What the papers say: Swansea play off final

9 posts   •   Page 1 of 1
User avatar
Far Canal
Member
Posts: 697
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 00:31
Location: Kennetside

What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Far Canal » 30 May 2011 20:50

sportinglife.com

Reading 2 Swansea 4

http://www.sportinglife.com/football/cc ... &BID=14765

Scott Sinclair struck a hat-trick as Swansea survived a second-half fightback from Reading to clinch promotion to the Barclays Premier League with a 4-2 victory in an enthralling npower Championship play-off final.

Sinclair's 25th and 26th goals of the season in a devastating two-minute spell midway through the first half set Swans on their way - the opener coming from the penalty spot - before Stephen Dobbie added a third.

But in another thrilling clash befitting the Wembley showpiece, Reading displayed plenty of never-say-die spirit and hauled themselves right back into it through a Joe Allen own goal and Matthew Mills.

However, Sinclair smashed home his second penalty of the afternoon in the 80th minute to become only the second player, after Clive Mendonca, to bag a play-off final treble at Wembley and ensure Swansea are the first non-English club to compete in the Premier League since its formation in 1992.

Victory ends a 28-year wait for top-flight football for Swansea and - aside from the estimated £90million windfall - completes an astonishing eight-year turnaround for the south Wales club after they narrowly avoided relegation from the Football League.

For manager Brendan Rodgers, it was victory against the club he served for a total of 14 years as player, youth coach, reserve coach and an unsuccessful six-month stint as boss in 2009.

His replacement 17 months ago, Brian McDermott, was able to call upon influential winger Jimmy Kebe after he passed a fitness test on a thigh injury.

Rodgers kept faith with the same line-up who saw off Nottingham Forest 3-1 in the second leg of their semi.

That meant defender Alan Tate and midfielder Leon Britton walked out for the club having been part of that dramatic final day survival in 2003.

And once the fireworks had gone off and the red carpet had been tucked away, it was the anticipated free-flowing, passing football which failed still to materialise in the opening exchanges.

Swans skipper Garry Monk survived a convincing appeal for handball in the penalty area, and no sooner had he got off the hook then Zurab Khizanishvili brought down Nathan Dyer at the other end.

It left Sinclair to send Adam Federici the wrong way from the spot and the Georgian centre-back lucky to avoid a second yellow card.

And just 60 seconds later, with 22 minutes on the clock, it was 2-0.

Khizanishvili was having an afternoon to forget and he was left standing by Dobbie on the right who squared the ball into the danger area and Federici's weak hand failed to stop it travelling to Sinclair who tapped home at the far post.

Swansea's lead was further strengthened five minutes before the break as Dyer used his pace down the right and his cross was only half cleared by Khizanishvili to the grateful Dobbie who fired home a third from the edge of the area.

Reading's 25-goal top scorer Shane Long then mis-kicked a glorious opportunity wide just before the break.

Matters went from bad to worse for the Royals at half-time as first-team coach Nigel Gibbs was sent to the stands and substitute Jay Tabb also dismissed for something said to referee Phil Dowd.

But the Berkshire outfit were given a glimmer of hope within four minutes of the restart as Noel Hunt's header went in via a touch from Allen after Jobi McAnuff's corner.

And the Wembley roof was soon raised yet again as Matthew Mills made it 3-2 in the 57th minute.

Swans once more failed to deal with a McAnuff corner from the left and the Reading skipper rose highest to head home from six yards.

Rodgers' side were rocking and Jem Karacan saw his low 25-yard effort deflected against the foot of a post.

The clash remained firmly balanced as it approached the final quarter, but that all changed 10 minutes from time as Andy Griffin brought down Fabio Borini in the area, leaving Sinclair to beat Federici for the second time from 12 yards.

And the strike was the cue for over 40,000 visiting Swansea supporters to party.

Teams

Reading
Federici, Griffin (Robson-Kanu 84), Mills, Khizanishvili, Harte, Kebe, Karacan, Leigertwood, McAnuff, Long, Hunt (Church 76).

