It was another one of those desperate finishes at the Swansea. Com this afternoon as the Swans made it seven points from nine under interim head coach, Alan Sheehan. In a game which Swansea City really should have wrapped up in the first half it came down to resilience and character for the Swans to take all three points.

The Swans dominated the first half of this encounter, their press was perfect and it wasn’t until the forty fourth minute that Boro looked any danger to the home side. A snapshot from Hackney from Boro’s first corner of the game and a safely collected effort fielded by Vigouroux.

Before that it was all Swansea City.

Shots from striker, Vipotnik (he is showing he can be these days) testing Travers in the Boro goal and a wonderful overhead kick which had to be scrambled away for a corner displayed his confidence. When Eom scored his first goal for the Swans on twenty six minutes it looked like more would come in this half. A lovely run from the South Korean carefully measuring his shot as it angled its way into the Middlesbrough goal. It was no more than the Swans deserved for their hard work and constant pressure. Ronald was very much involved often through on the Swans right flank, much of what he was doing was falling short, a part of his game which is sadly a regular feature. Short passes, running into defenders and failing to see a dangerous pass interdispersed with some threatening runs and endeavour. For all his faults you cannot take away his effort in a Swans shirt.

Lewis O’Brien was quietly confident in his pressing as was Franco, the latter earning himself a yellow card towards the end of the half for a pretty indifferent challenge. Referee Ricardo was being very quick to pull play back without seeing the bigger picture, and only on one occasion did he change that pattern of officiating. There was an imbalance in his officiating, the Swans keenness to get to the ball and play forwards either too quick for him to grasp or his lack of experience showing through. The Swans aren’t a dirty side, they have a clear desire under Alan Sheehan to get the ball and quickly move it forwards.

The chances that did go begging in front of the Boro goal were frustrating. When you dominate a game such as this and don’t reap the rewards there’s always a thought in the back of your mind that the opposition will counteract at some time. What we can say from this opening forty eight minutes is the Swans were far and away the better side, they had more endeavour and fight in them from the off.

Josh Key had been given the brief to get forwards but his good work would often be broken up through a lack of decision making at a crucial time. The defence was relatively untested, Captain Ben Cabango was solid and despite a few errors Harry Darling alongside him was as dependable as he was earlier on in the season. Overall a very pleasing first half from a much changed Swansea City since the departure of Luke Williams. The half time stats seemed to do no justice to the play and that Swansea dominance in that first half.

The second half was always going to be different. Boro capitalised on a Josh Key error but went offside and a breakaway saw a shot whistling by Vigouroux’s right hand post. The Swans were not as high in their press and not as sharp for the opening five minutes. Despite them loose in their play Lewis O’Brien did get a shot away and the influential Eom cut a ball back but luckily for the visitors it was cleared. Composure was lacking from both sides as we approached the sixty minute mark.

A wonderful free kick from Eom somehow evaded three Swansea players charging in to the Boro box to get a touch. Right across that attacking line it was just inches that mattered. It was a delightful set piece. On sixty two minutes Harry Darling went down and Hannes Delcroix was ready to come on. The ball was now a hot potato with both sides looking uncomfortable when in possession. The Swans were still by far the better side but their hard work off the ball was being let down by really poor decision making. Franco an example of someone who was no longer alert or aware of his surroundings.

You forgive him though for his battling temperament.

A lovely ball from Josh Tymon to O’Brien was crossed into Vipotnik but was deflected over the bar for a corner, it could have gone in. From that corner Delcroix saw the ball late and it deflected off him and out of play. It was a chance. On sixty eight minutes a fine cross in from the left by Tymon was met by Eom but his on target shot was somehow cleared for a corner. The Swans seemed to have some of their mojo back. Tymon hitting a shot on the volley way over the bar. Another poor example from Ronald after all his effort to attack with the ball was seen on seventy one minutes. A clear pass inside which would have set Liam Cullen away was missed. Ronald gave the ball away. This gave Boro some confidence. A great save from Vigouroux and a blocked shot went out for a corner to the visitors on the Swans right.

On seventy three minutes we saw Ollie Cooper on for Eom and Florian Bianchini on for Vipotnik.

This was now a matter of a finely balanced game which could still be won by either side, despite the Swans one goal advantage. Jay Fulton replaced Liam Cullen with ten minutes to go and it looked like we were in for a Swans rearguard action for the remainder of the game. Boro were now pressing. The whole Swansea mindset had changed. Corners followed. The defensive actions of the home side were strong with Bianchini clearing the ball four times in quick succession.

The visitors were now the stronger, this was so reminiscent of those early season games that got away from the Swans. Could they hang on ? Another corner on eighty nine minutes. This was swung in but Vigouroux collected the deep cross magnificently. We saw five minutes signalled by the fourth official. Like the opening game of the season in Middlesbrough the home side were hanging on for the win. Cooper was fighting for everything as he earned a few free kicks for the Swans deep in Boro territory. He also had a snapshot which completely missed the target when he could have crossed. The defending was spot on as every ball was met by a white shirt and the Swans support was in full voice.

When the final whistle went it was met with a huge relief and the loudest cheers we have heard this year. Sheehan had guided his side to a third clean sheet and now the Swans had forty four points and are twelve points clear of the relegation places this evening.

⚽️ Highlights

⚽️ SWANSEA CITY (4-2-3-1):

Vigouroux 6; Key 6, Cabango 7, Darling 7 (Delcroix 63, 6), Tymon 7; Franco 7, O’Brien 7; Ronald 6, Cullen 6 (Fulton 81), EOM 8 (Cooper 73, 6) Vipotnik 7 (Bianchini 73, 5)

Subs (not used): McLaughlin (gk), Allen, Ginnelly, Christie, Naughton.

Att : 13,986
406 away

⚽️ Referee : Rueben Ricardo : A great cocktail name, and at times in the first half he looked a bit squiffy. 5/10.

Photograph : Swansea City AFC & open source. Stats Swansea Independent

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