At the end of the season there will be much better performances than this one but today it was the result that mattered as Kevin Nugent scored the only goal of the game to take Swansea into the top three of League Two.
Nugent's goal ten minutes from half time was enough to give the Swans the three points that they craved as they carved out their fifth win in six matches with yet another clean sheet to boot.
After hauling themselves up the league two table in the past month, it was an expectant Vetch Field crowd that hade made it through numerous traffic problems around Swansea for the 3pm kick off. Swans fans were more fortunate with more than half the Rushden travelling support missing the first half hour as queues built up around the city.
Swansea were without Paul Connor who failed a late fitness test meaning that Kevin Nugent came back into the fold and there was more positive news on Andy Gurney who took his place at right back.
Swansea could have found themselves a couple of goals to the good within the first five minutes as first Lee Trundle and then Gurney himself both forced saves out of Billy Turley in the Rushden goal. Swansea's game plan at this stage was clearly pass and move and they did that with some ease although as the half wore on the final ball into the area lacked any sort of finesse.
Rushden on the other hand were happy to sit deep and soak up any Swansea pressure and look to break clearly and a couple of long range efforts missed their target as they came more into the game as the Swans conceded sloppy possession.
As the first half looked as if it may drift into a scoreless affair, Forbes was given a second chance to deliver the ball into the area and his cross was met by the flying Kevin Nugent at the near post whose header was enough to give Turley no chance and the Swans were ahead.
Maybe that was to be the catalyst and within five minutes Nugent should have doubled the Swans advantage. Set free by Trundle he advanced on Turley but took one touch too many and his shot was blocked by the diving keeper's body. | SWANSEA | | Gueret | | Gurney | | Austin | | Monk | | Ricketts | | Forbes | | Martinez | | O'Leary | | Nugent | | Trundle | | Robinson | RUSHDEN | | Turley | | Allen | | Connolly | | Gulliver | | Hawkins | | Bell | | Burgess | | Dempster | | Dive | | Braniff | | Hay | REFEREE | | M Warren | ATTENDANCE | | 7,410 |
The amazement of this movement was that the linesman in front of the North Bank had for once kept his flag down after some very strange decisions which clearly took a couple of seconds for the play to transfer to his brain. He wasn't alone, the other two officials were just as odd with some of their decision making and all too often the game was not allowed to flow through constant whistling.
| Nugent challenges in the air |
Swansea though were looking strong defensively and the back four was rarely troubled with Kevin Austin in the centre of defence winning much and in midfield we had Roberto Martinez close to his best with most Swansea moved passing through him at some stage.
1-0 at half time and the crowd clearly hoped for a second half display similar to that shown two weeks ago against Kidderminster but on this occasion that couldn't have been further away.
It started promisingly with Gurney and Martinez both hitting shots off the 'sweet spot' - the former from fully 40 yards - that forced saves from Gurney but Swansea looked as if they were beginning to tire and Rushden started to take advantage as the Swans sat deeper in defence.
| O'Leary in for the tackle |
All too often a careless pass saw Rushden come back at us and we were too slow moving up the field from a defensive situation giving Rushden several chances to equalise - luckily none of which were taken.
One was cleared off the line and several more blocked by despairing tackles as the Swans fought to cling onto their one goal advantage they had earned in the first 45 minutes.
Goals | Britton was introduced for Forbes, Maylett for Robinson as Jackett switched his pack but it was not having the effect that he wanted with the Swans pretty much pinned back in their own third of the field.
As the fourth official held up the board for two minutes of stoppage time Willy Gueret needlessly gave away a corner and cue Billy Turley joining the attack. It came to nothing and the ball was cleared to Trundle who turned on the halfway line. With captain Roberto Martinez screaming for the ball to his right and clear, Trundle went for the spectacular and chipped the ball from just inside the Rushden half but there was no David Beckhamesque finish to this one as it just cleared the ball and landed in the East Terrace. The wrong decision but this was I guess just typical Trundle looking for the extrordinary.
That was it as far as the goal chances went and the whistle soon sounded to give the Swans the three points. | | Swansea | | Nugent (36) | | Rushden | | None | | Card Count | | Booked | | Swansea | | Ricketts 56 | | Rushden | | Dove 27 | | Gulliver 45 | | Connelly 88 | | Sent Off | | Swansea | | None | | Rushden | | None | | Match Pictures | | CLICK HERE |
Sponsors man of the match was awarded to Martinez, probably a fair call although my own award would have gone to Kevin Austin who was the proverbial colossus in defence. As I said right at the very beginning there will be better performances but at the end of it all this was another three points in the bag and so long as they keep coming we will achieve our season end. Roll on Chester and of course, Mark Aizelwood! CLICK HERE FOR MATCH PICTURES |