He argues that Toshack's eye for talent, and willingness to give teenagers their chance, would see him advance a clutch of Swans' Starlets if given the Welsh job. Spaniard Martinez, 31, was raised on Toshack's legend while he was a teenager at Real Zaragoza. He recalled, "Toshack and Johan Cruyff have been the two biggest influences in La Liga over the last two decades. "You look at Rafael's work at Valencia and his initial plans with Liverpool - his coaching mentality is based on that of Cruyff and Toshack. "He was actually Toshack's youth team coach when John was manager of Real Madrid, so will have learned so much from him. "Spanish football owes Toshack a huge debt. He did excellent work in two difficult spells at Real Madrid - many people still believe that he has the ability to redirect the club through their current crisis. "His belief in the tearing down of age barriers served him well at Real Sociedad. He brought the club success despite only having small resources. He was convinced that if a player had ability, then age was no hindrance. "Toshack gave a lot of debuts to teenagers during his time in Spain. Before his arrival in Spain professionals would be fortunate to get a senior bow before their early 20s. I remember making my first-team debut at Real Zaragoza as a 16-year-old - that would never have happened before Toshack's mode of thinking seeped into Spanish soccer. What he started, other clubs followed." Martinez believes Toshack can have a massive impact upon Welsh football in general, if given the Wales job by the FAW. Not just at international level, Martinez explains, but on the club scene, too. He talked of how former Swansea chief Toshack's vast knowledge of West Wales' rich vein of soccer talent would boost his old club, should he land the Welsh hot-seat. John and Mel Charles, Dean Saunders, Robbie James, Chris Coleman and Andy Melville are amongst a battery of Wales stars who made their reputation within sight of the Gower's golden peninsula. And Martinez argues, "If Swansea are to contribute strongly to Wales' senior set-up, we have to secure higher grade football. "We are approaching an exciting fresh chapter in the club's history. Over 25 years ago John Toshack took the Swans through the divisions into the top flight. His brand remains on Swansea today. "My dream is for us to help bring through a new generation for Welsh soccer. But I believe the emphasis is on us to get promotion this season and secure League One status. "Cardiff contributed to the Welsh national team from this section a couple of years ago, of course. Danny Gabbidon and Robert Earnshaw were amongst a group of their players and we must look to emulate that. "I think Toshack would be an excellent appointment for Wales. It would great for Swansea because John is familiar with what we have to offer him."

Friday, October 08, 2004 Swans can fly to the top of table

Western Mail A RESURGENT Swansea City side can add another three points to their tally by beating play-off contenders Mansfield at the Vetch tonight. The turnaround in form for the Swans is there for everyone to see after Kenny Jackett had the courage of his convictions to change his style of play. Jack Brown have priced Swansea at 10-11 to take the three points which can send them top of the table. We have a stalemate priced at 9-4 and you can also take 5-2 on Mansfield taking the three points back to the Midlands with them. Bookmakers' correct score favourite is a home win of 1-0 which is priced at 6-1. Tonight's TV rugby comes from Ulster where the home side take on the Dragons. Bookmakers have made a rare decision here with the home side set to receive a three-point start on the handicap. Punters looking for a value wager should look no further than a Dragons outright victory priced at 8-11. With Kevin Morgan, Gareth Wyatt and Michael Owen on top of their game at present, the Dragons should be too strong for an Ulster side deprived of their international stars. Tomorrow's rugby on BBC sees a very poor Connacht team travelling to Stradey Park where Gareth Jenkins' Scarlets side should be too strong. A comfortable victory is expected and the Scarlets should overcome the handicap set by the bookmakers at around 23 points.

Thursday, October 07, 2004 Cruyff trains with Swansea

Jordi Cruyff, son of Dutch legend Johan, has been training with Swansea City at the Vetch Field. There is no chance of the former Barcelona, Manchester United, Celta Vigo, Alaves and Espanyol wing joining manager Kenny Jackett's squad, though. The 30-year-old is set for a move to Dubai and has been working on his fitness after an injury. Cruyff, who has nine Netherlands caps, is a long-time friend of Swansea's Spanish captain Roberto Martinez.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004 KRIS THANKS FANS AFTER FIRST AWARD

