Reflections on Swansea draw

'That was better', is what I will say about the Swansea game!

On a cracking day, an absolute belter of an Easter weekend game, we saw a much greater amount of effort and endeavour again, which is something that - for me - had been missing in recent games and has made the defeats all the more frustrating.

Without doubt though the quality, especially in the final third, was missing. For both sides mind!

For me I think a draw was about the right result although Steve Cotterill thought we 'just about' deserved all 3pts but was happy to take a point to make it 4pts we have taken from them this season: 'there aren't many teams who have taken four points off Swansea this season like we have. It was a very tough and competitive game.

'I think we shaded it overall - in the first half we were the better team and we had the best chances in the game.'

With injuries mounting up going into the game only 4 subs could be named - further injuries in the 0-0 draw and loan rulings could mean we have even fewer on Monday when we go to Burnley. Déjà vu anyone?

This is what he is feeling as far as the numbers are going - and this makes him happier that we are safe from relegation: 'how we've managed to get to where we are in the table has been a credit to the players. It's been almost a miracle.

'I should imagine there are teams below with much larger squads who would love to have as many points as we are.

'I think we've gone full-circle back to where we were at the beginning of the season. We're pathetically thin. The fact we had just four substitutes shows exactly where we are.'

How many subs we will have on Easter Monday will depend on how badly injured a couple forced off with these injuries recover.

Cotterill hopes to have greater numbers for the trip to Turf Moore although either way he is looking forward to his return to a former club: 'I'm looking forward to going back to Burnley very much. I would like to be doing it with a stronger squad, but we'll make as good a fist of it as we can.

'We've got to hope the gods are with us and we get a goal in front to give us something to hold on to.

'We don't know yet how bad the injuries are to De Laet and Kitson, but Kitson's is probably worse. It looked like a cracked rib.

'De Laet hurt his calf but at this stage we don't know if it`s a pull or bad cramp.'

As said I do not think many can be faulted for effort and commitment, I thought we saw plenty of this - and much more than we have seen in recent weeks - but that little bit of extra quality that we have missed up top for quite some time made the main difference in the end.

This was a good point, although it came at a price - that said 'if' Dave Kitson misses out against Burnley would it 'really' be a bad thing...

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