Makeshift striker Alan Davies was delighted to make the difference as Swansea City beat Fulham 2-0 at the Vetch Field this afternoon.
Davies looked as if he was one of six midfielders in a Swansea starting line-up that didn’t contain a recognised striker – especially after he had spent five weeks on the sidelines with a groin injury and then a stomach upset. Manager Terry Yorath admitted pairing Davies with Tommy Hutchison but felt it was worth a gamble against a footballing side like Fulham.
But the Cottagers struggled to find fluency throughout a tight contest and it was Swansea’s surprise front line that delivered the goals that settled the contest. The first arrived five minutes before half-time after Swansea goalkeeper Rhys Wilmot had thwarted striker Colin Gordon with a superb one-handed side.
Wilmot then provided the assist for the opening goal with a raking long pass bounced over the Fulham defence, allowing Davies to advance towards goal and then coolly chip Jim Stannard to score his first goal since last season’s strike at Torquay United that clinched Swansea’s promotion. The hosts then cleverly controlled the second period before the excellent Hutchison, making a rare start, made sure of the points.
Peter Bodak, who had earlier headed against the post, spread the play beautifully to Davies, whose perfectly measured cross allowed a sliding Hutchison to beat Stannard from close range. Swansea’s fourth win – secured by those two moments of magic from their new-look strike partnership and a fourth consecutive clean sheet – steered Yorath’s side into fourth place in the table.
SWANSEA CITY: Wilmot; Melville, Coleman, D’Auria, Knill, James, Thornber, Davies, Hutchison, Bodak, Lewis. Subs (not used): Love, Wade.
BOOKED: Knill.
GOALS: Davies (40), Hutchison (66).
FULHAM: Stannard; Eckhardt, Peters, Thomas, Langley (Scott 68), Marshall, Skinner (Walker 68), Barnett, Wilson, Gordon, Sayer.
BOOKED: Peters, Thomas.
REFEREE: Gerald Ashby (Worcester).
ATTENDANCE: 4,737.
