Woeful Magpies Trundle into free fall

Last updated : 18 December 2004 By Footymad Previewer

A Lee Trundle hat-trick and one from strike partner Paul Connor gave the Swans an easy victory over flu-ravaged Notts County.

Trundle struck in the 43rd, 70th and 90th minutes with Connor's header coming in the 76th.

The Swans almost made a perfect start when, in the first attack of the game, Andrew Gurney struck the cross bar with a header from a Marc Goodfellow free-kick.

The Swans took the lead just before the break when Trundle curled home a free-kick around the Magpies wall. The visitors had been penalised on the edge of the area when Trundle was held back by Kelvin Wilson, and he beat Saul Deeney at his near post to open the scoring.

Trundle went close after 10 minutes of the second half as the Swans pushed forward looking for a second goal.

Matthew Gill was booked on the hour for an off-the-ball foul on Goodfellow but referee Andy Woolmer should have allowed play to continue as the Swans had worked their way into a good position.

Trundle extended the home side's lead in the 70th minute when he gathered an Andy Gurney free-kick on the edge of the area, turned two defenders and blasted the ball into the back of the net.

Six minutes later it was all over as Connor headed home from close in after Gurney had nodded a Goodfellow cross back into the danger area.

Connor had the ball in the net again in the 82nd minute, but the referee disallowed the effort for offside.

The Swans were now rampant and only Deeney in the visitors' goal prevented the match from turning into a rout, but he was powerless to stop Trundle's penalty kick in injury time which was awarded after Sam Ricketts had been brought down inside the area.