Torquay 0 Swansea 0

Last updated : 08 March 2003 By Footymad Previewer

There was little entertainment for a crowd chilled by a West Country gale which ruined the match as a spectacle, but Swansea were delighted with a point.

"It’s a point gained without a doubt," said Swansea manager Brian Flynn. "It was a difficult wind and we had a lot of defending to do in the second half "But we showed a lot of commitment to the job.” Torquay head coach Leroy Rosenior described it as: "An awful game, one of the worst I've seen for a long time.

"But we've kept a clean sheet and got another point without playing well.

"Its going to be interesting right to the end of the season and, when we look back then this might prove to be a good point.” Outstanding for Swansea was 20-year-old centre half Alan Tate, on loan from Manchester United, who did not miss a trick in the air or on the ground.

Torquay, who had to face the near gale force wind in the first half were the happier side at the interval, especially as livewire striker Jo Kuffour was always a threat with his pace.

But with the wind behind them Torquay increasingly played too many long, high balls and Tate and Kristian O’Leary gobbled them up.

Swansea could and should have won it in the 65th minute.

When Torquay only half cleared a corner, Leon Britton's deflected shot fell for O'Leary only four yards out, but he was so surprised to find himself still onside that he fluffed his shot.

Torquay's leading scorer David Graham went close in the 72nd minute, poking the ball just wide after beating Swansea keeper Neil Cutler to a through ball.

But a goal then would have been a cruel injustice for Swansea's gritty defence.