Rob Davies
The horrendous weather across the country couldn’t stop the Swans picking up a vital win against 5th placed West Brom yesterday thanks to Liam Cullen’s second half strike.
After a first half where the Baggies were very much on top, Swansea came out fighting and created a handful of decent chanced alongside the single goal finished neatly for Cullen’s second in two games.
But a determined defensive display was enough and the Swans give themselves the best start to 2024 after a quite miserable 2023. Maybe a manager will be on the horizon soon or are we asking too much?
Alan Sheehan made two changes to the team following the draw at Coventry City with Jamal Lowe and Cullen starting in place of Yannick Bolasie and debutant Sam Parker.
Rushworth
Darling – Cabango – Humphreys – Tymon
Fulton – Grimss – Walsh
Cullen – Lowe – Paterson
The weather really was horrendous. That was the wettest game I’ve been to in probably 20 years and the pitch was as muddy as it’s been since it opened in 2005.
It was a dull opening which unfortunately saw the impressive Liam Walsh limp off after just ten minutes to he replaced by Charlie Patino. The midfielder has struggled for fitness in his three years at the club and this was yet another blow.
Sheehan said after the game that it may be a minor niggle so results will hopefully show that is the case after Walsh’s impressive performances of late.
The Swans could barely carve an opportunity in a soaking first half with Cullen having the only effort on target – a tame header – whilst Fulton dragged wastefully wide.
The Albion had two or three presentable chances even with their stretched squad struggling for attacking players with the best opportunity falling to Brandon Thomas-Asante.
Thankfully for the Swans his strike when clear of his marker in the box was straight down low at Rushworth and it remained 0-0 at the interval.
The break seemed to revive the Swans and Patino was at the front of that change, pressuring the Baggies defence, tackling and offering an attacking threat.
It was him who set up Paterson in a similar position from where he scored against Preston but his shot was blocked. Soon after the same man set up Darling from a free kick but his effort was palmed over the bar for a corner.
Then came the best chance of all as Tymon chased down the left and whipped a delightful ball to the far post only for Lowe to take the wrong option when a first time strike would surely have been 1-0.
But the home faithful who haven’t had much cheer about this season soon were off their feet when Grimes sent a high ball into the box for Darling to flick on to Cullen who finished crisply.
It was then anticipated that an onslaught would arrive from a West Brom team in good form but in truth it never arrived and you never felt particularly worried about the lead.
Despite the results this season it felt a fairly comfortable last thirty minutes largely due to the lack of attacking threat available to Carlos Corberan’s side with a number of injuries.
Indeed a couple of corners caused concern but the Swans held out for a much needed win to lift spirits and the team away from the bottom three. All the more important as those sides at the bottom continue to pick up results of late.
With a new manager possibly on the horizon this week, maybe things are on the up? For sure this was a determined performance and based on the second half a well deserved win.
Well done the Swans!
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