League Division Three – Swansea City 2 Torquay United 0 – Saturday 30th November, 1996.
Match Report by Jeremy Kivell.
Another 3 well-deserved ponts for Swansea take them into the top half of the table and within touching distance of the playoff places for the first time this season.
Swansea team:
Freestone
O’Leary Edwards Walker
Jones Moreira
Jenkins Penney Coates
Heggs Torpey
After a scrappy first 5 minutes, a free kick from he left hand corner of the area was met by Steve (don’t mention Bristol) Jones’s head at far post, he beat the defender well, but he succeeded only in putting the ball into the side netting.
Swansea took the lead shortly afterwards. A corner on the left was headed clear only as far as Kristian (my parents couldn’t spell Christian) O’Leary, who’s 20 yarder hit the net after a “wicked” deflection took the ball over Rhys Wilmot’s head.
After 20 minutes, Joao Moreira curled a free-kick just wide, then Penney was put clear by Coates, only to put the ball over from 12 yards when he should have scored.
Freestone had his first save to make after 35 minutes when ex-Cardiff player Charlie Oatway hit a shot straight at him. Shortly after that, Steve Jones again came close with a far-post header, this time across the face of the goal.
Swansea full deserved the lead at half time, having created all the worthwile chances. Torquay looked dangerous only when Rodney Jack, recently linked with Newcastle, was in posession.
Five minutes into the second half, Swansea went 2-0 up. An excellent ball down the right by Keith Walker found Lee Jenkins, who beat the full back and crossed for Steve Torpey to head in.
Swansea pushed forward more after the second goal, and the busy-looking, but ineffective Heggs just failed to connect with a Moreira cross. Torquay then brought on Jamie Ndah, who immediately created a chance for Jack, but Keith Walker put in a terrific challenge to concede a corner.
Heggs then wasted a glorious chance after being put through by Torpey, and was later replaced by Dai Thomas. Thomas then wasted a 1 on 1 with Wilmot in the last minute, and Torpey just failed to reach a cross shortly afterwards.
Man of the match was Steve Torpey, but I’d have given it to David Penney for his robust midfield play. Moreira looked good, if very one-footed (another Andrew Legg, I think), but the Swansea defence again looked indecisive at times, often taking several attempts to clear the ball. A better side than Torquay would probably have capitalised on that failing.
With Cardiff getting stuffed at Leyton Orient, it should be an interesting night on Tuesday.