"You could play bowls on that surface at Swansea" claimed Pool's Chief Scout after he saw Swansea's last home game against Bristol City and to be fair Dearden was not wrong, as well as receiving the usual warm welcome from the staff and stewards at the Liberty Stadium, the Seasiders were left opened mouthed at the carpet like condition of the playing surface that greeted them when they came out of the tunnel following the short journey from the team hotel. The Swans groundsman rightly picked up the division's Groundsman of the Year award and received a standing ovation from both sets of supporters when he received his award prior to kick off.
Tony Parkes made a couple of changes to the side that drew with Nottingham Forest, Danny Coid replaced the suspended Ian Evatt, incidentally, Evatt despite his ban asked to travel to South Wales to support his team mates and watched the game from just behind the dugout with Lee Hughes and fit again Joe Martin, Parkes other change was on the right hand side of midfield where Roy O'Donovan was preferred to Wade Small.
With the journalists discussing how they would spending their summer Saturday's Swansea got things under way and were Barcelonaesque in their passing, fortunately for Pool Swansea don't boast a Messi or Henry in their ranks and whilst the passing style was easy on the eye, the Pool back four and Paul Rachubka weren't really tested which is testament to the work rate of the whole team.
After an entertaining opening ten minutes Pool took the lead and once again it came about through sheer persistence and hard work from the Seasiders front two, Brett Ormerod made the most of some casual play from the Swansea defence and drew two men before sliding a great ball into the path of DJ CAMPBELL who fired into the bottom left hand corner, such was the quality of Campbell's finish his goal was warmly applauded by the Swansea faithful.
Shaun Barker nine minutes later could and perhaps should have made it 2-0 when he found himself unmarked at the far post but the Seasiders skipper could only power his effort just wide with de Vries beaten.
Swansea boss Roberto Martinez made a change at the break when Leon Britton made way for the Swans Young Player of the Year Joe Allen.
Charlie Adam fired into the 477 travelling Pool fans ten minutes into the second period, the on loan Rangers man picked up the ball some 35 yards from goal but keep his left foot strike down.
Brett Ormerod picked up the Seasiders first yellow card of the afternoon after dumpingJordi Gomez to the ground inside the centre circle, prior to the resulting free kick being taken Swansea made their second change of the afternoon when Gorka Pintado replaced Shaun MacDonald.
Referee Carl Boyeson awarded the hosts a contentious free kick on the edge of the area after Keith Southern was penalised for a foul on Jason Scotland, from our lofty position in the press box, Southern appeared to play the ball, however the resulting free kick with deflected wide for a corner following a sweet strike from Gomez.
Paul Rachubka made his best save of the afternoon on 68 minutes when he did well to block a Jason Scotland effort. On the introduction of Pintado the PA system blasted out a Portuguese sounding jingle, had the PA man had time, I am sure he would have blasted out a short chorus of Pinball Wizard because quite how the hosts didn't find themselves back on level terms from that corner is still a mystery, fortunately for Pool, Keith Southern was eventually able to hoof clear.
With time ebbing away, Swansea made their final change of the afternoon when Federico Bessone made way for one time Pool target Mark Gower.
Carl Boyeson waved away Swansea's penalty appeals after Jordi Gomez tumbled under pressure inside the box, it will be one for the DVD to see if contact was actually made.
With four minutes remaining Pool made their first change of the afternoon when Claus Jorgensen replaced Brett Ormerod.
Moments later Charlie Adam was sent tumbling to the ground some three yards inside the area after he had broke through on goal, the referee looked to his assistant on the far side who didn't flinch and with everyone in the ground expecting the merry whistle blower to point to the spot, he awarded a free kick! Stephen Crainey stepped up and smashed the kick straight at the wall.
In stoppage time Wade Small replaced Roy O'Donovan, Swansea then threw everything forward and hit the post but the Seasiders hung on and Pool finished the season in a lofty 16th position on 56 points
Pool line up: Rachubka, Coid, Barker, Baptiste, Crainey, O'Donovan (Small 90), Southern, Adam, Vaughan, Campbell, Ormerod (Jorgensen 86) Subs Not Used: Gilks, Walton,Burgess
Swansea: De Vreis, Williams, Tate, Britton (Allen 45), Scotland, Orlandi, Gomez, MacDonald (Pintado 60) Bessone (Gower 83), Serran, Butler Subs Not Used: O'Leary, Collins
Referee: C Boyeson
Attendance: 16,311 (477 Pool)
