Swansea City took all the points at Blackburn Rovers last night coming back from a 1-0 deficit at Ewood Park. Cheered on by four hundred Jacks this midweek clash was never going to be easy.
This will not be remembered as a great game, it never really got going with sporadic interruptions by some nice Swansea passing which made the win more pleasing. Both of the Swans goals came from some slick movement, first Gonçalo Franco (below) meeting with Josh Tymon’s superb cross in the first half and then two second half subs combined in Adam Idah and Liam Cullen to grab the win. Blackburn boss, Valerien Ismael thought his side had a penalty when Cameron Burgess tackled Todd Cantwell in the Swans area, but the home side were more huff and puff throughout this encounter. When they did have good chances the ever reliable Vigouroux was there to thwart them with two superb saves in the second half.
In the first half before that late goal the Swans just really couldn’t get going. Inoussa was deployed out on the left wing, he was isolated and we never saw any evidence of his blistering pace all night. He was replaced by Eom in the second half. Despite his lack of strength on the ball Eom did wake up things in parts after he came on. Manuel a benson who went off for Ronald was pretty much off the pace as he works himself back to full fitness. Adam Idah and of course Liam Cullen came on and changed the game, both looked dangerous on the rare occasions the Swans got forwards. Jay Fulton was brought on to shore up things as the game entered its final stages. As stated it wasn’t a masterclass but three points was the mission and the Swans were most certainly on form in that department. They also managed to avoid an injury time goal which has scuppered the last three league games.
So, job done in that respect.
However, Valerien Ismael won’t be happy with his side. Ryan Alebiosu Crossed for Todd Cantwell to somehow score on twenty eight minutes but before that had little to show for their effort. The same can be said about the Swans, but they did equalise on forty four minutes through Franco with that magnificent volley. The move for the winning goal was pure calmness on the ball from Adam Idah, racing forwards he took time to pick out his pass from the Swans right for the on rushing Liam Cullen who placed his shot into the Blackburn goal.
It was a game whereby the team who could finish the better was going to take the points. With decisions going against the Swans this season the Cantwell claim for a penalty may have been a good one. It looked at first as if he hadn’t even had contact with Burgess, and the referee thought the same. Is that one of those shouts that generally even themselves out in a full season ? Either way we will will bring you the full thoughts of Swans head coach Alan Sheehan and of course what was a bitter post match from Ismael. It was a hard battle in defence, we didn’t see too much to concern us there bar the defending for the home sides only goal, bar that Cameron Burgess and Ben Cabango marshalled things well. Josh Tymon was also key to this victory, he is as determined player than you will see in a Swans shirt this season.
Credit goes to Ronald as well after he came on in the second half, he made a couple of decent runs and always attracted two markers due to his pace. Not only that he ensured that the Swans players came over to the away supporters (below) to offer their appreciation too. That’s important, and always rule number one when away from home with many taking the four hundred and twenty mile round trip from Swansea and even deeper west. North Wales Jacks were well represented as were fans from across the north west.
⚽️ Alan Sheehan post match
"We have played a lot better than that and not won games this season. We huffed and puffed in the first half and then we found that one moment of quality with an incredible volley by Goncalo. I was delighted for him and then we started the second half, made a couple of changes and ultimately Adam comes on and shows wonderful composure and Culls is there in the right place and that decides the game. We sunk in a bit after that, but we defended our box really, really well and gave them very little. We managed the game, and sometimes you have to come to places and find a way to get results. Obviously we want to play well, but tonight was about mentality and resilience and we are very happy to come away with the three points.”
⚽️ Valerie’s Ismael post match on the penalty shout
"This one is the worst; it’s a terrible decision. It’s a big one and I have asked the referee for an answer because I need to speak tonight. When you hear that for him and the linesman that it wasn’t enough for a penalty, it’s going to be difficult to have an exchange. It was a terrible comment and a terrible answer on that. It looks difficult at the minute and we don’t want to be the victim, but we had a penalty situation at West Brom, a penalty situation at Watford, Charlton was a penalty situation and tonight as well. It’s becoming too much and those decisions can change the start of your season and you can get more points, you can build momentum and that connection with your fans.
⚽️ Blackburn Rovers: Balazs Toth, Ryan Alebiosu ** Yuri Ribeiro, Taylor Gardner-Hickman (Dion De Neve 89) Sondre Tronstad, Todd Cantwell (C) Andri Gudjohnsen, Lewis Miller, Sean McLoughlin, Ryan Hedges (Yuki Ohashi 71), Ryoya Morishita (Augustus Kargbo 46).
Unused Substitutes: Aynsley Pears, Harry Pickering, Sidnei Tavares, Scott Wharton, Axel Henriksson, Kristi Montgomery.
⚽️ ** Ryan Alebiosu : Rovers MOM. Quality player.
⚽️ Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 9 Josh Key 5 Ben Cabango (C) 7 Cameron Burgess 6 Josh Tymon 8 Marko Stamenic 6 (Jay Fulton 84), Goncalo Franco 7 Ethan Galbraith 6 (Liam Cullen 64) 7 Manuel Benson 5 (Ronald 56) 7 Zeidane Inoussa 5 (Jisung Eom 56) 6 Žan Vipotnik 6 (Adam Idah 64) 7
Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Malick Yalcouye, Ishe Samuels-Smith, Kaelan Casey.
⚽️ Referee: Leigh Doughty : 6/10 didn’t miss much and stood firm for the Cantwell decision in the penalty area.
⚽️ Attendance: 11,023 (404 away) Reuters
Match facts and stats to follow.
⚽️ Watch the highlights
🔴 Our photographs are officially licensed by Swansea Independent from Reuters, as are our stats. Use of any photographs licensed from Reuters has to come with a license.