Swans Spring test against Coventry United

Gary Flinn has not managed to get a long cup run or get into the play offs this season but he has managed to consolidate the Swans’ position by finishing them at around mid table by the end of the 25/26 season. Today they were at ninth position before they played a testing match against third placed Coventry Utd.

The United Counties Premier Division South is a tough league to be in for the Swans. It is one of the lowest tiered leagues of all the grounds GMK News report from. The road of progressing towards the National league is a much longer one compared to those of Leighton Buzzard, Real Bedford, Chesham United and Hemel Hempstead. The long road to more powerful football through the leagues may explain why Flinn has focused and successfully managed to get the Swans to Wembley in two consecutive seasons in the FA Vase. One thing is for sure, Flinn is more at home managing the Swans than he was at Leighton Buzzard who look likely to get promotion this season following his return to Newport Pagnell FC.

Flinn has a great squad with many of the faces from their glory wembley days still playing in their team with the likes of Adam Pyke, Ben Ford, Corvell Pickering, and Jake Watkinson. If the Swans could have played well today against high in the league, Coventry Utd, it would show that Flinn has the opportunity to do greater things at the Swans like get them on a league promotion run as well as their past Wembley success. The club now has more money within the club since its two Wembley appearances with a new home stand and plenty of supporters like the 7000 plus which went to watch them in the Wembley final and near 2000 gate during the semi. .

The swans new home stand following new financial investment following two past consecutive FA wembley final runs.

Swans greet third placed Coventry Utd in white and purple

The first five mins of the match were highly competative with the Swans looking menancing, and creating some early dominant play. Coventry were looking a hard solid side, difficult to break down. For the first quarter, Newport kept trying with Coventry occassionally managing to counter. The evenly balenced play continued into the second quarter. The spring sun came out with some warmth, a pleasant change from some of the past matches we had seen this season at Willen Rd with the Swans swimming in heavy rain and one match abandoned because of it.

Number nine, Jake Watkinson was having a blinder of a game, running everywhere and trying to create opportunities. In the 21st min, Coventry got a corner which the Swans easily dealt with . As the match hit the final quarter of the first half, it was still even stephens with no serious shot on goal from either side.

The wind got stronger and the sun disappeared as the even play continued towards the end of the first half. Both sides were hunting for a goal but who would get one first was as unpredictable as the weather. In the 34th, Coventry managed to get a shot at goal but it went way over the cross bar. In the 39th, the Swans got a free kick on the right hand side which led to a corner. More pressure and attacking football followed but no decisive shot on goal followed. It was the same with Coventry as the relatively shotless match drifted towards half time and a 0-0 scoreline. Then in the 45th min, Coventry managed to pierce the Swans defence and get a long angled close to the ground shot in, which hit the back of the net to put them one nil up. If Newport wanted to get into the promotion race next season then they needed to proove that they could produce more attacking play second half.

Second half, the Swans came out fighting, Pickering got their best shot on goal which hit the cross bar in the 53rd. Then, a few mins later, the ball went up the other end, Newport conceeded a penalty and Coventry were two nil up. With all the stuffing now knocked out of them, the big question was whether Newport had any metal left to turn things around. Coventry had something to play for, they needed points to improve their top of the league position. For the Swans, resting mid table, it was just pride which by the time of the final quarter , was not really enough to motivate. To their credit , Newport kept trying to create opportunities but it was not enough to improve on the final 2-0 defeat.

Flinn still has a great squad to further develop but this match proved that more work needs to be done to make his side ready for a serious stab at promotion for the 26/27 season.