Skipper Matt Grimes hails togetherness after “special” derby win

Captain Matt Grimes hailed Swansea City’s unity and togetherness after they made it three derby wins from three on a “special day” against rivals Cardiff City.

Ollie Cooper opened the scoring in the first half before Michael Obafemi wrapped up the three points and bragging rights midway through the second half.

It was a game full of incident, with the visitors seeing Callum Robinson sent off inside seven minutes for throwing the ball in Ben Cabango’s face.

It left Swansea facing a different kind of challenge from what may have been expected, but the task of breaking down a stubborn Cardiff defence was one they worked diligently and patiently to complete and make it six wins in the last eight south Wales derbies.

“It’s a brilliant day,” Grimes said.

“It’s a special, special day for the club and the fans and I’m glad that we could give them that.

“It’s always tough playing against 10 men. They’re always going to sit in a low block, and you have to find ways to break them down. I thought we did that well.

“We kept having to probe and bide our time and then Ollie [Cooper] pops up with an unbelievable finish.

“And then we knew we just had to stay on top of it and not let them back into the game and we’d have three points.”

Grimes played a wonderfully weighted pass through to Obafemi for the second goal to record his fourth assist in five games.

He also completed 126 passes during the 90 minutes, the most of any Swans player, and 42 more than the entire Cardiff team, as he deservedly scooped the man-of-the-match award.

“It’s important to help the team when I can and, thankfully, I’ve been able to do that in recent games,” he added.

“But it was all about the togetherness we showed, and the ability to get three points.

“I think we’re getting the results we deserve at the moment. We’re playing some good stuff. I feel like we have been all season, but at the beginning maybe we weren’t getting the rub of the green here and there.

“Things are going well for us at the minute, and we need to keep riding the wave.

“We’ll enjoy this win, as I think everyone should – players, fans and staff – and then we’ll get back to work."