 | FAW PREMIER CUP |
Holders Swansea clawed their way into the final of the FAW Premier Cup with a comeback win over brave Welsh Premier side Carmarthen at Richmond Park. Leon Britton put the visitors ahead with a well-taken strike, but a Sam Ricketts own goal and a Nathan Cotteral effort within two minutes reversed it.
With the game into injury time, Alan Tate's cross was met by substitute Andy Robinson's overhead shot to equalise.
As the part-timers tired, returnee Lee Trundle got the winner in extra time.
The Swans go on to meet Wrexham in the final at the Racecourse some time in March.
The best chance of a lacklustre first half fell to the home side in the first minute.
Sasha Walters found space on a fine run down the left and crossed into the box.
Mark Dodds got a clean head to the ball, but saw his effort fly over Swansea keeper Brian Murphy's bar from close range.
Shaun MacDonald forced a save from Andrew Delve at the other end, and the Carmarthen keeper dealt with a decent header from Rory Fallon.
With the game drifting, Britton looked to have secured an easy win for the Swans after 60 minutes.
 Britton gave a man-of-the-match performance |
Martyn Giles failed to clear Tate's through ball, Britton controlled well in the box and fired hard and low through the legs of the flapping Delve.
Then, with 20 minutes to go, an innocuous-looking Neil Smothers free kick passed through a crowd of players in the Swansea box before rebounding off substitute Ricketts and into the net.
Welsh international Ricketts' nightmare worsened two minutes later as he clumsily chested a Carmarthen cross into the path of Cotteral.
He went for a chip over Murphy and the keeper - injured in a first-half clash with Walters - could only palm it over his head and into the goal.
Trundle, in his first game back from injury, blew three chances to equalise, hitting the post, firing over, and sending a free header from five yards over the bar.
As the game entered injury time, substitute Robinson spectacularly saved the desperate Swans.
Tate's cross from the right found the midfielder, whose overhead bicycle kick went straight through the hands of the hapless Delve.
The Town keeper did make two good saves from Trundle in the first period of extra time after the Swans striker's skills gave him chances in the box.
But one minute into the final period, man-of-the-match Britton's battling freed Trundle in the box, and the Scouser calmly placed his shot into the far corner.
Swansea manager Kenny Jackett:
"Fair play to Carmarthen, they pushed us all the way and gave a fantastic performance. "But we dug deep and showed the character to come back."
Carmarthen: A Delve, R Carter, G Lloyd, M Giles, K Aherne-Evans, R Jones (Thomas 93), N Smothers, L Hardy, M Dodds (Lima 99), S Walters, N Cotteral (Davies 110).
Goals: Ricketts 70 (og), Cotteral 72.
Swansea: B Murphy, A Tate, T Williams, S Watt, G Monk, S MacDonald (Robinson 78), A Akinfenwa (Ricketts 60), L Britton, A Forbes (Knight 78), L Trundle, R Fallon.
Goals: Britton 60, Robinson 90, Trundle 106.
Referee: Brian Lawlor (Holyhead)