Rob DaviesRussell Martin was delighted as his side followed up two impressive away wins with another one at the Swansea.com Stadium this afternoon as they beat Derby County 2-1.
It’s the first time this campaign that his team have won three games in a row and – perhaps more importantly – won a game at the end of a three game week when the Swans have notoriously struggled.
There was clearly some fatigue in the second half, although Hannes Wolf and Olivier Ntcham should have added to the scoreline, but his team held on for the win which edges the Swans ever so slightly closer to the unlikely scenario of a top six finish.
Joel Piroe was once again the star of the show along with Wolf and it was the former’s two clinical early goals which set Swansea on their way before Andy Fisher misjudged a long ball over the top to concede a penalty.
“We’re absolutely delighted. It can’t be understated what it’s taken this week for the players, physically and emotionally,” Martin told Wales Online.
“Two away games before this and the importance of last weekend, the way they played on Tuesday, to ask them to go again with the same intensity and energy is tough.
“We started the game brilliantly well, and then a bit of tiredness crept in. There was some brilliant football at times, there was some tired and sloppy football at other times.
“But I can’t give them enough credit for what they’ve done this week. They deserve it for the amount of pain they’ve been through already this season and how together they’ve stayed. So I’m incredibly proud of them. It’s been a long time coming that third win in a week.”
