Paulo Sousa and the squad returned to Palamos on Sunday evening hoping for a better result after a disappointing 2-0 defeat on Friday against Espanyol.
Manager Paulo Sousa made a number a changes from Friday night’s game with both trialists starting as well as Chad Bond, Fede Bessone and new signing Stephen Dobbie beng just a few of the changes made by the 38 year old boss.
The first half was similar to that of Friday’s game, we found it difficult to link our passes together and neither side created many chances early on, with most of the ball bring played in the middle third.
Our first real chance came after around twenty minutes when Bond picked up the ball and played a neat through ball to Dobbie but he chipped a shot straight to the keeper who made an easy save.
5 minutes later, there was good link up play involving young Casey Thomas and Stephen Dobbie but the striker was in an offside position.
The swans didn’t get another goal opportunity until near the end of the first half. Bond took the ball well and played the ball through to Dobbie but once again he aimed a soft shot goalwards.
The Swans then opened the scoring just before the half time whistle when Bessone went on a run down the left and he was brought down before the ref pointed to the spot. Bauza stepped up amd sent the keeper the wrong way to give us a one goal lead.
We struggled in the opening 45 mins to link up as a team and a lot of our passes went astray but you can expect that when a lot of the players haven’t played together that often.
Both trialists started in defence, the Brazilan looked a decent player but the Portuguese centre back struggled to impress in his first game for us.
Again, like Friday’s game, we were much better in the second half, the passes were more accurate and we were able to create more space on the attack.
Palamos went close to getting an equalizer not long after the restart when right back Jazz Richards flicked on a header in the wrong direction, a Palamos player ran through onto the loose ball and was brought down but the ref ignored their penalty appeals.
Again, the hosts looked to put the scores level. The Portuguese trialist failed to clear a loose ball but luckily an opposition player curled a shot wide and over the bar.
The Swans were playing better in the second period despite the home side having the more chances early on and we had a superb opportunity to double our advantage as Casey Thomas used his lightening pace to run through, but he didn’t have the balance to direct a right footed shot goalwards from a good position inside the box.
Palamos had another opportunity to put the scores level after a defensive mix up involving Albert Serran but a opposition player put a shot wide past the far post.
Angel rangel recovered from his injury to come on as a sustitute and he was involved in another defensive error shortly afterwards. He gave the ball away to an opposition player in our own third but his powerful shot hit the post and rebounded off to safety.
Swansea’s next chance involved substitutes Joe Allen and Kerry Morgan. Allen did well down the left wing before the ball came to Morgan outside the box. The young striker volleyed a shot just over the bar.
Morgan had another chance shortly afterwards. Gower launched a long ball over to the left flank. Morgan shot a low effort towards goal but it deflected off a team mate and out for a goal kick.
The Swans then hit the post in a good spell for Sousa’s side. We put the pressure on their defence in their own third and we eventually won possesion but Macdonald’s effort hit the woodwork.
We were the better side at this stage and we got a deserved second goal towards the end of the match thanks to some good link up play involving Joe Allen and new signing Jordi Lopez. Mark Gower, quickly after getting rid of the ‘cursed’ number 11 shirt, hailed his first goal for the Swans by slotting home a simple finish into an empty net, rounding off a 2-0 win for Swansea City.
Palamos: Joan Gallardo, Jordi Salvanya, Carmelo Lacarta, Albert Criado, Alejo Lacarta, Diego Romero, David Cornella, Pep Arnau, Daniel Sarabia, Jaume, David Charcos, Francisco Campos.
Swansea City: David Cornell, Jazz Richards (Angel Rangel, 70′), Fernando (Garry Monk, 70′), Pedro Rodrigues (Albert Serran, 70′), Fede Bessone (Marcos Painter, 77′), Scott Evans (Jordi Lopez, 58′), Guillem Bauza (Shaun MacDonald, 84′), Chad Bond, Casey Thomas (Mark Gower, 77′), Andrea Orlandi (Kerry Morgan, 58′), Stephen Dobbie (Joe Allen, 64′).
Substitutes Not Used: Dorus de Vries (GK), Ashley Williams, Alan Tate, Leon Britton, Nathan Dyer, Gorka Pintado, Matty Collins.
Full report, photos and videos to follow.
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