Danny Graham scores a hat trick and Michu grabs the other as Blackpool are beaten 4-2 at the Liberty
REPORT – EVENING POST
DANNY Graham’s hat-trick helped Swansea City to a 4-2 win over Blackpool in Michael Laudrup’s first game in charge at the Liberty Stadium last night.
The Dane included new signings Chico Flores, Michu and Jonathan de Guzman in his starting line-up, and his side had little difficulty in swatting their Championship opponents aside.
Laudrup could hardly have wished for a better start, as Graham latched on to a mishit backpass from Barry Ferguson and rounded the stranded goalkeeper Matt Gilks before slotting into an empty net.
Swansea’s record signing had a hand in the second goal too as he released new arrival Michu, who took a touch and found the bottom corner with a measured, low finish.
The home side dominated possession, but Blackpool halved the deficit after 23 minutes as Ludovic Sylvestre took advantage of a sloppy Ben Davies clearance to volley past Michel Vorm.
Michu could have restored the two-goal advantage but his sliding effort was straight at Gilks, while Wayne Routledge shot over after a neat pass from Davies.
It mattered little as Graham scored his second shortly before half time, turning and shooting past Gilks following a cool assist from Nathan Dyer inside the box.
The second half was played at a more leisurely pace, but Dyer injected some urgency into proceedings when he sped past two Blackpool players, raced into the box and shot low and hard. His effort was palmed away by Gilks, but only into the path of Graham, who completed his hat-trick from close range to give Swansea a 4-1 lead.
Blackpool claimed a late consolation goal as Thomas Ince was brought down in the box by Ashley Williams and converted the penalty himself.
Swansea: Vorm (Tremmel 61), Rangel (Richards 61), Williams ©, Chico (Tate 80), Davies (Bessone 86), Britton (Agustien 75), de Guzman, Michu, Dyer (Lita 80), Routledge (Edwards 86), Graham (Moore 68).
Blackpool: Gilks, Eardley (Caton 77), Evatt (Eastham 77), Baptiste, Crainey, Ferguson (Martinez ht), Basham (Ince 40), Sylvestre (Gomes ht), Grandin (Robertson ht), Phillips (Barkhuizen 63), Taylor-Fletcher (Bruna 68). Subs not used: Halstead, Capril, Menagh, Cathcart, Dodd.
Attendance: 8,631
