Report | Swansea City 1 Huddersfield Town 0
Swansea City stretched their unbeaten run to five games as Ryan Manning’s deflected volley sealed victory following a dominant performance against Huddersfield Town at the Swansea.com Stadium.
The relegation-threatened visitors came with the intention of sitting deep and soaking up pressure and, as a result, Russell Martin’s side enjoyed over 80 per cent of possession.
Ben Cabango struck the post, while Morgan Whittaker fired narrowly wide before Manning got the crucial breakthrough as his strike from Luke Cundle’s lay-off took a deflection to find the top corner.
It was no less than the Swans deserved, with Andy Fisher not having a save of note to make as the hosts made it four wins and four clean sheets in their five-match sequence.
The Swans had shown one change from the win at Wigan, with Liam Cullen coming in for Joe Allen.
As expected, Swansea dominated the ball from the off and created the first big chance when Joel Latibeaudiere’s cross just failed to pick out Cullen and Jamie Paterson in the middle.
The hosts threatened again, Paterson just unable to pick out Cullen at the back stick after a driving run from Nathan Wood.
Oliver Ntcham then tricked his way to the byline, but his low cross into the six-yard box was picked off by Tomas Vaclik in the Huddersfield goal.
At the other end Tom Lees nodded wide after Matty Pearson had headed a corner back across the Swansea goal.
It was almost attack v defence, with Huddersfield camping deep and happy to surrender possession.
And Swansea really should have led in the 29th minute, Manning produced a sensational cross to pick out Cabango, but the defender’s glancing header hit the post and Cullen could not adjust in time to convert the rebound.
Huddersfield then wasted a gilt-edged chance of their own as Jaheim Headley smashed the ball well over from 10 yards, before Ntcham could not keep down his own effort from the edge of the area a few moments later.
It remained goalless at the break and the Swans were forced into a change as injury to Ntcham saw Ollie Cooper introduced.
Again the Swans got on the front foot, Cullen having an effort blocked while a Joel Piroe effort was blocked and gathered by Vaclik.
Martin introduced Luke Cundle and Whittaker in place of Fulton and Paterson on the hour mark as the hosts continued to tr and break down an obdurate and packed Huddersfield rearguard.
And Whittaker came within inches of a breakthrough seconds after coming on, steering Piroe’s backheeled lay-off agonisingly wide of the far post.
But Manning would get the breakthrough as after patient, intricate build-up Manning dispatched a left-footed volley over Vaclik and into the net with the help of a deflection from an attempted block.
It was almost 2-0 seconds later, Latibeaudiere being given the space to advance and get away a low shot that flew wide of the upright, before Vaclik denied Cooper’s strike from the edge of the box.
Swansea continued to press, good defending preventing a Cabango header finding an unmarked Cullen.
Tyreece Simpson could not make the most of a rare attacking foray for the visitors as the Swans made it 13 points from the last 15 available.
Swansea City: Andy Fisher; Joel Latibeaudiere, Ben Cabango, Nathan Wood, Ryan Manning; Jay Fulton (Luke Cundle 59), Matt Grimes (captain); Joel Piroe (Joe Allen 86), Olivier Ntcham (Ollie Cooper 46), Jamie Paterson (Morgan Whittaker 60); Liam Cullen (Harry Darling 80)
Unused Substitutes: Andreas Søndergaard, Kyle Naughton.
Huddersfield Town: Tomas Vaclik, Matty Pearson, Jonathan Hogg (captain), David Kasumu (Josh Koroma 73), Jack Rudoni, Rarmani Edmonds-Green (Martyn Waghorn 84), Danny Ward, Tom Lees, Brahima Diarra (Tyreece Simpson 74), Michal Helik, Jaheim Headley (Josh Ruffels 73).
Unused Substitutes: Nick Bilokapic, Ben Jackson, Matt Lowton.
Referee: Matthew Donohue
Attendance: 16,686