Kristian O'Leary has been rewarded with some solid performances in Swansea City's midfield by being voted the League Two PFA Fans' Player of the Month. O'Leary beat off the challenge of Southend defender Adam Barrett, Lincoln striker Gary Taylor-Fletcher and Oxford keeper Chris Tardif to take the September award. Supporters voted for their favourite player on the PFA website givemefootball.com. O'Leary came out on top to follow in the footsteps of team-mates Lee Trundle and Leon Britton. It is the first individual award O'Leary has received in his Swansea career. ''It's fantastic to win an award like this,'' said the 27-year-old. ''And it makes it so much more special to know that the fans have voted for you. ''It's a fantastic honour for me and it's great that I'm the third Swansea player to win a monthly award. ''It's not only good for me, it's good for the club and everyone connected with it.'' Arsenal's Jose Antonio Reyes won the award in the Premiership, while the winners for the Championship and League One were Adam Virgo of Brighton and Bristol City's Leroy Lita. The Football League, meanwhile, have averted a possible row by changing the referee for Friday's clash with Mansfield at Vetch Field. Avon's Lee Probert, initially appointed for the game, sent off Iyseden Christie and Lee Williamson in last season's explosive encounter between the clubs. But Swansea general manager Jackie Rockey says league officials have decided to switch the referee. ''After taking into account that he was the referee for the highly-charged game with Mansfield last season, the league have appointed a replacement,'' she said. ''They took the decision to diffuse any potential problem that might occur.'' Graham Salisbury will now take charge on Friday, when Swansea expect a bumper crowd. Director David Morgan said: ''The interest in the game has been huge and tickets for the stands are going fast. ''I would advise those people wishing to sit down to buy their tickets in advance.'' Swansea sold 1,000 link tickets on the first day of sales. The club expect sales for tickets for the Leyton Orient game on October 19 and the Chester fixture on January 29 and the final match with Shrewsbury on April 30 to continue to be brisk. Swansea's second round LDV Vans Trophy clash with Wycombe will take place on Tuesday, November 2 (7.45pm). On the playing front goalkeeper Ryan Harrison has been released. The 19-year-old has now signed with Conference outfit Canvey Island. This leaves 16-year-old Kyle Letheren as the club's third keeper and he will take over from Harrison in the youth team.

Wednesday, October 06, 2004 STAGS FORCE REF SWITCH

Nottingham Evening Post Stags boss Keith Curle has persuaded the Football League to change the referee for Friday night's game at Swansea. Lee Probert, who sent off two Mansfield players and reported Curle for failing to control his players in a mass brawl at Swansea last year, had been put in charge of Friday's game. But Curle contacted Football League referees' officer Jim Ashworth to ask for a change, and the official agreed. "It was an oversight," admitted Ashworth. "We were aware things went on last year game and if I can be proactive in avoiding problems I will be. "I was grateful someone brought it to my attention." Curle added: "I made a phone call and was told it was an oversight and the referee has been changed. "They want a good game between two teams at the top of the division and so do we. I thought it was probably an oversight and I made them aware of it." The new referee is Lancashire official Graham Salisbury. Probert sent off Iyesden Christie and Lee Williamson in a bad-tempered clash last season - and Williamson's 73rd-minute red card sparked a punch-up involving every player on the pitch. The Stags had a further six players booked, but Probert did not show one yellow to home players. Curle and Swansea assistant-manager Kevin Reeves were also involved in a row and Stags were fined £2,000 by the FA. Mansfield's reserve game at Leeds yesterday was cancelled. With several first-team players unavailable for Friday's trip to Swansea already, Keith Curle did not want to risk further injury.

Tuesday, October 05, 2004 IT'S IZZY'S TURN!

Izzy Iriekpen is set for a timely return to action when Swansea City face Mansfield on Friday night. The ex-West Ham centre-back, sidelined since pulling a thigh muscle almost a month ago, looks like going straight back into Kenny Jackett's starting line-up in the absence of concussion victim Garry Monk. Andy Gurney (back) is also a doubt for Mansfield after sitting out at Chester, meaning Iriekpen could partner Alan Tate in central defence with Sam Ricketts on the right and Kevin Austin on the left in yet another new-look Swansea rearguard. ''It has been a bit like musical chairs back there this season,'' Jackett admitted. ''We've been forced to change things around several times already, but I feel the players we've got can cope and it doesn't worry me at all. ''Alan Tate and Kris O'Leary ended up at the back at Chester and they looked comfortable and very confident. ''When you consider our defensive record, you have to say the squad has acquitted itself very well. ''At the end of last season we were conceding goals in twos and threes and if you do that it is very difficult to get anything. ''We knew we had to change that to noughts and ones in the goals against column and I am very pleased and proud of our record.'' Monk, who needed 10 stitches in a cut inside his mouth after being knocked out in Saturday's 1-1 draw, will definitely miss Mansfield this week but has an outside chance of facing Southend on October 16. ''I told Garry when I drove him back home on Saturday night that he was a bit too good looking for a centre-half anyway,'' smiled Jackett. ''He's got the long hair and the blond highlights - that's not the sort of look I want my centre-halves to have. ''There is a fella I used to play with at Watford called Steve Terry who had 50 stitches in his head by the time he was 22. That's a record to be proud of, and it's about time Garry got a few too.'' Swansea have taken rangy French midfielder David Camara, a former team-mate of Willy Gueret's at Le Mans, on trial. ''He's come from the same contact as Willy did and he is staying with Willy at the moment,'' Jackett explained. ''He's been playing in the French second division but is a free agent and we're having a look at him.''

