SMFA Shield Final FC Basel 1 Swansea City 3

A hard fought and often tense SMFA shield final was won by Swansea City at Wembley last night. A teary eyed Fred Dodger, the victorious manager, could hardly contain himself as he exited the field of play, held aloft by his players as Men of Harlech echoed around the stadium.

The Swansea fans had been in fine voice before the game but didn't have a lot to sing about in a tense first half. Both teams were reluctant to commit too many men forward and it led to little goal mouth action. Basel had the two best chances of the half but Vorm was alert on both occasions.

If the massed male voice choirs of welshmen were a little subdued in the first 45 minutes they were stunned into silence after five minutes of the second half when Diaz slipped one past Vorm, who may have done better, after a cut back by the ever dangerous veteran Streller.

The goal was just what the game needed; Swansea had to react and they responded by pushing forward with more intent and were level within ten minutes, Prieto curling a peach of a shot in from around 20 yards. Almost from the restart Swansea were ahead after winger Danny, of all people, rose up in the box  to nod in a header from Rodriguez's free kick. Veteran Walter Samuel was ashen faced as it was his ugly hack on Guttierez that had been penalised.

The fight seemed to drain out of Basel but they realised the game was slipping away and mounted some late attacks that casued a few nervous moments in the city defence.

With five minutes to go though, man of the match Danny latched on Guttierez's lay off, fired the ball through a crowded penalty area and wheeled away to embrace his ecstatic his manager as the net bulged. Cue pandemonium in the crowd as they knew the cup was coming back to South Wales.

Manager Fred Dodger: "It's a fitting end to this season. We've been through a lot. Losing the final in our domestic shield was a bitter blow but we got through that. We then had to fight a relegation battle, and I take full responsibilty for us being down there, but the players dug us out of that hole too. This success is nothing more than they deserve. I don't like to single players out but Danny has been immense since we signed him late in the season. We need somebody on the left wing after Pablo Hernandez's injury troubles but I wasn't expecting the level of perfomances he's given us. He's a winner and given us all a lift. I can't wait to get started again next season"