Another Referee influenced end to a frustrating game for swans fans as Sheffield Wednesday hung on for a draw at the Liberty stadium.
Swansea City started the game with Liam Cullen once again entrusted with the striking duties, but he found the game hard to get in to. Marshalled by players more experienced and stronger than he is was a steep learning curve for Cullen who went off at half time. At the start Korey Smith replaced Jay Fulton in the centre of the park, although the Swans were handed a significant boost as top scorer Ayew was deemed fit enough to be listed among the substitutes after missing the last match due to a slight hamstring injury.
As the first half wore on, and that isn't the wrong choice of words, it was a hard watch - Adam Reach pounced on a corner to fire a crisp low left foot shot to put Wednesday one up. It was a typical Tony Pulis game, well organised and well drilled to soak up the inevitable swans pressure before taking a lead away from home. I'll go further it was classic Pulis and the swans fell for it. Maybe tired after the weekends scrappy win against Rotherham, or just facing a better drilled side the first half was reminiscent of numerous home games from last season. Frustration and slow swans build ups reigned supreme and it was Liam Cullen with a cross that nearly caught out Wednesday keeper Kieran Westwood. As a result of his efforts to keep the shot out he injured himself and was replaced by Joe Wildsmith after suffering what looked to be a groin injury.
Reach's goal was the difference at half time and Steve Cooper made two changes taking off Cullen and Naughton, bringing on talisman Ayew and the hard working Kasey Palmer. Both made an immediate impact, Palmer finding his players with hard hit passes but time and time again rebounds off swans players and lack of control let him and Swansea down. It meant Swansea switched to a back four, with Ayew leading the line as Roberts and Jake Bidwell dropped deeper in defence. And the alterations almost paid dividends within minutes as Smith picked out Lowe in the box from the right, but the summer signing drilled wide from an acute angle. Lowes front of goal frustrations continue.
Jamal Lowe frustrated once again in front of goal
The inevitable goal did arrive and it came as the Wednesday defence made what would be classed as a schoolboy error, letting Ayew in on his left foot to curl home a great effort from fifteen yards. Yes, it was what the swans deserved but thereafter Wednesday did show some signs of wanting to get a second. With thirty minutes to go, Cooper made another double substitution as Wayne Routledge and Ryan Manning replaced Lowe and Bidwell respectively. The hosts looked far more confident and they started to cause plenty of problems in the final third, with Ayew almost linking up with Palmer before Grimes had a driven shot blocked from distance.
That was the pattern of play for the rest of the game, poor choices when in on the Wednesday goal, or loose control ensured we went in to the last five minutes of injury time with Swansea pushing for the win. Dhanda then drilled just wide before firing a free-kick beyond the post with just over 10 minutes left.
Impressive Dhanda tonight
Swansea continued to push and saw Ayew have a shot saved in injury time before they bulged the net from a corner at the death, but referee Andy Woolmer controversially chalked the goal off after spotting a foul to ensure the points were shared. Nobody in the ground could see why Woolmer decided to disallow the goal as both sides crowded the penalty area. Palmers overhead kick looked sound, but Woolmer did blow his whistle just before the ball hit the net. Pulis looked defeated and immediately smiled and blew out his cheeks when he saw the goal had been chalked off. That's another last minute or very late decision for Steve Cooper to ponder on tonight. Post match Cooper made it clear he made noises to the Football League regards Woolmer's appointment and stated 'I knew what would happen, and as I predicted it happened' This particular post match story isn't over yet.
Swansea City: Woodman; Cabango, Bennett, Naughton (Palmer 46); Roberts, Smith, Grimes (C), Bidwell (Manning 61); Dhanda; Cullen (Ayew 46), Lowe (Routledge 61).
Subs not used: Benda, Rushesha, O Cooper, Fulton, Latibeaudiere.
Goal: Ayew 60
Yellow cards: Cabango 26, Grimes 48, Dhanda 57
Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood (Wildsmith 13); Palmer, Lees, Borner, van Aken (Shaw 70); Odubajo, Bannan (C), Luongo (Pelupessy 70), Paterson, Reach; Rhodes (Kachunga 56).
Subs not used: Penney, Dele-Bashiru, Urhoghide, Brown, Hunt.
Goal: Reach 27
Referee: Andy Woolmer, constantly blowing his whistle and interrupting the flow of the game, and his last few seconds decision once again changed the result of a swans game.
Tony Gale verdict on Sky Sports
I cant see why the referee disallowed that goal, there's no decision I can see to make other than to award Swansea the goal. They are being very unlucky this season with decisions. You look at the passage of play and see a crowded box, a good corner, players scrapping for the ball and then a goal. I'm amazed.