Saturday 4th January
Swansea.com Stadium
12:30

SWA Swansea

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WBA West Bromwich

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4th January
Franco WBA

Joe Allen struck in the final moments to give Swansea City a share of the spoils against West Bromwich Albion at the Swansea.com Stadium.

The Swansea substitute was on hand in stoppage time to send a perfect glancing header into the far corner of the net from Ronald's volleyed cross.

Luke Williams' side had looked set to fall to defeat after Baggies substitute Tom Fellows profited from a swift counter-attack halfway through the second period.

In a game of few clear opportunities, Liam Cullen, Zan Vipotnik and Josh Tymon all head half-chances, while Lawrence Vigouroux denied Karlan Grant and Mikey Johnston at the other end.

The Swans had shown four changes from the defeat at Portsmouth. Cyrus Christie made the first start of his second spell with the club in place of the injured Ben Cabango.

Josh Key, Gonçalo Franco and Vipotnik also came in the XI as Kyle Naughton, Jay Fulton and Florian Bianchini dropped to the bench.

The hosts had an early scare when Jed Wallace’s cross cannoned off Christie and over the bar, before Josh Maja dragged a volley wide of the target.

Swansea soon had a chance of their own, but Cullen could not convert from Key’s knockdown at a corner, with Ronald’s follow-up header being punched away.

The hosts then produced the best move of the early exchanges as captain Matt Grimes carried the ball from deep in his own half, and linked with Vipotnik and Cullen to spark a move that ended with the Wales international heading over from Jisung Eom’s cross.

Franco flashed a drive high over the bar after Vipotnik had worked hard to drop back and win the ball high up the field.

Ronald then whipped a cross in that was just too high for the arriving Slovenian before Harry Darling produced an outstanding pair of challenges as Maja and Grant found their way towards the Swansea box, with the centre-half then blocking a follow-up shot to boot much to the appreciation of the home support.

Cullen had a shot from the edge of the box deflected over the bar before the home side had penalty appeals waved away when Darnell Furlong appeared to handle after miscontrolling a Ronald cross at the far post.

The visitors immediately countered and the hosts had a let-off when Jayson Molumby elected to shoot after a driving run forward when he had Grant unmarked in support.

Ronald WBA

Neither keeper had been tested to this point, but Vigouroux was called into action eight minutes before the break when he tipped Grant’s low strike around his post, and then held a header from the Albion forward a few moments later.

Vigouroux also made a sharp stop from Johnston’s rasping drive just before the interval as the half ended goalless, while Vipotnik arrowed an effort just wide after a lovely turn by Ronald.

The second half started scrappily although Darling, who was everywhere defensively, made further blocks to foil Jed Wallace and Darnell Furlong.

Baggies keeper Alex Palmer had to be smart off his line after Ronald and Franco had looked to send substitute Bianchini racing in on goal.

But the visitors were the ones to break the deadlock, countering quickly and in numbers after winning possession in midfield, with Molumby picking out substitute Fellows, who swept home a shot that Vigouroux could not keep out.

Swansea looked to hit back, and further penalty appeals were dismissed when Bianchini went down in the box under pressure from his marker.

Josh Tymon volleyed into the gloves of Palmer from Bianchini’s knockdown as the final 10 minutes neared, while Fellows went close to a second as he drove an effort over from the edge of the area.

 

 

Swansea City: Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Key, Cyrus Christie (Kyle Naughton 75), Harry Darling, Josh Tymon; Matt Grimes (captain), Gonçalo Franco (Azeem Abdulai 88), Liam Cullen (Joe Allen 88); Ronald, Jisung Eom (Myles Peart-Harris 75), Žan Vipotnik (Florian Bianchini 57).

Unused Substitutes: Jon McLaughlin, Jay Fulton, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Ben Lloyd.

West Bromwich Albion: Alex Palmer, Darnell Furlong, Mason Holgate, Callum Styles, Jed Wallace (captain) (Tom Fellows 57), Jayson Molumby, Josh Maja (Grady Diangana 80), Torbjorn Heggem, Ousmane Diakite (Alex Mowatt 57), Karlan Grant (Devante Cole 80), Mikey Johnston (John Swift 67).

Unused Substitutes: Joseph Wildsmith, Kyle Bartley, Caleb Taylor, Uros Racic.

Referee: Sam Allison

Attendance: 14,729