Two more penalties against, making it four in two games that United have conceded, was the scoring difference between the two sides on Tuesday evening at the Xcel Sports Hub however the hosts dominated the ball for large portions of the game without breaking through a resolute United side in open play. Manager Ritchie Hanlon made a single change to his starting line-up from the previous victory over Poole Town with Jerry Wiltshire returning from suspension in place of the rested Tarik Moore-Azille. As early as the third minute United’s goal was under pressure when a quick break down the left saw the ball played inside to John Gilbert who tried to test Jacob Adams from the edge of the box but his effort went inches wide of the United goal. On 11 minutes United had what was to be our only direct strike on goal when Luke Warner-Eley cut inside from the left and fired in a shot with his weaker right foot that Swans ‘keeper Liam Allen dealt with comfortably. Five minutes later Adams was required to keep the game scoreless as Gilbert was slide through on goal, his first time effort being saved by Adams with Jerry Wiltshire clearing away the loose ball. In a half devoid of many openings due to United’s hard working midfield, two more came the way of the hosts in the final ten minutes of the first half. On 33 minutes a high ball over the defence dropped nicely to speedster Trae Cook-Appiah who drove the ball straight at Adams and then just before the break a Gilbert snapshot from the corner of the area was held by Adams and we went in without a goal. After the interval the hosts were again quickest out of the blocks, three minutes in Gilbert sent Cook-Appiah through on goal with Adams coming out quickly to meet him and block away his effort to safety. Within a couple of minutes the right flank opened up again for the same player who this time beat Adams but his effort flew across the face of goal and thankfully wide of the far post. Against the run of play United almost stole in for a goal in the 69th minute as Omar Rowe chipped in a free-kick to Sam Ashton, his shot was deflected across the face of goal with the ball just evading the outstretched boot of tireless skipper Sanmi Odelusi six yards from goal. Three minutes later another opening for United saw Amos Nasha collect the ball on the edge of the box, he set it aside to Mauro Vilhete but his shot was just too high to trouble Allen in the Swans goal. On 75 minutes the Swans were to be awarded a penalty following a challenge by Wiltshire on the corner of the box that referee Malyon declared a foul and inside the area thus awarding a penalty to the home side. Gilbert took control of the ball and beat Adams comfortably to give his team the lead. With United still creating little or nothing in the final third another chance for the hosts came forth on 84 minutes as Eddie Simon broke into the United box, he was denied a shot by a well timed Cole Brown tackle but the loose ball ran kindly to Gilbert who saw his shot well saved low down by Adams. The final nail in United’s coffin for the evening came in stoppage time as a cross-cum-shot was fumbled by Adams who then stretched to get to the ball before Gilbert only to be adjudged to have committed a trip and again the ball was on the penalty spot where Gilbert again smashed the ball into the net to seal victory for the Swans and send United home empty handed.
Report by Kevin Watts. United Man of the Match: Sanmi Odelusi.