Subs Not Used: McCarthy, Tabb, Howard, Cummings, Pearce.

Sent Off: Tabb (46).

Booked: Griffin, Khizanishvili, McAnuff.

Goals: Allen 49 og, Mills 57.

Swansea
De Vries, Rangel, Monk, Williams, Tate, Dyer, Britton (Gower 77), Dobbie (Pratley 55), Allen (Moore 89), Sinclair, Borini.

Subs Not Used: Ma-Kalambay, Beattie, Serran, Richards.

Booked: Borini, Allen, Gower.

Goals: Sinclair 21 pen, 22, Dobbie 40, Sinclair 80 pen.

Att: 86,581

Ref: Phil Dowd (Staffordshire).

STAT ATTACK
Reading..............Swansea

11....Shots On Target......4
8.....Shots Off Target......2
18....Fouls (Conceded).....4
16..........Corners..........1
3........Yellow Cards........3
1..........Red Cards.........0

Chaney
Hob Nob Subscriber
Hob Nob Subscriber
Posts: 1979
Joined: 11 May 2004 18:59

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Chaney » 30 May 2011 21:00

11 shots on target?..you sure?....18-4 foul count, thanks Mr Dowd

User avatar
Ian Royal
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 35156
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 13:43
Location: Playing spot the pc*nt on HNA?

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Ian Royal » 30 May 2011 21:14

Chaney 11 shots on target?..you sure?....18-4 foul count, thanks Mr Dowd


Swansea can't have made more than a dozen tackles so their low fouls count doesn't surprise me. Not particularly a criticism of Swansea, they didn't need to make tackles just force errors and wait to win their fair share of the percentage hoofs and poor crosses.

Boston Royal
Member
Posts: 160
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 06:58
Location: Philadelphia (formerly Boston), USA

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Boston Royal » 09 Jul 2011 20:41

I know it's over a month since the playoff final, but here's a pretty interesting report of it (which came out a few days ago) by a US sports website: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6744366/upstairs-downstairs.

Gordons Cumming
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 5300
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 10:52
Location: All Good Things Come To An End

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Gordons Cumming » 09 Jul 2011 21:00

Boston Royal I know it's over a month since the playoff final, but here's a pretty interesting report of it (which came out a few days ago) by a US sports website: http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6744366/upstairs-downstairs.


Excellent!

I enjoyed that. Brilliant writing.

3 words stood out for me. " Reading deserved better"

Oh well.............

Still haven't really got over Wembley yet.. :cry:


Mr Angry
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 6225
Joined: 14 Apr 2004 16:05
Location: South Oxfordshire

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Mr Angry » 09 Jul 2011 21:07

Really good article, written by someone who knows something about the game over here.

I watched the Sky programme - "The Richest Prize" - this week, about the Championship season; it was the first time I had seen any TV highlights of the PO Final, and when Jem hit the post, the hairs on my arms literally stood up...... :(

Hey ho.

PEARCEY
Hob Nob Addict
Posts: 5970
Joined: 29 Jun 2007 23:44

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by PEARCEY » 09 Jul 2011 21:30

^ An enjoyable read. The bit about going 3 down and the subsequent reactions of our fans young and old was spot on.

AthleticoSpizz
Hob Nob Legend
Posts: 25502
Joined: 15 Apr 2004 19:49
Location: A Hicks Hoof from Coley Park

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by AthleticoSpizz » 09 Jul 2011 21:38

Then, in the 48th minute, Noel Hunt, who is Stephen's brother and looks like any number of guys you might find urinating into a trough in a Waterford, Ireland, pub, flicked a header in off a Jobi McAnuff corner, making it 3-1.

great analysis for several different reasons

User avatar
Fluff
Member
Posts: 622
Joined: 25 Jan 2006 16:46
Location: HNA? Prediction league champion 2012/13

Re: What the papers say: Swansea play off final

by Fluff » 09 Jul 2011 23:36

Great read, but hasn't taken the pain away yet :x


9 posts   •   Page 1 of 1

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Majestic-12 [Bot] and 203 guests

It is currently 13 Jul 2025 20:30