Swansea City 3-0 Stoke City: Cullen, Grimes and Key goals leave Potters in survival fight

Swansea Metropolis eased their relegation considerations with a 3-0 cruise previous Stoke Metropolis which leaves the Potters nonetheless scrapping for Championship survival.

Matt Grimes drilled in from the spot to offer Swansea respiratory area early within the second half earlier than Josh Key’s high-quality counter-attack aim sealed what was finally a complete victory.

Swansea’s first win in 4 video games might effectively show to be the end result which ensures they are going to nonetheless be within the second tier subsequent season.

Luke Williams’ facet are actually seven factors away from Twenty second-place Sheffield Wednesday with simply 4 league video games remaining on this marketing campaign.

However whereas Swansea look near security, Stoke have a lot work to do to safe their Championship standing after their three-game unbeaten run got here to an abrupt finish.

Steven Schumacher’s facet are simply three factors above the drop zone with a doubtlessly pivotal recreation in opposition to the Owls to return at Hillsborough on Saturday.

This was a gathering of two golf equipment who, having begun 2023-24 with a point of optimism, have spent the vast majority of the season licking wounds.

Swansea responded to their newest painful day, at Middlesbrough final weekend, by exhibiting rather more objective in opposition to Stoke.

They must have gone forward when Jamie Paterson spun away from Ki-Jana Hoever and pulled again for Jay Fulton, however a giant likelihood went begging because the Scot’s shot hit the submit.

The opener got here from a free-kick close to midway, Paterson exchanging passes with Grimes earlier than crossing invitingly for Cullen to information house.

The aim prompted an enchancment from Stoke, who thought that they had equalised on the half-hour after Ennis inadvertently knocked the ball from Rushworth’s grasp.

Ennis rolled the ball into the empty web – however noticed his strike disallowed for a foul although the contact with Rushworth had been unintentional.

Stoke got here once more, Million Manhoef twice firing huge because the guests discovered some momentum earlier than half-time.

But Swansea have been gifted the prospect to reassert management because of Luke McNally’s clumsy problem on Ollie Cooper.

The preliminary contact might have occurred outdoors the field, however Cooper tumbled into the world and referee Keith Stroud pointed to the spot.

There was no signal of nerves from Swansea captain Grimes, who drove his penalty excessive into the web.

A Stoke comeback by no means appeared seemingly after that, notably when Josh Laurent dragged huge, and Swansea wrapped up victory in fashion when Paterson’s move despatched Jamal Lowe breaking down the left.

After a intelligent dummy flummoxed McNally, Lowe squared for the onrushing Key to burst past Michael Rose and smash in his first house aim in a Swansea shirt.

Swansea head coach Luke Williams:

“Once we sit and overview video games, with out the emotion on the day, we’re controlling the sport [in] the final three video games we performed.

“We get in there and we fizzle out a bit. We gave not an excessive amount of to the opposition however one thing was lacking as a result of we’re getting there and never fairly scoring, we’re conserving the opposition out however then they rating from nothing.

“There was one thing lacking however tonight the depth and aggression, all of that beautiful stuff, we put again in and received a extremely nice end result.”

Stoke head coach Steven Schumacher:

“I felt we received overwhelmed by the higher group on the evening. Swansea in all departments have been higher than us.

“They received the entire battles, the 50-50s, they usually additionally handed the ball higher and have been brighter from set-piece moments.

“It was a poor efficiency from us and it is one which we weren’t anticipating as a result of we have been enjoying very well.

“There’s additionally just a few key choices that is gone in opposition to us. In any recreation within the Championship you want these large choices to go for you, tonight sadly they did not go our manner.”