Late leveller stuns Swans

Mar 12 2008 by Staff Reporter, Western Mail

CHRIS GREENACRE’S 90th-minute equaliser was enough to cancel out Alan Tate’s majestic first-half volley as Swansea City dropped two more vital points in their push for promotion.

With rivals Doncaster and Carlisle both winning, Swansea’s 14-point lead has now shrivelled to just six points. There’s still no need to panic, but the Swans will know they can’t afford to let many more points slip away.

After a disappointing defeat to Millwall on Friday, it was vital Roberto Martinez’s men brushed off any suggestion their incredible season was about to take a turn for the worse. And for nearly 90 minutes it looked like they had done exactly that.

To suggest the Swans are about to throw promotion away is of course still ludicrous. But, as Greenacre knocked the ball past a stranded Dorus de Vries, nervous glances were exchanged throughout the Liberty Stadium as the doom and gloom merchants got slightly more fuel for their fledgling fire.

Most clubs would still be over the moon with a six-point lead, let alone one with a game in hand. And no one is suggesting Martinez’s men have suddenly turned into a poor team overnight.

But the Swansea fans have seen it all go wrong before. And, while a win would have been all the reassurance they needed, this draw will have done little to calm the nerves.

The night started well enough when the Swans were handed a welcome pre-game boost in defence as Dennis Lawrence passed a late fitness test and was Martinez’s only change for the game.

The Swans made a bright start, but chances were few and far between in the game’s opening quarter of an hour. And, when an opportunity did come after 13 minutes, it was as scrappy as most of the football that had preceded it.

Tom Butler and Angel Rangel combined well down the left and, when the Spaniard’s attempted cross eventually reached Jason Scotland via a Tranmere defender, the big striker hit a strong shot on the turn. Unfortunately for the 11,000 Swans fans, Wales international Danny Coyne made a good save in the visitors’ goal.

The Trinidad and Tobago international had another chance three minutes later when Ferrie Bodde’s ball into the box eventually reached him after some good work by Andy Robinson. Scotland skipped past his defender only to have his shot well-saved by the on-rushing Coyne.

Tranmere looked like a team that had come ready to settle for a point. But they nearly took an unlikely lead when skipper Paul McLaren’s free-kick went through the Swans wall before de Vries made a smart save to tip it round the post.

But, with the back four looking reasonably secure, Swansea continued to push forwards. But the right final ball seemed to be eluding them and, while dominating, they were creating little in the way of clear-cut chances.

Then, with half-time just minutes away, the Swans had their lead through one of the most unlikely sources. It’s difficult to put in words just how sweet Tate’s volley was, needless to say it was one of the best goals the Liberty Stadium has seen this season.

The goal came at the end of some solid pressure from Martinez’s men. Scotland had worked the ball well on the edge of the box and, when his shot deflected into Bodde’s path, the Dutchman’s low shot narrowly whistled past Coyne’s post after taking the slightest of deflections.

From the resulting corner the ball eventually came out to Tate on the edge of the Tranmere box and the centre-back smashed an unstoppable volley past a helpless Coyne. It was a moment of pure class to brighten a game that had, until that point, been as miserable as the pouring rain engulfing the stadium.

The goal was naturally follow-d by a sense of relief spreading throughout the ground. And, as referee Jarnail Singh blew for half time, the Swans went in with a deserved 1-0 lead.

Having spent most of the first half trying to waste as much time as possible, the visitors looked a lot more lively after the break. And, had Shane Sherriff kept his 49th-minute effort on target, Swansea’s lead could have been very short-lived.

Rovers were an entirely different beast in the second half and they were making life difficult for Martinez’s men, although a number of misplaced passes and hurried clearances meant the Swans weren’t exactly helping themselves at times.

By the hour mark the ship seemed to have steadied though and Swansea were starting to reestablish themselves as the games dominant force. But, as a couple of chances for Scotland went begging, Tranmere were still offering more than enough to test the home fans' nerves.

Swansea nearly had an all-important second goal after 69 minutes when Robinson's free-kick glided just inches wide of Coyne's right-hand post. The keeper was clearly beaten but the lively winger, whose endeavour won the free-kick in the first place, was not to get the goal his performance deserved.

With quarter of an hour left on the clock, Tranmere then had probably their best chance to grab an equaliser. Some calamitous defending gave Andrew Taylor plenty of time and space on the left flank but, as his dangerous low cross fizzed across de Vries' goal, neither of the Tranmere strikers was able to get the touch it needed to tap the ball home.

Swansea reacted with striker Guillem Bauza, having come on for Scotland, making an impressive impact. The Spaniard went close on a couple of occasions as the Swans tried to secure all three points.

But, just as the home fans were getting ready to celebrate, disaster struck. McLaren was played through down the right and, when some seemingly valid offside appeals were denied, he delivered a dangerous low cross into the box.

Greenacre forced his way in front of his defender and calmly slotted the ball past de Vries. In fairness to the visitors, their second half efforts deserved a goal but a point was probably a bit too generous.

A minute later referee Singh blew his whistle, leaving everyone involved with the Swans shellshocked.

Panic? No. Concern? No. A need to get through this blip as soon as possible? Most definitely.