Match Reports

SWANSEA CITY 0 BIRMINGHAM CITY 0

MATCH DETAILS DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19 VENUE: LIBERTY STADIUM REFEREE: GAVIN WARD

MATCH REPORT

Swansea City were left frustrated as they were held to a goalless draw by Birmingham City at the Liberty Stadium.

Steve Cooper’s side had the better of the contest, but found it hard to break down a stubborn visiting defence.

However, they maintained their unbeaten start to the season as they kept a second consecutive clean sheet.

The hosts started brightly and Ben Cabango saw a header blocked from a corner, before Birmingham keeper Neil Etheridge did well to spot a cleverly taken free-kick from Matt Grimes.

Morgan Gibbs-White fired straight at Etheridge from Grimes’ pass early in the second half, while Freddie Woodman kept out Harlee Dean’s header at the other end.

Swansea looked set to snatch all three points when Marc Guehi met a half-cleared corner on the volley, but Etheridge was equal to the defender’s strike.

QUOTE OF THE GAME LINEUPS

Swans: Freddie Woodman; Ben Cabango, Joe Rodon, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Korey Smith, Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Morgan GibbsWhite; Jamal Lowe (Liam Cullen 85), Andre Ayew.

Subs not used: Steven Benda, Kyle Naughton, Jay Fulton, Wayne Routledge, Yan Dhanda, Kristoffer Peterson.

Birmingham City: Neil Etheridge; Maxime Colin, Harlee Dean (captain), George Friend, Kristian Pedersen; Adam Clayton, Ivan Sunjic; Ivan Sanchez, Jon Toral (Gary Gardner 63), Jeremie Bela; Lukas Jutkiewicz.

Subs not used: Zach Jeacock, Marc Roberts, Dan Crowley, Scott Hogan, Steve Seddon, Agustin Medina.

“WE’RE FRUSTRATED NOT TO WIN THE GAME, AND I THINK WE ALWAYS SHOULD BE IF WE DON’T WIN HOME GAMES. WE JUST DIDN’T DO ENOUGH TO GET ENOUGH CHANCES ON GOAL.” STEVE COOPER

WYCOMBE WANDERERS 0 SWANSEA CITY 2

MATCH DETAILS

DATE: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 VENUE: ADAMS PARK REFEREE: GEOFF ELTRINGHAM MATCH REPORT

First-half goals from Andre Ayew and Jamal Lowe helped Swansea City pick up their second away win of the season at Wycombe.

The Swans did the damage in the opening half, as a pair of close-range finishes settled the contest inside the opening 23 minutes.

The only frustration for head coach Steve Cooper would have been that his side did not win by a greater margin, as they also picked up a third-straight clean sheet.

The visitors were in control from the off and it was little surprise when they made their early dominance pay in the 13th minute.

After a strong tackle by Marc Guehi, Jake Bidwell produced an excellent cross that Ayew bundled in with his left foot.

Ten minutes later and the lead doubled as lovely link work between Korey Smith, Morgan Gibbs-White and Ayew set up Lowe for his first Swansea goal.

Gibbs-White and Bidwell would be among those to go close to extending the lead after the break, while Freddie Woodman’s only save of note saw him hold Daryl Horgan’s overhaead kick.

LINEUPS

Wycombe Wanderers: Ryan Allsop, Jack Grimmer, Anthony Stewart, Ryan Tafazolli, Jason McCarthy; David Wheeler (Scott Kashket 84), Dennis Adeniran; Nick Freeman, Fred Onyedinma (Daryl Horgan 69), Matt Bloomfield (captain) (Josh Parker 76); Alex Samuel.

Subs not used: David Stockdale, Joe Jacobson, Giles Phillips, Curtis Thompson.

Swans: Freddie Woodman; Ben Cabango, Joe Rodon, Marc Guehi; Connor Roberts, Korey Smith, Matt Grimes (captain), Jake Bidwell; Morgan Gibbs-White (Jay Fulton 82); Jamal Lowe (Liam Cullen 82), Andre Ayew.

Subs not used: Steven Benda, Kyle Naughton, Wayne Routledge, Yan Dhanda, Kristoffer Peterson.

QUOTE OF THE GAME

"WE KNOW WE WERE A BIT SHORT OF OUR CAPABILITIES WITH THE BALL AGAINST BIRMINGHAM, AND IT’S BEEN A REAL POINT FROM THE BOYS TO IMPROVE THAT, AND WE DID. “OUR BUILD-UP PLAY WAS GOOD LAST WEEK, BUT WE DID NOT TURN IT INTO CLEAR CHANCES AND SHOTS, WE DID THAT TODAY" STEVE COOPER

STILETTOS & STUDS BY JULIE KISSICK

Ihope you’re all keeping well and managing to get your football fix remotely. Whether we’re watching online, on television or listening to the radio – it all counts in the current climate, doesn’t it?

The announcement by the UK government last week to delay fans returning to watch live matches was a bit of a kick in the teeth. I had hoped after the EFL pilots that (vastly) reduced numbers of lucky supporters might have had their wishes granted.

March is a very long way off as things stand and, without getting political, I do wonder whether if there was a will a way would be found. After all, staggered entry and social distancing seem, to me anyway, to be possible.

I know we are all desperately missing being at matches – particularly as we’ve made such a great start to the season.

