It really is just a fledgling partnership. It may seem that they have been together for ages, but it was only last February and, effectively, just the final 15 games of last season that the partnership was forged.

So, starting out this time, preparing week in, week out for the challenge would really give boss Brian Laws a proper idea of where the partnership stands.

Tomorrow, on Wednesday's first visit to the Liberty Stadium, they come up against the burly Jason Scotland, a striker who has had two top seasons.

The West Indian - he is capped by Trinidad and Tobago - arrived from St Johnstone having average a goal every two games.

He even did marginally better than that for Swansea last season - 24 goals in 45 appearances helping them surge to the League One crown.

Strong and strong-running, Scotland will provide a physical test for the Wood/Beevers combo.

The 29-year-old bagged the winner at Plymouth last Saturday after a typical barrelling run into the area.

If Scotland's goals and presence up front is the rough side, the smooth side is portrayed by the European influx that manager Roberto Martinez has introduced.

Right-back Angel Rangel (from Girona), midfielder Guillem Bauza (from Espanyol) and Dutchman Ferrie Bodde (from Den Haag) were influential figures for much of last season.

This time Martinez has added another Espanyol player, midfielder Jordi Gomez, and striker Gorka Pintado (from Granada).

Swans sources believe Pintado will prove an absolute bargain at just £70,000.

It was Gomez who struck the extra-time penalty winner against Hull in the Carling Cup win on Tuesday with Pintado having earlier equalised (and seen a penalty saved by Hull's reserve keeper, Sheffielder Matt Duke).

They even have a Dutch goalkeeper, Dirus De Vries, who played in Holland but was signed from Dunfermline.

But it simply isn't all about the European influence, and Martinez has skilful midfield operators in Leon Britton, Darren Pratley and Thomas Butler, all with lower-division backgrounds.

At the back, they include central defender Garry Monk, now in his fifth season with the Swans having previously played at Barnsley and, on loan, with Wednesday in 2002/03.

Alongside him in centre defence is one of football's tallest players - 6ft 7in Dennis Lawrence.

n Wednesday striker Deon Burton will clock up FIVE more games for Jamaica before the end of November.

The long-distance centre-forward will play twice during next week's international break with only two days between a World Cup qualifier in Honduras and the Owls' home game against Watford on Saturday September 13.

Burton played in Jamaica's 1-1 draw with Canada nine days ago before a rushed trip from Toronto back to play for Wednesday against Preston at the weekend.

Another jet-lag-inducing, double helping of international action arrives in mid October.

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