SAD Swansea City stumbled to another calamity against part-time League of Wales opposition in last night’s FAW Invitation Cup.

Defeat by Barry at home and a draw with Conwy was followed by an only-goal flop to Bangor City who looked winners for most of the match at Farrar Road.

Swansea paraded a largely youthful side, with Alan Curtis in charge and they gave the impression they had a lot to learn.

It was a case of men against boys as Bangor, relying on experienced campaigners, outwitted the Vetch Field fledglings who, although superior in fitness and stamina,lacked know-how.
Bangor even got away with having an untried emergency goalkeeper for the whole of the second half.

The young Swans were well aware of stand-in Chris Whealan’s frailties, but their only three threats were from long-range and two of those flashed wide.

On numerous occasions, when Swansea hinted at getting in efforts from close range, the Bangor defenders lunged into brave and effective blocks.

Bangor goalkeeper Dave Williams sustained an injury during the first half and did not resume for the second spell, so outfield player Whelan moved off the bench to take his place.

As things went, the vital goal which earned Bangor a &pound3,000 payout for the win arrived after 66 minutes from scoring ace Marc Lloyd-Williams.

Lee Noble, drafted in for the second half and a menace to Swansea along the left-wing, swept over a cross and Williams moved in between two defenders to power a downward header from eight yards beyond goalkeeper Lee Jones.

Swansea had been threatened in the opening minutes when Bangor’s Ken McKenna sent a glancing header from close range just beyond the far post with Jones just looking on.

Swansea perked up midway through the first half and put in three fine efforts which included
Gary Jones firing close from 25 yards and Jamie Harris being denied by Dave Williams’s rush to the edge of the box.

Dave O’Gorman produced the best offering from 20 yards from an angle on the left and it needed a brilliant full-length dive by Williams to force the ball away.

As Swansea maintain the pressure, Lee Jenkins rose well at the far post only to see his header deflected behind for a corner following a Damian Jones cross from the right.

When Bangor improved, Marc Williams wasted a glorious opportunity by blasting wide of the target from a clear position when he should have profited from a superb through ball.

Swansea had more escapes when McKenna swivelled and dragged a low shot on the wrong side of a post and Kenny Woods then drilled over the bar from the edge of the box.

The second half began with a flurry of attacks by Swansea only for Ryan Casey to steer a shot the wrong side of the post from 25 yards, and Kwame Ampadu raised his attempt too high.

Mark-Williams’s goal had a calming effect on Bangor, but Swansea were stung into more energetic action although without managing a serious effort to trouble the uncertain Whelan.

Casey and Jenkins swept in 20-yarders which lacked accuracy and Bangor’s resolute defenders snuffed out other potential danger by lunging into brave blocks when shots seemed imminent.

Bangor City 1 Swansea City 0
Scorers: Lloyd-Williams 67

Teams:
Bangor City: Williams (Whelan 46), Whealan, Rutter, Woods (Noble 60), Allen, Ashton, Wiggins, Williams (Taylor 89), Brookman, McKenna, Pritchard.

Swansea City: Jones L, Jones D, Moreira, Jones G, O’Leary (Simon 57), Jenkins, Harris, O’Gorman (Roberts 71), Brown (Mainwaring 63), Ampadu, Casey.

This report was kindly reproduced courtesy of the South Wales Evening Post