Monday, October 04, 2004 SWANS STARTING TO MAKE A MARK

You know Swansea City are doing something right when Mark Aizlewood joins in the praise. Partly because of his links with Cardiff City and partly because of some outspoken comments over the years in his role as a television pundit, Chester City's assistant manager is not a well-liked figure at Vetch Field. As if he could have forgotten, Aizlewood was regularly reminded of his low popularity rating in South West Wales by more than 1,100 travelling fans on Saturday. While dodging the verbal volleys from the stands, the former Welsh international had to stomach a second-half Swansea fightback in a contest Chester could have settled by the break. But to his credit Aizlewood could still find some kind words for Kenny Jackett's team, even if they were delivered through gritted teeth. ''We had Swansea watched three times before the game and I spoke to a lot of people about them,'' he said, ''and they were described to me as the best team in the league. ''Here they got battered for almost all of the first half - but crucially they didn't concede the second goal. ''If we'd got the second the game would have been over, but they've got the defensive organisation and solidity which is great to have. ''All credit to them, they caused us some problems in the second-half and that enabled them to get a point. ''I'm sure with the quality that they have and the position they are in the league already, they are more than capable of being successful.'' Ian Rush's right-hand man was not exactly gushing, but this was high praise nonetheless. And all that after a first 45 when Swansea were very nearly blown away by the combined force of a howling wind and a direct Chester outfit. They were behind after 19 minutes, when a long free-kick which rose to twice the height of the Deva Stadium's tiny stands was not dealt with and Willy Gueret was beaten. Whether it will be Kevin Rapley - who shot past the French goalkeeper from the left edge of the six-yard box - or Ben Davies - who was hovering on the line - who eventually takes the credit, this was the first open-play goal Swansea had conceded in more than 10 hours' football. Save for a contentious penalty at Yeovil, Gueret had not picked the ball out of his net since Queens Park Rangers in August. Within a couple of minutes he was doing it again, but Swansea were saved by the offside flag as Stewart Drummond stabbed home. ''We needed that second goal,'' Aizlewood grumbled. Enter, at half-time, Brad Maylett. One of this season's frustrated substitutes changed the contest, putting Chester on the back foot for the first time with his rampages down the right. ''Fair play to Swansea,'' Aizlewood went on, ''they made a tactical change by putting a player (Maylett) out wide with no defensive responsibilities and we were exposed.'' It took only 10 minutes for Maylett, the former Burnley man forced to play second-fiddle to Adrian Forbes this term, to make a decisive contribution, sending in the cross from the right flank which Kevin McIntyre handled to present Swansea with an equaliser. Lee Trundle made no mistake from the spot. ''I think Brad can offer the team something,'' Jackett said, ''and he's certainly given me something to think about. ''I have been pleased with him ever since I came to the club and, as I've told him, he's been unlucky to be on the bench so much lately. ''We've had a winning sequence which has left some players frustrated, but Brad's done well when called upon and that's the sort of competition I want all through my squad.'' He went on: ''I felt we needed some pace out wide to get through Chester and that got us the penalty. ''Those handballs are always tough calls - you see them on the telly every week with some given and some not - but the ref had a good view and he blew up straightaway.'' Only a couple of minutes earlier Premiership whistler Dermot Gallagher had rejected Swansea's claims when another Maylett cross hit Sean Hessey's hand, illustrating perfectly why managers moan about consistency. ''I've seen them not given is a diplomatic way of putting it,'' Aizlewood said. ''I think the first appeal just beforehand influenced the ref on the second one. He only gave the penalty because they had two shouts. ''Swansea did deserve a goal in that part of the game.'' They merited a point, too, he later conceded as both sides stretched respective unbeaten runs to six games. After a disastrous start to the campaign, Chester are showing the sort of physical prowess which should see them re-establish themselves in the Football League this term after winning the Conference. Swansea, meanwhile, look to have that plus the little bit of class which could see them celebrating next May. ''I'm feeling confident,'' added Jackett, whose side are up to second with Mansfield to visit next Friday. ''My team are showing the right sort of balance between scrapping when they need to and passing it around when they need to and I don't feel as though we're going to fall away in games if things go wrong as we did when I first got here. ''We go into every game looking to win and I want to stay as high as we possibly can in the league right throughout the season. ''And I think when the shake-up comes at the end, we'll have a chance.'' Bold talk, then, from the Swansea boss, while Aizlewood quietly agreed.

