Swansea City most certainly were not at their best for this early afternoon kick off but they still managed to take all three points today. Despite an exceptionally poor completed passes stat (63%) which tells you some of the story, they had courage and endeavour which we wouldn’t have seen before Vitor Matos took over as head coach at the Swans.

Referee, William Finnie dominated this first half with some absurd decision making. Missing a blatant arm across the face of Franco by Sinclair Armstrong, pulling back a quickly taken throw in and penalising the Swans when a Bristol City player fell over, he seemed out of his depth. The Swans were still asleep for the first fifteen minutes of the half. The visitors hitting the post after Ethan Galbraith was nutmegged by the disruptive Armstrong, it seemed all at sea times. They did regain their composure though and as soon as Melker Widell started impressing the Swans did the same. Chasing a lost cause on twenty six minutes he gathered possession on the Swans left, right on the byline playing the ball back for Gustavo Nunes who crossed deep. Eom challenged his marker in the air but it was the defender who headed his clearance back across goal for an unmarked Zān Vipotnik to lash the ball home. 1-0 to the Swans.

The guy is simply on fire.

It was Eom who was receiving much of the ball on the Swans right but his last ball was letting him down. The visitors weren’t to be outdone as they pressed for an equaliser. Their work undone by the relentless Franco and the Swans two centre backs. Much of their hard work was either sniffed out by Ben Cabango and Cameron Burgess or the ball drifting out for a goal kick. Bar the effort that hit the post there was little from them over the first forty nine minutes. The crowd were getting frustrated as the aforementioned, Finnie intervened on far too many occasions. He was stopping play, seeing things that only he will be able to explain and generally displaying his lack of experience to officiate a game of this nature.

Nunes on the Swans left looked far better in attack than Eom generally does and with Ronald benched as mentioned he was struggling at times to provide a decent cross. However, Eom is an able addition when his side is being attacked and he displayed on several occasions his ability in the air, not least to put off his marker for the Swans goal. More solidity was required in the second half as this game wasn’t over by a long way.

The second half saw no changes but after five minutes Nunes was withdrawn for Ronald. The Robins were most certainly more attack minded. Eom switched to his more natural wing and Ronald took up his role on the right. What was noticeable from the first half with only sixty three percent completed passes that this was also being acted out in this half. The visitors passing was most certainly more natural and productive leading to Vigouroux in the Swans goal blocking a shot on fifty five minutes. Jay Fulton was struggling to keep his feet in driving rain and the physical side of his game was being challenged. That big man Armstrong was allowed to turn on sixty three minutes by Burgess and his shot had to be stopped again by Vigouroux. Swansea were playing well within themselves again and any opportunity to get forwards was wasted. On sixty five minutes Vipotnik found space but was reaching too much to convert an opportunity which went wide. Another feature of this game seemed to be the incessant shirt pulling captured by Indy photographer Duncan Johnson. (below).

Bristol City had made numerous changes in this half as it was quite obvious the Swans were well below tempo. Their attacking options numerous and dangerous. A Tymon run into the Robins area led to a corner on sixty nine minutes as Malick Yalcouyé replaced Melker Widell. The issue at this point was the Swans determination to get that second goal. They were playing for time and we hadn’t even hit seventy minutes. That negative mindset allowed the Robins to regroup and attack with far more ferocity than the Swans. This was most certainly a test for Vitor Matos to control from the sidelines.

Yalcouyé was busy as soon as he came on. The referee though was beginning to intervene again awarding a few fee kicks, one on the Robins keeper bizarre. That though didn’t affect the Swans they had a very defensive body shape. Vitor Matos clearly wasn’t happy with what he was seeing as withnywnety minutes to go he assembled his substitutes. Liam Cullen came on for Vipotnik, Franco off for Walta and Galbraith was replaced by Joel Ward. It needed something. And it worked. The visitors hit the post again when a swirling shot from Riis beat Vigouroux on his right and saved him embarrassment bouncing out for a goal kick.

On another day.

The same issues remained though, too much passing and not enough thinking when an opportunity to cross was right in front of the Swans. Yalcouyé continued to threaten but the real worry was how the Swans would defend the last ten minutes. They did with four minutes added time given. A lovely move by the Swans ended up with Cullen who shot but the keeper saved and it was cleared. The additions of Yalcouyé and Leo Walta added imputes when the Swans could get forwards both stood out. Walta albeit slight has tremendous strength on the ball which was a feature lacking in today’s game for the Swans overall. Matos greeted the fans after the game with the usual fist pumps and it was a huge relief to see the Swans take all the points. There was character today and you can’t be excellent every game, this was a difficult win but win the Swans did. Preston North End looms on Tuesday evening (7:45pm) a fixture which has now completely sold out.

⚽️ Swans: Lawrence Vigouroux 7 Ethan Galbraith 6 (Joel Ward 79) 6 Ben Cabango 7 (c), Cameron Burgess 7 Josh Tymon 6 Jay Fulton 6 Gonçalo Franco 7 (Leo Walta 79) 7 Melker Widell 7 (Malick Yalcouye 70) 7 Gustavo Nunes 6 (Ronald 54) 6 Jisung Eom 6 Zan Vipotnik 7 (Liam Cullen 79) 6

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Josh Key, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Ollie Cooper.

⚽️ Robins: Radek Vitek, Adam Randell (Max Bird 57) Rob Atkinson, Delano Burgzorg (Emil Riis 65), Jason Knight (captain), Tomi Horvat (Scott Twine 57), George Tanner, Neto Borges, Sinclair Armstrong (Sam Bell 80), Noah Eile, George Earthy (Mark Sykes 65).

Unused Substitutes: Joe Lumley, Cameron Pring, Joe Williams, Sam Morsy.

⚽️ Referee: Will Finnie : Absurdly incompetent at times, well out of his depth. 3/10

⚽️ Attendance: 18,009
Away : 2,229

More reaction on this name to come.

Photographs : Duncan Johnson