Saturday, August 19, 2006 at the Liberty Stadium, Swansea.
Football League 1
Swansea City 2, DONCASTER ROVERS 0.

A shower a couple of hours before the game freshened up an already magnificently green pitch. The rain clouds were hanging around overhead but it was still warm if dull. The Rovers made several changes to their starting line-up. James O'Connor and Sean McDaid had recovered from injury and replaced Jonathan Forte, on the substitutes bench and Gareth Roberts, out with a suspension from last season. Jason Price and Mark McCammon also started the game, with Bruce Dyer dropping to the bench and Paul Heffernan out with a groin injury. Swansea included their new signing from Wrexham, Dennis Lawrence at centre back, who at 6'7" will certainly give 6'4" McCammon a warm welcome to the Liberty Stadium and Kevin Austin replaces Tom Williams at the back. Andy Robinson was missing through injury. The Rovers defended the end where their supporters were housed.
The home team started the game and proceeded to dominate the early minutes without unduly troubling Blayney. After 6 minutes the Rovers got in their first real attack when Coppinger went down the left before crossing from the byline for Price to stab wide under challenge. Four minutes later, after a holdup for an injury to Griffith, the home team won the first corner of the game on their right, which was cleared. Five minutes later, a high ball to Trundle on the edge of the Rovers area was headed back for Butler to fire over from 25 yards. A lot of midfield play over the next quarter of an hour was interspersed by both sides swopping corners and the occasional shot from distance by Price for the Rovers and Trundle for the Swans going over the bar. Trundle did have a good chance from the edge of the penalty area when a great turn following a cross from the right saw him hit a terrific shot over the bar. It was 35 minutes before either of the keepers had a shot on goal to save. It was Gueret in the home goal who had that honour when saving from Thornton. The best effort for Swansea came four minutes from the break when McLeod fired just over the bar. A minute before half time Britton brought a save out of Blayney. Swansea finished the half on the attack and a cracking effort on goal by McLeod was deflected away from goal by Lockwood. It had been a scrappy first half, with the home team probably shading possession.

The Rovers started the second half a lot better than in the first period. A Lockwood cross from the right was caught by Gueret and then the Swans won a corner on their right. Two minutes later, the Rovers won their first corner of the half, which caused mayhem in the Swansea six yard area as the home defenders desperately fought to stop Coppinger and Price getting a crack at goal. They succeeded and cleared the ball but back came the Rovers playing some good football before McCammon took a pass from Thornton, turned past Lawrence and shot over. Swansea went down to the other end where McLeod thundered one in from 30 yards that had Blayney diving full length to his right to save. Getting to the Swansea end of the pitch with a good bout of passing, the ball was given to Thornton 25 yards out and a thunderous drive required Gueret to jump and tip over for a corner. On the hour mark, a great move out of defence by the Rovers finished with Thornton's shot being blocked. Price picked up the rebound on the right and crossed for McCammon to head wide. Minutes later, Coppinger had a shot saved. The Rovers were well on top at this stage. Then, with 20 minutes to go, Swansea decided to get into the game. A sustained attack gave O'Leary a chance on goal but a great tackle by Thornton blocked the shot then McLeod fired over from the follow up. The home team continued to have the better of things, with Britton shooting just wide and Trundle cutting in from the right only to see Blayney block his shot from close range. Eventually, after 83 minutes, the pressure told as good footwork by TRUNDLE in the Rovers penalty area enabled him to beat Blayney from close range although there was a suspicion of hand ball. The Rovers threw caution to the winds as they tried to get something from the game. Into injury time and TRUNDLE again cut in from the right and lifted over Blayney as he came out of goal. This sealed the game and the points in favour of Swansea after a much better half of football from both teams.

Teams - Swansea City - Willy Gueret; Kevin Amankwaah, Dennis Lawrence, Ezomo Iriekpen, Kevin Austin; Leon Britton, Darren Pratley, Kevin McLeod, Thomas Butler; Rory Fallon, Rory Fallon.

Subs used - Kristian O'Leary Butler 63 mins; Adebayo Akinfenwa for Fallon 76 mins; Tom Williams for McLeod 76 mins;

Subs not used - Leon Knight, Andy Oakes gk.

Cautions - Butler,

ROVERS - Alan Blayney; Adam Lockwood, Steve Roberts, Graeme Lee, Sean McDaid; James O'Connor, Sean Thornton, Antony Griffith, James Coppinger; Jason Price, Mark McCammon.

Subs used - Jonathan Forte for Price 80 mins; Bruce Dyer for Griffith 84 mins; Paul Green for Dyer 88 mins;

Subs not used - Nick Fenton, Ben Smith gk

Cautions - McCammon,