Monday, October 04, 2004 MONK KO BLOW

Garry Monk will be sidelined for at least a fortnight after he was knocked out during Saturday's 1-1 draw at Chester City. The former Southampton centre-back needed 10 stitches in a cut inside his mouth when he was rushed to hospital after a nasty collision with Chester's Cortez Belle. Monk, one of Swansea's most consistent performers this season, regained consciousness before he was stretchered off the field and returned to Swansea on Saturday night with boss Kenny Jackett. ''At first we feared the worst when Garry went down and didn't move because you should always suspect a neck injury in a situation like that,'' explained Vetch Field physio Richie Evans. ''He was out cold on the pitch and had a nasty cut in his mouth, but we knew things weren't that bad when he came round on the pitch. ''He slept well on Saturday night and, while he is still a bit groggy, he is okay. ''But he will definitely be out for at least two weeks. I think in rugby you have to sit out for a month when you are knocked out, but the guidelines in football say two weeks and we hope that's all he'll be out for.'' Monk's injury took some of the shine off a draw which was celebrated like a win after Swansea had fallen behind in the first half at the Deva Stadium. Brad Maylett, a half-time substitute for Adrian Forbes, was the visitors' hero, taking charge on the right flank and winning the penalty which Lee Trundle stroked home for a share of the spoils. And the former Burnley winger is hoping his Chester cameo will persuade Jackett to pitch him in from the start when Mansfield visit on Friday night. ''Hopefully I've put my hand up,'' said Maylett, ''because I'm desperate to get back into the team. ''You come back in pre-season and you're looking forward to playing so it's been quite hard for me sitting on the bench. ''It's so frustrating coming on for 10 minutes here and there when games are more or less over and you can't really express yourself. ''Not everyone can play every week and you need strength in depth, but personally I feel I've been doing enough to get in. I just have to keep working hard and keep hoping.'' Jackett was full of praise for Maylett and his colleagues after the battling draw sent his side up to second in the League Two table. He said: ''Swansea City is a great club with a terrific chance of being successful in the next few years. ''It's a club ready to take off if we get the equation right on the pitch and I think considering we lost Andy Gurney before kick-off and Garry Monk during the game, we're not disappointed with a point away from home.'' Vetch director David Morgan paid tribute to the 1,100 fans who made the trip to Cheshire, saying: ''The supporters were fantastic and we hope they will turn out in force again when we play Mansfield.''

