Report | Stoke City 1 Swansea City 1

Harry Darling's 89th-minute header ensured Swansea City claimed a share of the spoils against Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium.

There was little to choose between the teams in a game of few clear-cut chances, with Jamie Paterson having Swansea’s best effort fortuitously kept out.

But Alan Sheehan’s side’s hopes of backing up victory at Rotherham with another result on their travels looked to have been ended when Daniel Johnson converted from the spot, after Ryan Mmaee had been brought down in the area with just over 20 minutes to go.

However, the visitors finished the game strongly, and picked up a hard-earned point when Darling arrived at the far post to head home a Matt Grimes corner.

The Swans had shown one change from the weekend win, with Jerry Yates coming in for Yannick Bolasie, who dropped to the bench.

The visitors started smartly, and Yates will feel he should have done better when Bonham’s attempted clearance outside the left edge of the keeper’s box fell to him.

The striker, instead of picking his head up, chose to quickly steer the ball back across the box and it was cleared.

Swansea soon had another decent spell, but several balls in the box were headed away by red and white shirt.

Josh Key then cut infield to the edge of the area and sent a curling shot wide of the far post.

Stoke had barely threatened, but they gave Swansea a wake-up call when Lynden Gooch’s direct run down the left ended with the American blasting a fierce effort goalward that Carl Rushworth did well to get down to and hold.

Rushworth soon made another tremendous stop to keep out Mmaee’s effort, while Josh Tymon blocked Junior Tchamadeu’s follow-up.

Swansea responded, Jay Fulton sending a rising drive over the bar from a Tymon lay-off.

A raking pass from Darling then worked space for Key to turn his marker inside and out and hang up a cross to the back post that Yates could not connect with.

It remained goalless at the break and, and Sheehan sent on Bolasie for Patino at the break as he looked to inject some energy into proceedings after what had been a sluggish opening half.

Swansea worked Jamal Lowe into space early, but his angled strike was blocked and landed harmlessly in the arms of Jack Bonham in the Stoke goal.

Tchamadeu dragged a shot wide after coming infield onto his left foot a few minutes later before Swansea produced their best move of the game so far as they swept forward to see Paterson’s shot blocked.

Rushworth then made a terrific save to tip a Johnson effort over the bar after Swansea had given up possession just inside their own half.

Swansea should have made the most of the keeper's agility by taking the lead, but instead spurned a great chance in the 65th minute.

Key escaped his marker and strode into the box to pick out Paterson, but the midfielder’s effort was just about kept out by a combination of Bonham and a defender.

Just three minutes later Stoke were awarded a penalty when Mmaee got ahead of Fulton in the box and Darling tripped the forward as he shaped away from the defender.

Johnson took the responsibility from the spot and sent Rushworth the wrong way to break the deadlock.

Wouter Burger headed over at the far post for the hosts as they sought a second, but Swansea began to have a spell of pressure during the final minutes.

And they made the most of it as Darling rose to nod in his second goal of the season.

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, Josh Key, Jay Fulton, Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Matt Grimes (captain), Jerry Yates (Liam Walsh 66), Jamal Lowe (Liam Cullen 75), Jamie Paterson (Ollie Cooper 75), Josh Tymon, Charlie Patino (Yannick Bolasie 46). 

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Kyle Naughton, Bashir Humphreys, Sam Parker, Cameron Congreve.

Stoke City: Jack Bonham, Lynden Gooch, Ben Pearson, Michael Rose, Wouter Burger (Jordan Thompson 81), Daniel Johnson (Bae Jun-ho 72), Ki-Jana Hoever, Ryan Mmaee, Luke McNally, Junior Tchamadeu (Nathan Lowe 90), Josh Laurent (captain).

Unused Substitutes: Tommy Simkin, Andre Vidigal, Dwight Gayle, Wesley, Ciaran Clark, Mehdi Leris.

Referee: David Webb

Attendance: 18,550 (339 away)