Thomas enters Swansea folklore with solo rescue mission

Swansea City 4 Hull City

"It was unbelievable," said James Thomas, Swansea's hat-trick hero, of the crowd's reaction to the result. "It was if we had won the Premiership."

Swansea-born Thomas was only three years old when the Swans came closest to that feat by briefly topping the old First Division 21 years ago. On Saturday, he joined the club's roll of honour behind Ivor Allchurch, John Toshack et al after his hat-trick kept them out of the Nationwide Conference.

"Being a local boy, I know how much it means to everyone at Swansea," he said, "and it's probably the best moment of my career."

With a passionate crowd of 11,000 behind them, Swansea took an eighth-minute lead when Thomas scored from the spot after Leon Brittan had been brought down in the area.

Two mistakes allowed Stuart Elliot and Martin Reeves to ease Hull in front midway through the first-half before a much more debatable penalty was awarded for handball by the Hull captain, Justin Whittle, in the last minute of the first-half, which Thomas converted.

Afterwards, Whittle and his manager, Peter Taylor, protested his innocence. "At half-time, I told the referee that the officials were very poor," Taylor said. "Because of the hostile crowd, they couldn't wait to give certain decisions."

When Thomas flicked on a Roberto Martinez free-kick for Lenny Johnrose to stab home just after half-time, Swansea were almost there. A sublime 25-yard chip by Thomas in the 57th minute put the seal on a remarkable escape act.

With 20 games left, Swansea had just 18 points and were six adrift at the bottom of the table. Brian Flynn, the director of football, hauled the Swans clear but does not know if he will be kept on. "I've done the job I was asked to do and I'm out of contract," Flynn said. "My future needs to be sorted quickly so I can sort out all the players' futures. I want to stay and I wouldn't be making plans for the next three years if I didn't think I was going to be here."

Last March Swansea sacked Colin Addison to save money. Talks with Flynn will take place this week. To lose one respected and successful manager would be unfortunate, to lose two would be careless.

Goals: Thomas pen (8) 1-0; Elliott (9) 1-1; Reeves (25) 1-2; Thomas pen (45) 2-2; Johnrose (48) 3-2; Thomas (57) 4-2.

Swansea City (4-4-2): Cutler; Jenkins, O'Leary, Tate, Howard; Britton, Martinez, Johnrose, Coates; Nugent, Thomas. Substitutes not used: Freestone, Hylton, Jason Smith, Richards, Williams.

Hull City (4-4-2): Fettis; Otsemobor (Burton, 66), Whittle, Joseph, Smith; Delaney, Melton, Keates, Reeves; Elliott, Burgess (Webb, 62).

Substitutes not used: Musselwhite, Anderson, Regan.

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Stockport)

Booking: Hull Burgess.

Attendance: 9,585.