I say we are ‘all’ missing being present at games, but actually, I was speaking to a friend who was telling me that he felt he was falling out of love with football. The current restrictions, and what he felt were ‘soulless’ matches being played in empty stadiums, were really impacting on him and his engagement with his club (he isn’t a Jack)!

As disappointing and frustrating as the current circumstances are, there are positives to football continuing. It offers some semblance of normality, albeit of a different type of normal, but it’s something.

Today’s visitors, Millwall, remain unbeaten on five points having won one and drawn two of the first three games of the new campaign. They got off to a good start against their London rivals Brentford last week. Jed Wallace headed home from a Mason Bennett cross to give them an early lead in the fourth minute. But, last season’s play-off finalists got a penalty 16 minutes later, Ivan Toney equalising and the two sides played out a 1-1 draw.

Gary Rowett has been pleased with his side’s start and I’m really looking forward to seeing how things play out this afternoon in what I’m sure will be a competitive match.

Talking of which, what a superb start to the season Swansea City Ladies had. History was made on Sunday as the game against Cardiff City Women was broadcast live on S4C. The result, a 3-0 win for the Swans, was decisive and every one of the women in white should be incredibly proud of themselves.

It was also brilliant to see the coverage of captain Alicia Powe ahead of the game. Alicia is a full-time nurse at Swansea’s Morriston Hospital and although I’m sure the ‘media spotlight’ won’t be entirely welcome, I hope it works in favour of all those women who pull on their boots week in, week out, but until very recently have been largely anonymous and their efforts unseen by the masses.

The only way for the women’s game to grow is by getting it out there, letting girls see what is possible and giving them role models. Our ladies had a superb campaign last season and the signs are equally promising for this one.

And if Steve Cooper can keep the momentum going, as I am sure he will, the prospect of another good campaign looks likely.

Ministry Group

Minist ry Graphics

ERTHYGLAU CYMRAEG BY IAN MITCHELMORE, WALES ONLINE

Mae Abertawe yn ceisio ehangu ar record newydd yn erbyn Millwall heddiw ar ôl peidio ildio gôl am y trydydd gem yn olynol yn y Pencampwriaeth yn erbyn Wycombe Wanderers.

Ar ôl i Preston a Birmingham peidio rhoi’r pêl yn cefn y rhwyd, cafodd Freddie Woodman prynhawn distaw iawn yn Parc Adams.

Ac ar ôl tair gêm o’r tymor newydd, dim ond yr Elyrch a Watford sydd heb ildio gôl yn yr ail gynghrair.

Mae’r hogia ifanc - Joe Rodon, Marc Guehi a Ben Cabango - yn haeddu clod am rhoi gymaint o amddifyniad i Woodman.

Ac mae sylwadau cyn chwaraewr Wycombe Sam Parkin ar EFL on Quest ar ôl i Abertawe ennill 2-0 wythnos yn ôl yn dweud y cwbl.

“With Cabango, Guehi and Rodon, they’ve got three Rolls Royces back there,” dywedodd Parkin.

Ond sut fydd yr hogia ifanc yn ymdopi gyda’r prawf yn erbyn Millwall heddiw?

Mae tîm Gary Rowett wedi casglu pump pwynt allan o’r naw ar gael yn barod y tymor yma.

Dim ond unwaith mae’r Llewod wedi ildio gôl (yn erbyn Brentford), ac, yn barod, mae’n amlwg fydd yr brywdr yn y Stadiwm Liberty heddiw yn dweud llawer am sut fath o siâp sydd ar Abertawe. Jed Wallace sgoriodd yr unig gôl yn y gêm cyfatebol blwyddyn yn ôl, ac mi fydd angen i Steve Cooper datrys sut i torri lawr tîm sydd wedi’i drefnu’n dda iawn.

Mi fydd Jamal Lowe a Andre Ayew yn llawn hyder ar ôl sgorio yn erbyn Wycombe, ac, hefyd, mi fydd Morgan Gibbs-White - y dyn ifanc ar fenthyg o Wolves - yn ceisio parhau i ddisgleirio ar ôl perfformiad arbennig yn erbyn tîm Gareth Ainsworth.

Mae Cooper hefyd yn haeddu canmoliaeth am barhau gyda’r system 3-4-1-2, un sydd yn gadael i Jake Bidwell a Connor Roberts gwneud gymaint o ddifrod yn y trydydd olaf.

Ond, roedd sylwadau Cooper ar ôl y buddugoliaeth yn erbyn Wycombe yn dweud llawer.

Ar yr amser wrth ysgrifennu’r colofn yma, mae Abertawe yn crio allan am o leiaf un ymosodwr arall yn y carfan, enwedig ar ôl i Rhian Brewster symud yn ôl i Lerpwl yn yr haf.

Mae’n amlwg i weld fydd yr Elyrch, gyda ychydig o ychwanegiadau, yn gallu gosod her cryf ar y chwech uchaf tymor yma.

Ond gyda carfan sydd yn edrych yn ysgafn mewn ardaloedd, mi fydd yr amserlen brysur yn gwthio Abertawe, enwedig wrth i’r brec rhyngwladol - sydd yn dechrau ar ôl gêm heddiw - dôd i ben.

Dim ond Millwall fydd ar feddwl Cooper heddiw, ond mi fydd yr rheolwr yn gweithio’n brysur i ychwanegu i’r garfan dros y dyddiau nesaf, fel mae o wedi gwneud dros yr haf yn barod.