Steve Cooper’s Swans win 2-1 at home to Millwall at the Liberty this afternoon in a classic Championship confrontation. True grit, determination and a solid game plan defeated an angry Gary Rowett as any questions on Coopers tactics were answered today.

Two goals from defenders Jake Bidwell and Ben Cabango put the icing on a tough and hard fought win against Millwall who responded to pull the game level after Bidwells opener.

Cooper was glowing with pride after this afternoons clash with Millwall.“We play hard and we play fair, there are a lot of young players in the team and you want them to stand up and be counted,” If you don’t do that against a team like Millwall then they will walk all over you. The fact that they didn’t do that today is great credit to our boys, we played like men today. I think that we did come of age today, I said to the lads before the game that these are the games where, if we are serious about what we are doing, we have got to make sure that we first stand up and be counted. We have to try and impose our game. We know we’re at home, we know what the Championship brings, and how to win. Today we did, and if means this is part of the evolution of these boys growing up a little bit then great. I think they did come of age a little bit today, but we need to keep going now.”

Millwall manager Rowett gave the swans no credit for being the better side throughout and spent much of the ninety minutes screaming and shouting at anyone who would listen. Anyone watching his behaviour could clearly see he was on the edge watching his team being dominated by Swansea. There’s no way a manager of his so say credentials is learning anything other than how much a packet of throat lozenges cost. He clearly doesn’t understand that his behaviour rubs off on his players. "First half Swansea were the better side and we were a little bit too far off them at times. I was a little disappointed with the performance in the first half. To come in at 0-0 I was relatively pleased with the scoreline but not with the performance."It was a really poor goal to give away - I have to say our normal resolute defensive nature was not there. Then for 25 minutes we were excellent. We scored a worthy goal and had some other good moments, but their second goal was disappointing again. That was unlike us, but I think we just about did enough to get a point."

Yes it was another game that could have been won easier with chances for Lowe and Ayew in the first half that saw the swans dominate possession 66% too 34% Rough house tactics by Millwall in the second half didn’t bother the swans as they challenged for every ball and looked far more likely too get a third with Roberts raids down the right flank. Millwall did apply pressure to the swans defence in the last six minutes but they looked comfortable throughout - Benda pulled off a stunning save late on. This result would not have happened last season, it’s testament to Coopers continued ethos at Swansea City. New signing Gyökeres did make an appearance with fifteen minutes to go getting a feel of what it is really like to wear the white shirt of Swansea City.

Cabango celebrates the swans winner today against Millwall

Regardless of Rowett and his attitude both during and after the game he surely learned a lesson today. But then after you have been at as many clubs as he has you would have thought he may have learned it by now.

Swansea City: Benda; Cabango, Rodon, Guehi; Roberts, Smith, Grimes (C), Bidwell; Gibbs-White (Fulton 79), Ayew, Lowe (Gyokeres 75).
Subs not used: Webb, Naughton, Cullen, Routledge, Garrick.

Yellow card: Guehi 27

Goals: Bidwell 46, Cabango 68

Millwall: Bialkowski; Cooper, Pearce (C) (Bodvarsson 85), Hutchinson; Romeo, Malone, Woods, Leonard; Bennett (Mahoney 75), J Wallace, Bradshaw (Smith 75).
Subs not used: Fielding, M Wallace, Williams, Thompson.

Yellow card: Malone 90+5

Goal: Bradshaw 51

Referee: Stephen Martin

Photo: Action Images

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