18/08/2008 - Just so stylish - it was worth the wait
One thousand, two hundred and sixty-eight weeks since they last had the pleasure, Swansea City celebrated victory in English football's second tier this weekend.
And on the evidence of a memorable triumph over Nottingham Forest, it should be a matter of days before their next Championship success.
After an opening-day trip which was high on promise but low on points, Swansea delivered on both counts on their second outing at this level since relegation from what was then Division Two back in 1984.
And the fact that the maiden league win of the campaign came against one of Swansea's old League One sparring partners should not reduce the credit aimed in their direction.
Roberto Martinez's men deserve plenty of plaudits for downing Forest, the biggest spenders in the division this summer, and doing so in considerable style.
And for all the visitors' complaints about the controversial penalty award which sent Swansea on their way to victory, Colin Calderwood and Co could not argue that the right team had not won.
"Some of the football we produced in the first half especially was as good as we have seen since we came back for pre-season," Martinez said.
"It was a pleasure to watch at times and the one disappointment was that we didn't take advantage when we were in control of the game.
"We need to make the pressure count otherwise, against the quality of opposition we'll face in this division, we'll get punished.
"We saw that here because we had to play two games. We ended up getting nothing out of the first half so we had to go and win the second half. Thankfully, we managed that."
Swansea had been easy on the eye at The Valley, but easy too on the bloke operating the scoreboard.
He was untroubled thanks to Swansea's failure to create enough chances and to convert those that did come their way.
Against a Forest side renowned for their miserliness, Martinez's team conjured more openings and, eventually, put enough away to secure an uplifting win.
The new season may only be a week old, but Swansea needed a maximum haul to help them settle in new surroundings.
Publicly he may brush aside the significance of results at this stage of a campaign, but privately Martinez will be delighted.
The Spaniard is adamant his players already recognise that they have what it takes to make a mark on the top rung of the Coca-Cola ladder.
Yet there is no doubt Swansea's leader has been keeping his fingers crossed for some early success to prove it to a squad which, as the watching John Toshack has pointed out, is sorely lacking in Championship experience.
"The belief has always been there on the inside," Martinez insisted.
"Maybe it has not been there on the outside, but we didn't need a result to get belief.
"All I would say is that the first three points of the season are always positive and important, and we're pleased because we've progressed from Charlton."
So far had they come in seven days that Forest, who kept two clean sheets against Swansea last term and had the best defensive record in the third tier, might have been dead and buried inside a dazzling opening 35 minutes.
Calderwood named the same back-four and goalkeeper who had played in both last year's goalless encounters with Swansea.
Here it took only seven minutes for the visitors' defences to be breached, when Jason Scotland fed Leon Britton and the little midfielder struck an uncharacteristically venomous shot from just outside the box.
The ball crashed back off the post, onto the back of prone keeper Paul Smith and, eventually, over the line.
"It's just a case of me getting my head down and swinging on my left foot from that distance," Britton admitted through a smile.
"It seemed like time froze after it rebounded off the keeper, and I was just glad the defender couldn't get back to clear it.
"You would have got long odds on me hitting a shot like that, so I'm claiming the goal. Whether the ref will give it to me I'm not sure."
Britton is likely to be disappointed on that score, just as Martinez was by his players' failure to add to the score.
Tom Butler saw a well-struck volley parried by Smith, Darren Pratley stabbed wide after Scotland and Ferrie Bodde had passed up shooting opportunities.
Next Butler, fed by Britton, cut inside Luke Chambers's challenge but fired straight at Smith when a second goal looked certain.
Then came arguably the move of the match, Pratley winning possession and Butler feeding Scotland.
The striker spotted Bodde bursting in behind the Forest rearguard and chipped a pass which the flying Dutchman headed just off the target.
Martinez pirouetted in exasperation, for this would have been one of the goals of the campaign.
"Darren Pratley and Ferrie Bodde created massive problems and Leon was a steadying influence for us," Martinez purred. "They controlled the game."
If Martinez's midfield are full of confidence right now, his rearguard do not look so certain.
After the set-piece sorrow of Charlton, Swansea survived all free-kicks and corners against a Forest side who might have stolen all the hosts' Weetabix.
But they were unlocked this time from a throw-in.
Lee Martin worked a quick exchange with Guy Moussi and whipped in a cross which squirted between Garry Monk and Dorus de Vries.
James Perch, who might have been surprised the ball had reached him, bundled home off his shin.
Cue Forest's best spell, with Robert Earnshaw, who was barracked relentlessly as expected, scuffing the chance to get his own back early in the second period.
Scotland fired too close to Smith at the other end before Butler tumbled under Wes Morgan's challenge and Paul Taylor pointed to the spot.
On respect for referees weekend, eight Forest players remonstrated with the official. They cheered up when Smith saved Bodde's tame effort, but misery returned when he swept in the rebound.
"Once you get in the area you can't tackle a player like that," said Martinez, sweeping aside debate over the decision.
After a fine de Vries save denied Martin a second Forest leveller, substitute Gorka Pintado marked his Swansea debut with a glorious third goal, the man they call El Toro meeting Mark Gower's cross perfectly with the outside of his right boot.
"That's as good a goal as you will see at any level," Martinez said.
"It's difficult to find players like Gorka. You can get them, but they will cost £5million, £6million or £7million."
Pintado, Martinez pointed out, was acquired for just £70,000. Contrast that to the £2.65million Forest spent on Earnshaw and you get an idea of how impressive Swansea's thrilling weekend victory was.
"I guarantee you the rest of the season will be just as exciting because that's the way we play," Martinez said.
Swansea's followers can hardly wait for the next instalment - and perhaps the next win - even it is only a few days away.