Monday, October 04, 2004 Promotion on the agenda for upbeat Jackett

NOT normally one to set specific targets, Kenny Jackett threw down the promotion gauntlet to his Swansea City side after their irresistible rise up the League Two table continued. Thriving Swansea moved into second, just one point behind league leaders Yeovil, after stretching their unbeaten run to five matches against Ian Rush's resurgent Chester. Kevin Rapley's first-half goal had threatened to blow the Vetch Field side off course at a windswept Deva Stadium, but this is a Swans team that refuses to lose and Lee Trundle's 55th-minute spot-kick kept the momentum going. And Jackett, who had been forced to reshuffle his defence after Garry Monk was dispatched to hospital following a nasty collision that left him needing 10 stitches to a cheek wound, has challenged Swansea to remain part of the promotion picture for the rest of the campaign. "I'm not one of those managers who's happy to be in or around the top six for most of the season and then make a late surge," said the Swans boss. "I want us stay in the top six for the rest of the season, definitely. And, if at all possible, I want us to stay right at the top. "It's no good saying let's make a burst in the second half of the season because how can you plan things like that? How can you say when you're going to have a good run? "It's impossible to know what you're going to come up against - be it injuries, suspensions or, as you've seen here, windy conditions which make for difficult games. "You've got to try to win every game and be as high in the league as possible all the time. I'd love to be in the No 1 position each week, no doubt about it." Many more stubborn performances like this and you wouldn't bet against Swansea holding onto their lofty League Two perch over the course of the next seven months. They were never at their dominant best and, with one Adrian Forbes effort that drifted harmlessly off target the sum of their first-half efforts, the opening 45 minutes certainly won't feature in any end-of-season highlights video. Chester had taken the lead when Phil Bolland flicked on Kevin McIntyre's long free-kick down the right and Rapley squeezed the ball home from a tight angle after racing into the six-yard box. But, with the menacing Brad Maylett providing pace and penetration down the right flank after replacing cold-victim Forbes, Swansea moved up a gear after the interval. Minutes after Premiership referee Dermot Gallagher had waved away one handball appeal, he pointed to the spot somewhat contentiously when Maylett's cross into the area struck McIntyre's right arm, and Trundle provided a clinical low finish from the spot. "You see incidents like that debated every week on the television: is it hand to ball or ball to hand," Jackett pondered. "It's a tough one - some you get and some you don't. "But there was a similar penalty appeal a few minutes earlier, and quite often you find that if you don't get one, you get the other. "I'm not complaining about Dermot, though, because it was a tough match to referee with a lot of challenges being made. I don't know if you've tried refereeing, but I do it every day in training and it's a tough job." Swansea might even have snatched all three points when Trundle came close with a trademark curled effort from the edge of the area on 76 minutes. Equally, though, Chester had chances to win it and Swansea had to show the kind of resolve that had seen them go more than 10 hours without conceding from open play before Rapley blotted their defensive copybook. Former Everton striker Michael Branch was guilty of squandering two late chances, most notably 10 minutes from time when he missed the target from close range after breaking free of Kris O'Leary. Jackett was delighted to leave Cheshire with another point in the bag. And he suggested, "In times gone by, if we were 1-0 down at half time and a centre-half got carried off injured, I'm not so sure we would've got a draw. "All things considered - the fact we were 1-0 down at half time and had lost Andy Gurney with a back problem before the match and then Garry Monk during the second half - it's definitely a point gained. "Chester are a well-organised team who are in good form. They're big, strong and not at all easy to break down, so we're not disappointed with the result. "We had never really got going in the first half - it was disappointing we only managed one shot which went wide - but, with Brad offering us pace out wide, we came back quite strongly in the second half. "Lee put the penalty away well and came alive in the second half. I felt if anyone was going to break through for us it was him." Having handed Alan Tate a recall in Gurney's absence, Jackett had to rejig his defence once again on the hour mark when Monk was knocked cold after being clattered on either side by Rapley and former Merthyr man Cortez Belle. After being taken to a Chester hospital in an ambulance to have stitches in a cut cheek, Monk was eventually driven home on Saturday evening, but is now likely to be out of action for at least two weeks. "I don't think people realised how bad the situation was," said Jackett. "Garry went straight down and then didn't move. When someone is that still, you worry straight away. But, though we're obviously going to lose him for a while now, he should be OK. "Garry being carried off meant we had to change the defence again and push Kris (O'Leary) back, but, despite the added disruption, the pleasing thing is we've still gone unbeaten. "There have already been quite a few different central defensive partnerships this season, yet our defensive record has been excellent." Rush, perhaps keen to avoid questions linking him with the vacant Wales manager's job, sent No 2 Mark Aizlewood out to speak to reporters. "The reports we'd had leading up to the match suggested Swansea were the best team in the league," said the former Wales international. "It's not for me to say whether they are or they're not, but they got battered for 44 minutes here without conceding a second goal. That stability, that solidity at the back is a great thing to have. "I'm sure, with the quality they have and the position they are in the league, that they're more than capable of being successful this season."

Monday, October 04, 2004 Sub Brad spots his chance after setting bench mark for quality

SUPER sub Brad Maylett helped inspire Swansea City to a hard-earned point at Chester on Saturday - and then declared, "I want my place back." The frustrated former Burnley winger has spent most of the season playing second fiddle to new signing Adrian Forbes in the right-midfield berth. But, after playing in all of Swansea's 2-0 LDV Vans Trophy win over Luton and then turning in a sparkling 45 minutes on Saturday after coming off the bench at Chester, the 23-year-old said, "I want my place back in the team and, with my performance in these two matches, hopefully I've done enough. Maylett led Swansea's second-half revival by ripping into the Chester defence and providing the cross which led to the crucial spot-kick. And he admitted, "Being on the bench has been quite hard. What's been happening is I've been going on for the last 10 minutes or so when the result was more or less in the bag. "But there's not much you can really do in that situation. "That's why I was so pleased to get 90 minutes against Luton and 45 at Chester. "It's obviously the manager's decision, but I feel I've done enough to be in from the start in the next match. I feel I deserve that." Maylett's frustration must be compounded by the fact Forbes has had a slow start to his Swansea career since his summer switch from Luton. And boss Kenny Jackett admitted, "I think there's a lot more to come from Adrian. "He probably needs a goal to help his confidence, though I wouldn't necessarily say he has to score to stay in the side. "I certainly feel he's been a good addition. And when we get to January, when the games get a lot more physical, then I think Adrian's passion and the physical nature of his game will show through well. "As for Brad, I feel he's done very well since I've been at the club. "He's been slightly unlucky to be on the bench, but we've got a competitive squad and we've had a winning sequence which has left him and a number of other players slightly frustrated. But whenever he's been called upon, he's done very well." On the part he played in Swansea's equaliser, Maylett added, "We thought there was a more blatant handball in the box a few minutes earlier which the referee didn't give. "But I don't think there was any doubt about the second appeal because my cross hit the player's arm when it might have fallen to Paul Connor. "And then Lee Trundle was Mr Cool from the spot to get a good point for us. "Considering we weren't at our best in the first half, we've got to see it as a point gained. "The fact we didn't play well but still came away with a point shows the team spirit."

