Welsh Player News 8th August (League Two, Non-League, Scotland, Ireland)

Owain fon Williams doesn’t care if he’s in League Two now – at least he still got a job.

Josh Klein-Davies failed to win a contract with Cheltenham Town but Forest Green Rovers quickly moved to put him in their next game. Josh scored and it was a good thing he did as the score was 3-2 to Forest Green.

Poor Chad Bond. I’m sure the former Swansea City striker is doing a good job for Neath Athletic but he can’t have made a huge impression if the people responsible for the team-sheet thinks he’s called Charlie Bird. But his goal in Neath Athletic’s 4-0 victory over Crewe Alexandra’s reserves can only help. Former Grimsby Town striker Chris Jones doesn’t seem to have featured but maybe they got his name wrong too.

Grant Basey is expected to complete his move to Aberdeen next week – or maybe this week if Sunday is the first day of the week for you – but they have to loan out two players in order to be able to afford him.

Matthew Tipton scores his first goal for Dundalk and wins his new team a point.

Championship Results 16th February Part 2

Nottingham Forest 1-0 Sheffield United
Robert Earnshaw’s fourth-minute goal wasn’t just the winning goal. It was also the striker’s 150th league goal. Congratulations to Rob and I hope he got lots of big applause when he was substituted late on. Chris Gunter showed he’s an attacking threat as well as a good defender – and hopefully this is the start of another run of clean sheets for the right back. Sheffield United’s Ched Evans came off the bench after 78 minutes.

Peterborough United 3-1 Ipswich Town
If Peterborough can survive, that would really be something but you can’t say they’re not going the right way about it. Another win – and it was against the team they want to send into the bottom three in their place. The winning goal was a powerful header from Craig Morgan.

Plymouth Argyle 1-1 Swansea City
You know, maybe Plymouth will escape too. Okay the chances of them both escaping doesn’t look very likely at all but there’s nothing like a great escape in football. Fulham did it, Brighton did it (one of my first football memories), it does happen.
Carl Fletcher had a starring role in the best moment of the match, where the unpopular referee got a ball in the face and Carl called for a replacement. And his football was at least equal to his wit – it was another solid performance in central defence.
Ashley Richards made a surprise start for Swansea – his first I believe although it seems I must now call him Jazz Richards which will make things easier given that Swansea have another Ashley in the squad.
Ashley Williams was the only other Welshman in the starting line-up. Joe Allen was a late substitute but David Cotterill, who scored yet another spectacular goal for Swansea in their last match, was left on the bench alongside substitute keeper David Cornell. I really don’t understand Paolo Sousa’s selection methods but let’s look at the positives, maybe David Cornell will get a start soon.
David, Daniel Alfei, Joe Walsh, Matty Collins and Chad Bond all played as Swansea Reserves beat Bristol City Reserves 2-1.

Welsh Non-Keague/Reserves news

Aaron Morris, on loan from Cardiff City, was in Newport County’s team as they drew 0-0 with Blue Square Premier side York City in the FA Trophy. Kevin Gall and Danny Parslow were in York’s team. The replay is on Tuesday.

Troy Brown played for Ipswich Town’s reserve side as they drew 1-1 with Southend United reserves.
Ben Thatcher played 45 minutes for Ipswich and Roy Keane says he is progressing well as he recovers from a knee ligament injury.

Swansea City’s reserves lost 2-1 to Llanelli. Their side included David Cornell (goalkeeper), Daniel Alfei, Kristian O’Leary, Daniel Sheehan, Matty Collins (captain), Scott Evans and Chad Bond. Rhys Wilson (goalkeeper), Casey Thomas, Lee Lucas and Joe Walsh were among those on the substitutes’ bench.

Wales News

Southampton Reserves 3-0 Swansea City
Kayne McLaggon got an assist as Southampton thrashed Swansea. Ryan Doble replaced Kayne after 70 minutes with Garyn Preen coming off the bench fifteen minutes later.
However Swansea’s Welsh players had a lot less to be happy about. David Cornell played in goal Ashley Richards, Daniel Sheehan, Matty Collins, Scott Evans (replaced by Casey Thomas after 73 minutes) and Chad Bond also played with Daniel Alfei coming on after 73 minutes. Lee Lucas stayed on the bench. (At least, I think all these players played. I only saw their surnames so some of them could be other people.)

Swansea.Cardiff News 10th December

Swansea City beat Hereford 3-1 in a reserve match (and the match report found its way onto Google News where I could find it). David Cornell, Daniel Sheehan, Matty Collins, Scott Evans, Casey Thomas and Chad Bond. Daniel Alfei came on as a substitute.

Joe Ledley has found he needs surgery on both his hips, not just the one as he thought. He could be out for eight months. He’s agreed to play on for the rest of the year (luckily for him it’s December) but he understandably wants the operation sooner rather than later. He’s expected to play on Sunday.