The Swans recently put a poll out about the best away days in recent years and some of the selections and votes left me feeling underwhelmed. Therefore I’m going to bring you my top 20 over the coming weeks and months and rank them in what I think is the correct order. This is a very tough ask so I’ve drawn up a system to try and separate the games based on our performance, the occasion, the entertainment, the atmosphere and the result. Each of these is ranked out of five to give a maximum score of 25.
Millwall 1-2 Swansea City, September 2018
If you take one thing from this feature once it’s been concluded, it’s that if you’re debating a London away trip then always decide to go. This is the fourth game running from the capital and there’s no doubt whatsoever that after just five minutes of this match, the chances of it featuring in a top away days list appeared to be very slim.
That’s because Courtney Baker-Richardson who was handed his league debut would be heading for an early bath for a reckless lunge at James Meredith which put us in big trouble.
The Swans managed the remainder of the half quite well, with Steve Morison and Jed Wallace both missing chances for the hosts as the game was all square at the break.
The Lions did eventually go in front on the hour mark, and I’m sure it’ll come as no surprise to learn that it was from a corner with a cross to the back post headed across goal towards Wallace to nodded it into the far corner.
Graham Potter’s side looked unlikely to come away with anything at this stage, but he took the gamble of throwing Jefferson Montero on to try and turn the game, and it worked a treat as he seized on a long cross field ball before playing it into Kyle Naughton who was playing as a makeshift central midfielder because Leroy Fer had gone off injured who made himself some space before striking a brilliant shot into the bottom left hand corner to equalise and send the travelling fans wild.
At this stage a point would have been considered a great result but on 85 minutes it got even better. The Swans won a free kick for an offside deep in their own half which was taken quickly to Montero, who dribbled towards the halfway line before passing to Celina, who plays a first time defence splitting ball back to Montero who by now was in the area, and his first time cross gave Oli McBurnie a tap in to nick a late winner, to cause carnage in the away end, Wyndham Evans to go mad on commentary and even the ice cool Potter momentarily lost his head!
The action wasn’t done there though as Tom Carroll hit the post with a lovely shot from just inside the box, and in the very last minute of added time Tom Elliott headed onto the bar and the ball dropped to Erwin Mulder who managed to hold it to ensure the Swans would see out the game.
We may have had more high profile wins in recent years, but in the circumstances this must rank as a great victory.
