Carling Cup: Swansea City 2 Brentford 0

Swansea City progressed through to the Carling Cup second round tonight with a 2-0 home win against League Two side Brentford.

Roberto Martinez rung the changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Charlton Athletic on Saturday with Albert Serran , Jordi Gomez, Jason Scotland , Fabien Brandy , Andrea Orlandi, Owain Tudur Jones , Fede Bessone , Shaun Mc Donald and Dennis Lawrence all earning starting places.

As the rain poured down on the Liberty Stadium pitch the game started with an up tempo pace. It would be the visitors who would get the first chance to test a drenched Dorus De Vries in the Swansea goal when Glenn Poole's free kick was saved well by the Dutchman low to his right hand side. Just moments later an inspired Jordi Gomez launched a spectacular shot that had Ben Hamer in the Bee's goal well beaten but the shot-stopper was spared his blushed by the crossbar.

Gomez had the opportunity to break the deadlock on 11 minutes when he sent a low driven shop past Hamer's goal but the keeper on loan from Reading had the Spaniard's shot well covered. It would be his fellow compatriot that would play a big part in the opening goal for Swansea City. Picking up the ball near the near corner flag Andrea Orlandi outmatched his marker to drive the ball into the box and found the diminutive Fabien Brandy by the by-line. Turning his marker with pace the Manchester United youngster sent in a low cross which Shaun MacDonald dispatched with consummate east that defied his tender years to send the Swans into a deserved 1-0 lead.

Oozing in confidence Swansea surged forward and Gomez was unlucky not to atone for his early miss when the woodwork saved Brentford for the second time in the game when the Espanyol man's volley hit the upright.

Half Time Score:Swansea City 1-0 Brentford

The second half started in the same vain as the first with Swansea surging forward looking to extend the lead. Gomez with his eye on a goal saw his effort saved by Hamer. However it would be the Swans who would receive a hammer blow just moments later when Federico Bessone surging down the left flank was strongly challenged and much to the concern of the Liberty Stadium crowd was stretchered off but it marked the return of Angel Rangel as Martinez shuffled his back four with Alan Tate moving to left back and Rangel slotting into his natural right back position alongside Albert Serran. Brentford were growing in confidence and piling on the pressure the League Two outfit tried to convert the possession into an equalizer but Craig Pead's header went over the bar.

It would mark the Bee's last real sustained period of pressure and minutes later Shaun MacDonald grabbed his second of the night after Jason Scotland's initial shot was blocked but the Brentford did not clear the ball as it fell kindly to the well positioned McDonald who's thunderbolt strike into the top right hand corner of the goal had the under pressure Hamer well beaten. What happened next could have been one of the greatest goals scored at the Liberty Stadium so far in its three year history. Gomez a full 45 yards out of goal sent a shot goal wards and was unlucky not to have scored as the midfielder could only but watch as the ball dipped inches over the crossbar. Just 4 minutes from time former Swan Marcus Bean was shown the red card after picking up his second yellow of the night for dissent. Substitute Guillem Bauza nearly made it 3-0 but the striker dragged his shot wide of the Brentford goal.

Full Time Score: Swansea City 2-0 Brentford

Use your social login to comment on front page articles. Login using you Facebook, Twitter, Google or LinkedIn accounts and have your say!