When your completely outclassed your not going to argue with a 2-1 defeat, a 20 minute spell at the end of the game could have brought about an undeserved point.
Hull are a very similar club to the Swans, an ageing ground, large fan-base, have a minority of bad eggs who cause trouble and they even nicked our "Falling in Love with You". The one difference that stands us apart is money, and with that sort of cash injection we to could be drawing back the big crowds like Hull have managed to achieve. So this is a plea to any would be investors, please, please consider the Swans as a viable outfit to purchase the club. Look at where Hull stood only a year ago; bring back the belief in the club with some well-needed funds and you will reap your reward. Anyway back to the Match Report.
We arrived 10 minutes late due to having to find a cash machine, after learning that there was £16 entry fee!!! From what I was told we were hanging on by the skin of our teeth.
With only having one recognised striker fit in the form of Williams, we resorted to the new 3-5-2 formation with Stu Roberts taking up a more forward position. The Formation was as follows:
FreestoneO'Leary - Bound - Todd Jenkins Howard Mumford - Philips - Coates Roberts - Williams
With Key midfielders Cusack & Mazzina out injured the outcome looked bleak right from the start. Wave after wave of Hull pressure was only held out by some off the line clearances and a couple of decent saves from Freestone.
The Swans were content to play on the break, but with Roberts and Williams often isolated with very little support from the midfield chances were few and far between. The only chance that stands out is a shot from Jenkins, which was only parried by the keeper only for him to recover before Coates, and Roberts could pounce.
Hull eventually scored on the half-hour when a whipped in cross was glanced goal-wards by a Swans defender from 10 yards out which Roger had no chance in stopping. The irony was the Swans in the preceding 5 minutes were having their best period of the game so far and had pretty much nullified the 10,000+ crowd. The Swans appeared to be happy with being only 1-0 down at half time and spent the next 15 minutes deep in their own half, Jenkins clearing a shot off the line.
The second half started brightly with the Swans stringing some intricate passing play together, only for me to comment to my mate that maybe we weren't suffering from the old Hollins half-time put the players to sleep talk. Hull duly scored 30 seconds later after a sloppy clearance by Todd set up the Hull player with an un-missable volley from 5 yards out. DOH!
Todd clearly hadn't learned his lesson and 2 minutes later setup another volley for the Hull strike force, fortunately the player in question blazed it wide. Hull's left wing Beresford was having a whale of a time making a mockery of the Swans defence, he produced quality crosses and was never afraid to take the man on and was in my opinion the MoTM.
Hull's fans wanted blood and could have easily been awarded a penalty with 30 minutes yet to play after Todd was battered in the area by a Hull defender up for a free-kick, with Todd unaware of where the ball was he stuck his hand up to appeal for a foul, only for the ball to strike his hand (MUPPET!).
A ref with less bollocks could easily have given the penalty when under pressure from 10,000 fans baying for the penalty.
Addison introduced Romo in place of Mumford and took off Williams for Appleby. Appleby immediately got into the game and supplied a sublime cross for an unmarked Roberts to easily head past the Hull keeper and it was game on!
The Swans players finally started to show some belief and Appleby was causing the Hull defence a multitude of problems. Philips got booked for an over zealous tackle but the midfield finally took the fight to Hull and was forcing them to play on the break. However the final ball was always left wanting and very few chances were created.
That was until 2 minutes into injury time when a similar clearance which resulted to Hull's 2nd goal teed up Jenkins from 5 yards out but he flashed his shot just over the bar and we knew it was all over.
Hull's stewards following the game then decided to keep us locked in for 20 minutes after full time to add insult to the £16 dent in the wallet.
Another worrying aspect was the high number of so called BNP who made the trip, and who we unwittingly sat next to for the first 15 minutes. These stone island clad were causing all the trouble, which caused us to be stuck in the ground for 20 minutes. They hurled abuse at all and sundry and made the general atmosphere intimidating for all genuine fans at the ground. Remove these and then the families will start to return and hence so the crowds increase.
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