Russell Martin | We had enough chances to get something from the game

Russell Martin admitted the lack of a clinical edge in front of goal had cost Swansea City in defeat at Middlesbrough.

Isaiah Jones scored the only goal of the game for the hosts – with head coach Martin disappointed with the manner in which the Swans conceded – but the visitors had more than enough opportunities to have left Teesside with at least a point.

Joel Piroe, Jamie Paterson, Ben Cabango and Matt Grimes all had chances to find the back of the net, while Swansea also felt they should have had a penalty when Paterson went down under a challenge from Luke Daniels in the Middlesbrough goal.

In total the Swans had 15 shots to the visitors’ tally of five, and while Martin felt there were plenty of positives in the performance, he acknowledged they needed to make more of the openings they created.

“I don’t think there was any way we deserved to lose the game today,” said the Swans boss.

“First half we had to fight really hard against a team who were really aggressive and made it hard for us.

“They had one moment, and they scored from it. They had two shots on target at home.

“We go through with Pato, it’s potentially a penalty but I haven’t seen it back.

“Ryan Manning has a shot where the keeper makes a good save, Joel Piroe has one blocked and it just felt like the goal might be coming at some point.

“But we have given a team something to hang on to, a team who are fighting hard for their new manager.

“That was enough for them to win.

“We were so dominant second half, we created so many chances and you cannot create that much away from home and not take at least a point away. It’s outrageous.

“We were punished for conceding a really poor goal, with two really poor decisions leading to us conceding, which is frustrating.”

The penalty decision saw Paterson booked for simulation by referee Andy Davies, and while the Swans boss was keen to outline that the decision was not responsible for defeat, he felt some key decisions had gone against his side.

“Pato is adamant there is a touch, otherwise he would stay on his feet,” said Martin.

“Joel Piroe also has one when he was running through in the middle of the goal.

“The explanation is that they were both looking at the ball, but Sol Bamba fouls him. He is the right side of Sol Bamba and he gets brought down.

“The same with Pato, he is adamant he would have just stayed on his feet and put it in if he could.

“But it is what it is. We conceded a poor goal and that is not because of the referee.

“But they are big moments and they are a big factor in the game and they just didn’t go our way.”