October 03, 2004 Trundle's spot on for Kenny

SWANSEA City have often been labelled a soft touch but new-found battling qualities ensured their League Two promotion push didn't stutter at street-fighting Chester City. Kenny Jackett has instilled grit and resilience into the Swans since he took over the Vetch hot-seat and they needed every ounce of that resolution to earn a vital point at Chester, a club rejuvenated under the guidance of Welsh goal-scoring legend Ian Rush. Swansea weren't at their best, letting their impressive run of clean sheets slip but they managed to rescue a point as Lee Trundle's second-half spot-kick matched Kevin Rapley's opener and extended the visitors unbeaten run to five games. Swans goal hero Trundle pointed out: "It was a scrappy game and the conditions were such that we couldn't get the ball down and play how we wanted. "But if you're coming away from home and picking up points at a side like Chester when you haven't played well then that's an indication of a promotion side. "It's a point gained for us, definitely. We can't go out every week and win two or three goals to nil, we've got to come to grounds like this and scrap for games and not get beaten." Chester beat Swansea black and blue early on and the visitors took time to adapt but were soon throwing their weight around. And if it wasn't for well-known ref Dermot Gallagher's relaxed attitude, there could have been more cards dished out than at Christmas. City's Cortez Belle/Kevin Rapley double-act wasted no time in giving Swans centre-backs Alan Tate and Gary Monk problems with their physical presence and sheer brute force. And Rapley was punching the air as he opened his season's goal account as Jackett's mean men conceded their first goal from open play in more than 10 hours of league football. Lanky midfielder Stuart Drummond headed down McIntyre's long looping free-kick and Rapley raced into the six yard box to squeeze the ball beyond prone stopper Willy Gueret from an acute angle and into the far corner on 20 minutes. It was a sloppy way for the Swans to lose their impressive defensive record. And if it wasn't for inspired Frenchman Gueret, the Swans could have leaked their second in as many minutes. He showed lightning-quick reflexes to palm former Welsh semi-pro international Ben Davies' stinging 20-yard strike away. Rapley rammed in the rebound but he was offside. Chester's tough, up and at 'em approach ruffled the Swans' feathers while they kept show-boater Trundle under lock and key, forcing 'Magic Daps' backwards. Ex-Welsh semi-pro defender Danny Collins, a target for Championship club Sheffield United, did a sterling job on 'Trunds'. Simmering tempers boiled over just before the half-hour after Andy Robinson's wild challenge on Danny Carden ignited a 15-man flare-up. It was handbags in truth but Robinson and Carden were both booked for sparking the brawl. Rapley and Belle were a handful and the two combined in the 36th minute, the former seeing his acrobatic scissors-kick fly narrowly past the post after the latter's long-throw. Swansea's only real goal-bound effort of the opening period came when Adrian Forbes fired wide three minutes before the break. Swans supremo Kenny Jackett's half-time team-talk must have been as stern as the tackles dished out by Chester as the Swans were a different animal in the second period, creating an opening for Paul Connor within 45 seconds of the restart. Sam Ricketts' deep right-wing cross was flicked on by Andy Robinson but Connor just couldn't guide the ball past Chester 'keeper Wayne Brown from a narrow angle as Bolland hacked clear. Within a minute, Robinson had fashioned an opening for Connor's strike-partner Trundle but Brown saved comfortably. But Trundle wasn't to be denied for long. Swans sub Brad Maylett dashed down the right after Robinson showed great vision to spread the play and the former Burnley man's cross struck McIntyre's right arm and Gallagher pointed the spot. Up stepped Trundle to send Brown the wrong way, sliding the ball inside the left-hand post for his fourth goal of the season. Trundle added: "Brad Maylett's arrival livened us up, he got down the right and got crosses in and got us the penalty. We didn't get any real quality balls up to us strikers in the first-half but we didn't get frustrated and had to work extra hard. And we got our reward." The Swans suffered a blow on the hour as centre-half Gary Monk was forced off after a nasty penalty box collision with Belle. Monk was knocked cold and didn't move a muscle as he was stretchered from the field. Belle was shaken but struggled on until Rush swapped him for Michael Branch five minutes later. The former Merthyr man was clearly still dazed. Jackett said afterwards: "Gary suffered a fierce blow to the head and was knocked straight out. He came to in a daze but was taken to hospital in an ambulance as a precaution." Branch should have repaid Rush's faith but he snuffed two late chances, the latter 10 minutes from time was a glaring miss. The former Everton and Bradford hotshot should have shown some top-flight quality as he outstripped Kris O'Leary but his finishing was more local league than Premier League as he slid the ball past Gueret's far post. Swansea have lost just once in eight league games and Jackett added: "We want to remain in the play-off places all season." Mark Aizlewood, Rush's assistant at The Deva Stadium, was also happy, commenting: "Since Ian and myself have in charge we've averaged two points a game. If we continue that kind of form throughout the season we'd have 70-odd points and that was enough to get into the play-offs last season. "We need to keep it up."

