The visitors elected to attack the empty temporary stand and soon began to show why they are at the top of the table. Trundle and Akinfenwa looked powerful and dangerous from the outset and had good support from speedy wing-backs in the shape of Ricketts and Tate – precisely the kind of thing conspicuously lacking from our team (except for the odd excursion by O’Connor)!
Their direct attacking style naturally gave us opportunities to hit them on the break, but all too often we gave the ball away far too cheaply, and continued to do so for most of the first half. Nevertheless we did create a couple of chances, one following an amazing run by O’Connor, but the Swans always managed to get blocks in when it mattered.
We were living dangerously at the other end, particularly when a deflected shot from Tate bounced off the crossbar before the ball was scrambled clear. However, our luck ran out on the half-hour when, following a corner, an Akinfenwa shot was brilliantly saved by Stewart only for Trundle to pounce from close range. One-nil to the visitors.
However, our heads didn’t drop with Keene in particular working hard up front with Hayter. The Pompey man’s best effort came when he turned his marker (quite illegally!), twisted and turned on the edge of the box before striking a shot towards the top left hand corner which Gueret did well to save.
HT: 0-1
During the interval Cherry Bear took on the Royal Marines single handed in one of the best attacking displays I’ve seen here for some time, but would the players be inspired by his example? In fact, we started passing the ball a lot better in the second period, with Stock looking as if he might find the killer pass that has eluded him of late. An excellent move down the left resulted in our best chance of the game when Surman crossed for Hayter unmarked near the penalty spot. Our diminutive striker directed a firm enough header at the goal, but Gueret was equal to it, tipping ball round his right-hand post. Hayter’s body language suggested that he knew he should have buried it.
A similar chance fell to Surman himself, but he failed to get his header on target. We were having most of the possession, but as the game wore on Swansea still looked the more likely to score, with players who could run at our defence. Akinfenwa blasted a shot against the crossbar and numerous other chances came and went. On another day we could have lost four-nil, but a combination of erratic finishing and some good defending by Young and Gowling at the back restricted them to the solitary goal.
In short, we were beaten by a better team and once again lacked any real cutting edge up front. On the positive side, Gowling and Young played well, Surman (in spells) and Stock (given the options available) had decent games in midfield, O’Connor got forward more in the second half and Keene was lively throughout. The team worked hard generally, but you have to wonder where the goals are going to come from unless we can get some width.
Gowling who continues to impress at the back AFCB: Stewart, Hart, Young, Gowling, O'Connor, Surman, Browning, Stock, Foley, Hayter, Keene
Subs: Cooke, Rodrigues, Coutts, Cooper, Pitman (none used!)
Ellis Griffin, Chertsey