Magic Daps to the rescue — but it's not enough for the win

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Monday, December 07, 2009
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This is SouthWales

LEE Trundle rolled back the years on Saturday but could not quash questions about whether his Swansea City career will be over in weeks.

He scored two typical Trundle goals to earn his team a point in a see-saw contest at Peterborough United.

Remarkably, the Scouser is now Swansea's leading marksman this season despite the fact that he has started only one game since returning to Wales on loan in August.

Trundle now has four goals to his credit in seven appearances in his second stint as a Swan, where he has spent around three and a half hours on the pitch.

That gives him the terrific strike rate of a goal every 54 minutes, and his team-mates are impressed.

"It's great for Lee that he came on and got the goals because he has had to be really patient," said Dorus de Vries.

"He hasn't played a big, big role yet but when he came on he showed his class. He was really hungry to score those goals and it showed.

"He is a player with great ability on the ball and he's a real threat if you feed him in the penalty box. It's just unfortunate that he hasn't earned us a win."

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As far as Trundle is concerned, it is also a shame he has not already earned himself an extended stay at Swansea.

The 33-year-old has made it clear that he wants to be around long after his loan spell expires at the end of the month, and de Vries hopes he gets his wish.

"He really fits into the squad," Swansea's goalkeeper added. "He is a great lad, a great personality, and he gives us something extra in training.

"He is experienced and he keeps the other strikers on their toes, and it would be great if we could keep hold of him."

Trundle can do little more than he managed at London Road, where his introduction gave Swansea the cutting edge they have lacked too often this season.

Paulo Sousa's men had been the dominant force for 55 minutes at Peterborough, though for all their pretty play there was little sign of a goal to reflect their control.

Two deflected efforts from Andrea Orlandi sounded alarms in the home defence, while Cedric van der Gun drilled wide and Jordi Lopez fired a long-ranger straight at goalkeeper Joe Lewis.

Ashley Williams and Darren Pratley both wished for longer limbs as two inviting crosses flashed to safety.

Perhaps Exodus Geohaghon, the Peterborough defender who looks like a bodybuilding Dennis Lawrence, would have got his giant frame on the end of such chances.

Geohaghon, a recent signing from non-league Kettering, has one of the longer throws in the land, and it was from one of these missiles that the Posh snatched an unlikely lead.

Gorka Pintado was fouled by Craig Morgan as the throw-in came into Swansea's penalty area, but referee Russell Booth did not notice.

When the ball rebounded off Ashley Williams, Chris Whelpdale swept a volley into the far corner of the net.

"There's a foul on Gorka and he does not get the opportunity to touch the ball," Sousa grumbled. "It is not a fair goal."

Outplayed until this point, Peterborough began — for the first time — to look like a side with a chance of avoiding an immediate return to League One this season.

They ought to have buried Swansea, but de Vries saved expertly from Craig Mackail-Smith and then Whelpdale and Sousa's team lived on.

The Portuguese sent on Dyer and David Coterill, both of whom were left out of the starting XI alongside Leon Britton, who has missed training because of a back problem, and Craig Beattie, who is struggling with a knee complaint. Also summoned was Trundle, who joined Pintado in a front two and made his mark when picked out by Albert Serran.

Trundle may not be a presence in the air and he may not be the kind of centre-forward who will bash central defenders around.

But his upper-body strength is not in question and neither, of course, is his ability on the ball — as proved here.

He first held off the giant Geohaghon, then skipped his way past three challenges before turning back and passing a shot into the bottom corner of Lewis's net. 1-1.

Eight minutes later, Trundle got the kind of service he loves when Lopez found him 20 yards from goal. Geohaghon was in close attendance once more, but Trundle rolled his marker and fired low past Lewis to send 600 travelling fans into raptures.

Sousa went wild on the touchline, but his praise for the goalscorer later was faint. "The players here look for an opportunity and, when it comes, they try to do their job," he said. "I am not surprised — if I was surprised by that I wouldn't have brought him to play for us.

"I know what he can do and, like the others, he did his job. He did his job and I am very happy for him and for the team."

Sousa has been asked plenty of questions about Trundle, the player he brought back to the Liberty but has not used very often.

Swansea's form has been excellent, so the manager has had no problem justifying his decision not to involve the fans' favourite more.

But Trundle's goalscoring record since his return means many would wish to see him remain part of a squad which is lacking goalscorers.

Sousa has been non-committal all along, and nothing changed despite the player's latest contribution.

"We will talk about Lee's future at the end of December because we still have time to think about it," he said.

Unsurprisingly, Sousa was not in the brightest mood because Trundle's double had not earned a win.

In the fifth minute of stoppage time — four had been indicated, but Swansea's goal celebrations had dragged on — his team broke in search of a third.

Dyer, Cotterill and Orlandi piled forward, but Trundle lost possession and Peterborough launched a final surge.

Geohaghon fed Mackail-Smith, his centre beat the advancing de Vries and, as Swansea failed to clear, Aaron Mclean slid home an equaliser which, on the chance count, Peterborough deserved.

"We were the only team trying to play football and win the game," Sousa moaned. "I'm proud of the mentality my players showed when things weren't going our way, but we have to show more maturity and kill the game.

"We had four players going forward in the last minute when we were winning and we lost the ball. I'm not pointing the finger at anyone, but as a team we have to make better decisions than that."

Swansea might have been fifth in the table, instead they remain seventh.

They host Plymouth tomorrow night hoping a first victory in three will see them back into the play-off places.

Trundle, meantime, wonders whether he will get another chance to impress.

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2 Comments

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Helena, Sketty Swansea

    Tuesday, December 08 2009, 5:03PM

    “We got a top goal scorer. Trundle is his name. He's on the bench for Swansea, but scoring is his game.
    When Paolo's team are losing, he sends for the man, who puts the ball straight in the net, AGAIN, AGAIN,AGAIN.
    Magic Daps, Magic Daps you're on th bench again, if we lose tonight, its serves him right, (Paolo), it's such a blinkin shame.”

  • Profile image for This is SouthWales

    by Linden Rees, Toronto, Canada

    Monday, December 07 2009, 5:16PM

    “This is really a "No-Brainer" ; keep LT on & trade Pintado in for a balloon & a goldfish at Coney Beach.”

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