October 02, 2004 Fitzgerald looks for exciting new chapter

LOAN star Scott Fitzgerald has vowed to roll up his sleeves and make his mark for Swansea City. And the workaholic 24-year-old - set to partner Lee Trundle at Chester today - has only to point to his unconventional route into football to back up his claims. Fitzgerald was still slugging out nine-to-five shifts when he signed his first professional contract with hometown club Watford little more than 18 months ago. After starting off in non-league, Fitzgerald soon became the sting in the Hornets' attack in his first full season in the Football League, finding the net 12 times to finish as the club's top scorer. But now the former Northwood Town talisman has promised to knuckle down once more and keep Kenny Jackett's soaring Swans on track at the Deva Stadium - as well as keeping his Vicarage Road career alive. "I was a bit of a late starter in professional terms," explained Fitzgerald. "I was still working for Fujitsu when Watford offered me a deal last March. "I was working a nine-to-five shift when they came in for me and I still had to see out my last week's notice after I signed the deal! "I was playing a couple of leagues below the Conference, but I always had ambitions to go higher. "I thought perhaps my opportunity had gone but Watford offered me the deal and it's gone from there. "It's been a great learning curve so far but hopefully now I can go on again. It's been disappointing not being involved at Watford, so it's a case of working hard and seeing what happens." Despite a shot-sure start to his time in the Watford front-line, Fitzgerald has found himself pushed down the pecking order with the Hornets thanks to the scintillating form of Danny Webber and his profitable partnership with Heidar Helguson. And in an act manager Ray Lewington described as "highly mature" - and a nod to his workmanlike qualities - Fitzgerald was the one who asked to prove his worth away from the Championship. "I had asked the gaffer to go on loan and I had waited about three weeks before Swansea came in," said Fitzgerald, who made his Swans debut in the 2-0 LDV Vans Trophy defeat of Luton Town in midweek. "I jumped at the chance, especially when Nigel Gibbs (Watford's reserve-team coach) told me how Kenny Jackett was a good bloke to work under from their time at Watford together. "I need games because Danny isn't playing too badly. He had his chance in pre-season and he's taken it. "It happened the other way round last year so now it's up to me to put the work in and challenge my way back. "If I can help Swansea carry on their run at the same time, then all the better." It's not the first time Fitzgerald has had to pick himself up after being knocked back. He was rejected by Brentford as a 13-year-old, having to bide his time in the Sunday Leagues before working his way up the ranks at Ryman League outfit Northwood. Some hard toil and 105 goals in 236 outings later and Fitzgerald had caught the eye. "Chelsea invited me to go on trial and I did OK for them," he said. "I played in two reserve games before having a crack with QPR. I was waiting on an offer from Chelsea, but then Watford came in and it's gone from there." A spate of injuries to Swansea's front-line - Trundle, Paul Connor, James Thomas, Kevin Nugent and even youngster Mark Pritchard all picking up knocks of late - meant the Vetch is the latest scene in Fitzgerald's footballing fairytale, the Hillingdon-born frontman expected to partner the fit-again Trundle at the Deva Stadium. And given Jackett's penchant for players not scared of some hard graft, it's little surprise what Fitzgerald chooses as his best attributes. "I'm a hard worker, that's the natural part of my game," he said. "I'll run myself into the ground if I have to. "There's a similar attitude from the lads here. You could tell that the moment you walked in the dressing room - it's a winning mentality. "Everyone wants to work hard for each other and do well for the team. "And I found out against Luton they want to play good football, which is ideal. Hopefully I can get five or six games under my belt and see what happens. "I've not been given a nod to say I'm guaranteed - there's no certainty of that wherever you go. "Things don't always go the way you planned them and there's some good forwards here but, hopefully, I'll get my chance." Fitzgerald has even hinted his stay in South Wales could last longer than the month agreed on by both clubs, evoking memories of Alan Tate and Leon Britton, who enjoyed their step down so much they never left. "Maybe I could be here longer. If I'm playing well and scoring goals, you never know," he said. "I know Swansea are looking for promotion and I've seen the new stadium which looks fantastic, so there are great plans for the future. As far as this month goes, I'll work hard and see what happens."

