You just knew that when Marko Stamenić was sent off for a clumsy challenge on BAFTA award-winning Ethan Laird, today was going to become even harder than it already was. Despite that, the Swans could have been a few goals up before the incident. The bad luck, frustration and overall despondency may well have returned, but that was only part of the story.

The Swans eked out two excellent opportunities in the first twenty minutes. One was a take-your-pick shirt pull on two Swansea players, which resulted in a penalty. Ross Stewart took it, but Ryan Allsop dived to his right and saved it. Then Gonçalo Franco met a superb Eom cross, heading against the home side’s post. The Swans had started very positively.

Then, on twenty-five minutes, a challenge by Marko Stamenić (below) on Ethan Laird saw the referee produce the worst possible colour of card. It was red, and he was off. Looking at it, there was certainly an element of miscontrol in the tackle, but a red? Most certainly not.

All the hard work had been undone by this one moment. Shortly afterwards, Jay Stansfield latched onto a cross from Birmingham’s right to put City into a 1–0 lead. It was pretty much the first time Blues had worried the Swans, who were still adjusting to being reduced to ten men.

The whole mindset had now changed. After an attacking and positive start, the Swans dropped into defence, which in turn gave the home side opportunities to move the ball forwards at will. It already looked like a lost cause.

Shots came in, but the Swans’ defensive approach prevented a cohesive response.

Then a wonderful double save by Vigouroux on thirty-six minutes kept the score at 1–0. Two astonishing reaction saves prevented the game from being effectively lost before half-time. The tough luck continued on thirty-eight minutes when a fierce shot from Swans defender Filip Lissah was saved by Allsop, with the rebound falling favourably for the home side.

Ross Stewart earned himself a yellow card for a rash challenge on forty-one minutes.

The Swans seemed far too conscious of being a man down. They still attempted to claw back the deficit, but their decision-making at crucial moments was letting them down. On forty-six minutes, Vigouroux made another save, this time with his feet. Jay Fulton was felled by a hard shot to the face, but, being Jay, he was soon back up. Being a man down should not have left the Swans so exposed down their right flank, particularly with more than one Swansea player covering that area.

Right at the end of the five minutes of added time, Max Bird headed against Vigouroux’s left-hand post. The follow-up was superbly saved by the Swans keeper, and it was deep breaths all round. Getting in at 1–0 was the priority, and the Swans did just that. Without Vigouroux’s heroics, though, it would have been more (below).

The second half began with Josh Key replacing Eom in a tactical change.

It wasn’t long before Jay Fulton earned himself a yellow card, which looked quite soft, while the home side’s domination continued. Despite the defensive changes, the Swans were still open, even with an extra defender on the pitch. Gaps in midfield ensured the home side retained possession, but Josh Tymon was working hard to win the ball back and earn set-piece opportunities.

Then came another yellow card, this time for Jay Stansfield for sarcastically applauding the referee after the Swans were awarded a free-kick.

On fifty-five minutes, Ethan Laird, fresh from his first-half dramatics, was booked for diving in the penalty area. Just rewards after another piece of theatre.

The Swans then brought on Elijah Just and Žan Vipotnik for Moussa Yeo and Ross Stewart. The home side also made changes. Swansea were now kicking towards their sold-out travelling support, every one of them willing the Swans forwards. Vipotnik had a good thirty minutes to make his mark.

The first sign of a recovery came from a set piece: a corner on the Swans’ right, earned through hard work. Sixty-five minutes had gone when the ball was fizzed in. Blues keeper Allsop was all at sea as it rebounded off defender Klarer and into his own net (below). That was the equaliser.

The Swans were still being stretched on the flanks, which seemed the most likely route for Blues to regain the lead. With a five-man defence, Swansea were effectively in a 5–4 formation when defending. Surprisingly, Melker Widell was preparing to come on. Many had expected him to miss today’s game following Vítor Matos’s press conference on Thursday.

During that break, Swans keeper Vigouroux was being pelted with objects, some of which were handed to the referee. Matos was animated on the touchline, urging his players to increase their intensity. The actor — yes, there’s context to everything — Ethan Laird went off, and Widell eventually got onto the pitch.

The home side pressed on, with Swansea’s defenders attempting to block every opportunity. It was working, and their work rate had indeed increased. Birmingham City supporters were screaming every time a Swans player had the ball. With five minutes still to go, it felt too early for Swansea to retreat completely into a backs-to-the-wall approach. Then Joseph Opoku came on for Franco.

Then came the inevitable. A poorly defended corner was headed back into the danger area by a Birmingham attacker, and the ball reached Stansfield (below), who fired into the Swansea net. The Swans’ defensive approach was never going to hold up under such pressure. It was pure fantasy to think otherwise.

On ninety minutes, eight minutes of added time were announced. Could the Swans produce something to take a point?

The Swans did press on, but a soft shot by Opoku ended one move.

Vipotnik seemed reluctant to challenge for high balls, while both sides were hoofing the ball anywhere. Seelt was now a makeshift forward. Swansea were punting the ball forwards but failing to retain it.

In the ninety-ninth minute, the game was brought to an end. It had been a game of maybes, ifs and hope. What Swans fans can take from it is that they have a side more than capable of earning a play-off spot at the very least.

There is most certainly hope, with the ten games remaining until New Year’s Day offering plenty of opportunities to sustain a promotion push. It was another day of torment for us all, but don’t let that make you despondent. This Swansea push is far from over.

⚽️ Birmingham City: Ryan Allsop, Ethan Laird (Luis Vazquez 78), Christoph Klarer (captain), Phil Neumann, Jhon Solis (Paik Seung-ho 69), Patrick Roberts (Carlos Vicente 60), Liam Millar (Demarai Gray 60), Max Bird (Marvin Ducksch 69), Alex Cochrane, Tomoki Iwata, Jay Stansfield.

Unused Substitutes: Bradley Mayo, Taylor Gardner-Hickman, Dael Fry, Bright Osayi-Samuel,

Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux 8 Filip Lissah 7 Ben Cabango (c), 6 Jenson Seelt 7 Josh Tymon 7 Jay Fulton 6 (Melker Widell 80), 🟥 Marko Stamenic 5 Goncalo Franco 7 (Joseph Opoku 86); Moussa Yeo 7 (Elijah Just 60) 7 Jisung Eom 6 (Josh Key 46) 8 Ross Stewart 7 (Zan Vipotnik 60) 6

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Tom Iorpenda, Adam Idah, Carter Heywood.

⚽️ Referee: Anthony Backhouse : Always a bit of an odd bloke. 5/10. He’s had worse from us we assure you.

Attendance: 28,005 (1957 away) OS

⚽️ Stats

⚽️ The Swans slip to sixth

⚽️ Today’s results

Photographs : As per declaration