SWANSEA V CARDIFF: WHEN JAY BOTHROYD CRIED

No side had beaten the other in the league for over a decade when these two met in November 2009. Between 1999 and 2008, clubs avoided each other in the league before re-joining each other in the Championship after the convincing promotion with Martinez.

A league cup meet (Jordi Gomez winner!) previewed two draws in the league that season before this incredible match the following season.

The Swans got off to the dream start as Nathan Dyer somehow scored with a header (yes a header!) following a Darren Pratley cross from a free-kick. It was already a deserved lead as record signing Craig Beattie could, arguable should, have put the swans up inside 3 minutes.

Pratley volleyed in himself 6 minutes later following a Bessone cross to leave the Swans 2-0 up in the opening quarter of an hour and the Liberty rocking like it never had before. Bessone was a late replacement to the starting line-up as captain Garry Monk injured himself in the warm up.  The Swans were cruising!

Absolutely murdering their rivals, especially down the right hand flank where Dyer and Pratley were linking up with no answer from their feeble opposition. Pratley teed Joe Allen up with a chance from just outside the box but Marshall managed to keep it to just the two goal lead.  In typical Swans fashion, it was never going to be that easy though!

Jay Bothroyd became arch enemy number one in SA1 that day. Being a general asshole all day long (the kind of asshole you’d love to have playing for you but when playing for Cardiff you want to see strung up!!).

It was Bothroyd himself who reduced the deficit on 32 minutes with their first real chance of the game. When he beat the offside trap to superbly chest down Chris Burke’s ball over the top and coolly fire past Dorus de Vries in bottom left-hand corner. And within two-and-a-half minutes of Bothroyd’s third goal in as many games, Cardiff were level.

McCormack’s free-kick from the right was met at the far post by captain Mark Hudson who squeezed the ball home with a header from the narrowest of angles to score his first goal since his summer move to Cardiff. A game which had seen Swansea completely dominate was suddenly level at half-time.

The pace of the game was a lot slower in the second half as both sides and supporters seemed more scared of losing the game than wanting to win it. Chances were scarce. Ledley seemed to foul Allen in the box but nothing was given and Ross McCormack nearly put the away side in front with a 25 yard free-kick smashing the crossbar.

Within a minute and with the crossbar still shaking, the Swans were ahead again. Bessone’s was once again the creator and Pratley the finisher. The Argentine with a left-hand cross at the other end found Pratley at the near post to volley home his second of the game and put the Swans back in front. Pratley had not scored for 26 games since last season’s corresponding fixture at the Liberty Stadium but he certainly proved Swansea’s hero on the hour to seal the win. Cardiff were unbeaten in their last six games and tried to find a way back into it.

They piled on late pressure, but the Swans held firm to claim a vital win as Dave Jones suffered the dreaded manager of the month curse. After the game, Swansea City manager Paulo Sousa:“When we made mistakes, they punished us. But we started the second-half well and put our identity on the game and controlled the rhythm with a lot of possession and personality – and our creativity was dynamic.

“When we took the lead, we started to control the game. It was difficult because they are a strong side especially with their long balls and set plays – but we are becoming mentally stronger, more focused and in the end we deserved this nice win.

“Darren Pratley played well and is coming close to his best with a lot of resource – he is an outstanding player.

“It means a lot to all of us and is not just special for us but the fans and the city, there is a lot of happiness here.

“We can be proud with ourselves, fans can go to work with more energy and to help the city to grow. The win reinforces our convictions and confidence and tells us once more that we’re in a good way.”

Cardiff City manager Dave Jones said: “I’m disappointed to lose but I’m no more disappointed because it is a derby game, it’s just the bragging rights go to them.

“But we must pick ourselves up, get going again and not worry about this game because we’re okay and a decent side it is today we haven’t played as well as we could have.

“It was an awful start for us and we didn’t get close to their players, maybe nerves got to one or two of the players. It was a great fight back but we didn’t kick on. We had a lot of possession and hit the bar but the three goals we gave away were dreadful.

“We never had any creativity about us and couldn’t get any tempo going but full credit to Swansea who have the points and now we must wait until the return match to get this one out of our system. “Any time you lose you let the fans down but we have to put up with it today and the season doesn’t end with two derby matches so we have to fight back in our next game.”

READ MORE GREAT SOUTH WALES DERBY MATCHES
The Last Derby at the Vetch
When Saunders Destroyed Cardiff
The Last Derby at Ninium Park