October 02, 2004 Rush has warning over super Swans

WALES legend Ian Rush has warned his Chester side to be ready to come up against the best when the Swans fly in this afternoon. The ex-Liverpool icon enters his second month in the Chester hot-seat today having turned a dismal start from the League's newcomers into a super September. But Rush, who has former Wales team-mate Mark Aizlewood as his assistant, has admitted he sees Kenny Jackett's men as one of the top teams in the division and has told his players to expect a tough ride at the Deva Stadium today. "Swansea are really flying at the minute," said Rush, Wales' record goalscorer and among those tipped to become Mark Hughes' successor in charge of the national team. "They started a bit dodgy early on in the season but they've turned it around a bit. "I think they've managed to get four or five wins under their belt in a month. "What's more, they're an excellent footballing side. We will have to be on our toes." After cutting his teeth under Gerard Houllier at Anfield, Rush stepped up to the mark and took on his first managerial post by succeeding Mark Wright at the tail end of August. And, having failed to notch up a win prior to his appointment, Chester have been rejuvenated under the Flintshire-born star, grabbing eight points from 15 and the notable LDV Vans Trophy scalp of Sheffield Wednesday. And Rush reckons the midweek win over the Owls epitomises what's been going right at the Deva. "We've got a good team spirit and our organisation is a different class and that has given us confidence, but we have to maintain that," said Rush, who still holds the record commanding Chester's biggest ever transfer fee - £300,00 back in 1980. "I made six changes for the cup game because I like to see all my players in action. "It's important to realise that it's not all about 11 players but the 19 or 20 we have in the squad. "What we will do is field the best side that is likely to get results - every player is expected to give 100 per cent. That's what I ask for and that's what gets results. "But we know Swansea will be tough and we know a lot about them, they are an excellent football side. "We just need to make sure we've prepared properly and that's all we can do." Rush will be without striker Kevin Ellison, one of the goalscorers at Hillsborough, after his fifth booking of the season earned him a one-game ban, but Cortez Belle returns after suspension and Daryl Clare, Michael Branch and Andy Watson trained yesterday.

October 2, 2004 Jackett's Swans have got winning habit

KENNY JACKETT insists he's not worried about anyone other than his own side as he tries to keep Swansea firmly in the winning habit. The flying Swans are the side everyone wants to shoot down thanks to five league wins from their last six and a defence not breached in open play in more than a month. And Chester, not in bad shape themselves since the arrival of Ian Rush as manager, will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of being the first to knock the lofty Swans off their third-place perch tomorrow. But such is the confidence in the Swansea camp, Jackett is adamant he is not bothered who his team come up against. "It's nice to be flavour of the month and I'm sure teams are looking at us now we've hit a bit of form," he said. "But I'm just as aware this month how quickly things can change as I was last month. The fact we're on a run makes no difference. "I don't approach games any different from one week to the next because of that. The team or players' preparation is consistent throughout. "Of course we're aware of the opposition - they are there to be respected - and we make sure our players know what they're coming up against. "But what we really concentrate on is our own game, how we're playing, where we're going right and what to capitalise on, where we're playing poorly and where we can improve on. "A lot of those things have absolutely nothing to do with the opposition. The results will look after themselves if we keep it focused on us." While no one can knock Swansea's recent mean streak at the back, Jackett has admitted a lack of goals at the other end of the field needs addressing if they are to continue up the table. And it looks likely another tinker up top could be on the cards for the trip to Chester with fit-again Lee Trundle lining up alongside loan striker Scott Fitzgerald. Trundle missed the midweek LDV Vans Trophy win over Luton with a calf strain but was back in training yesterday ready to start at the Deva Stadium. And with Paul Connor (dead leg) and Kevin Nugent (hip) both doubtful, the door is open for a first league start for Fitzgerald. "It's certainly a possibility," said Jackett, who also has Izzy Iriekpen back in training, although not yet fit enough to return. "The Chester game might come a bit too soon for Paul, and Kevin has his coaching top on because he's had a knock. "Obviously you want all your players fit and ready because you're going to need competition for places over a long season. "If you are going to do anything of note in the league you're going to need more than 11 players. "But we've got a good goal-scorer in Scott and it's good competition again where we've had some knocks. "He did well on Tuesday and we're pleased with him so far but now we've got a chance to have a proper look at him. "It was a good performance all round on Tuesday from start to finish and we're looking bright and improving in the constructive side of things." But Jackett is fully aware he will be taking his team to face another side buoyed by recent results, only suffering the one loss since Rush came to the helm a month ago. "They've done very well so far and had a great result the other night (2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday in the LDV Trophy)," said Jackett, who will meet up with former Wales team-mate Rush at pitchside. "They managed to get 95 points last year and - even though it's a level down - that's a fantastic achievement. "They were one of the bookies' favourites to go for the title at the start of the season and they've been rejuvenated under Ian. "They are hard-working and physical and they'll want to compete just as we will. "They are there to be respected but we are still looking to build and improve on what we've done so far."

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