It was another impressive performance by the Swans this afternoon as they took all the points from this encounter at the DW Stadium. Swansea City fans travelled in large numbers when you take into consideration the distances involved. It has to be said Wigan never looked like they had any answers to Swansea City’s control of the game.

Wigan most certainly started the game off the better side, an extremely high press putting the Swans defence under pressure. That came with two decent chances for the home side, one which Nathan Wood most certainly prevented hitting the back of the net. The high press enabled the Swans to pick their way through the Latics midfield. A through ball for Jamie Paterson who laid it on for Joel Piroe but his hard shot went wide.

He should have done much better.

The four changes Russell Martin made ensured a more rigid but stronger midfield with Liam Walsh missing completely from the squad. After the first seven minutes the away side began to dominate proceedings. Too casual at times and losing the ball, Matt Grimes the culprit on twelve minutes. The Swans looked for the pass through the middle with ease. Encouraging Wigan on to them and then finding space and players to attack. On fourteen minutes the old combo of Paterson and Piroe combined to put the Swans one up. A ball watching Wigan defence leaving Piroe the easiest of chances to fire past keeper Amos.

Joe Allen’s industry matched by a revived Paterson had far too much for their opposing midfield and more spaces appeared with Wigan looking disorganised. Long balls leaving the field of play in frustration. It was an accomplished first twenty minutes for Swansea who really didn’t look like they were getting out of second gear which frustrated the home fans even more. The Swans could best be described as comfortable but most certainly not ruthless.

The lethargic effort from both sides wasn’t helping concentration but a corner for the Latics on twenty two minutes woke up the away side with Fisher under heavy pressure. Max Power put in a decent cross which was wasted by Wigan with Fisher saving comfortably. Swansea continued to probe and an interception saw Ntcham with an opportunity to make it two. His shot was blocked and the game was alive again.

The Swans continued to invite their hosts on to them by pausing their moves encouraging Wigan to move out of position. As a result Paterson was brought down in the home sides area when in on goal but referee Sam Alison clearly had some smoke in his eyes. It was a stonewall penalty. Why Paterson would go down when looking like he would score confirmed the decision as incorrect. It was Paterson again who was involved on thirty minutes but his wayward strike went into the Swansea support behind the goal.

Wigan weren’t done though and found their fighting legs pressing the Swans back but creating little, in fact nothing of concern. The clear frustration of the lesser player was evident in James McLean who began to foul, push and shout his anger at his sides lack of intensity. A wonderful flowing move by the Swans from back to the front of the pitch ended in Piroe (below) in space again who slotted home his seventeenth of the season. It was an exquisite move of five passes across the pitch which will surely focus as one of the goals of the weekend.

Both Shaun Maloney the Wigan manager and Russell Martin clearly kitted out by the same supplier displayed a whole host of emotions. Maloney distressed and antagonised at his sides defending, Martin fist in the air and delighted at his sides first half performance. As the half drew to a close the Swans dominated possession, linking play with sharp and clever touches. Lang for Wigan lashing out and getting a yellow for a blatant foul on Ryan Manning. The resultant free kick from Manning saw Joe Allen just deflect his header wide. The Swans were now full of confidence ripping apart the home side on their right hand side. It was irresistible as another wonderful ball from Grimes was met by Piroe who smashed his shot on to the post.

You just hoped these chances wouldn’t come back to haunt the Swans.

A free kick for Wigan on forty four minutes was messed up - and one of the players of the match so far, Paterson was fouled. With the half coming to a close there was indeed a lot of satisfaction regards the Swans performance, especially in the last twenty minutes. The incisive passing and industry was a joy to watch. Ryan Manning went head to head with Wigan’s Charlie Hughes. The Wigan player was yellow carded, it wasn’t an intentional foul but Manning reacted very badly to the tackle. He too was booked. The two minutes injury time hit four in the melee. It all ended a thoroughly professional performance from Swansea City.

The second half started brightly with the Swans attacking on the break and Wigan determined to fight their way back in to the game. The Latics adopting their usual long throw tactic to put the Swans under pressure. The more determined home side were pressing the Swans more as they did in the first half with Andy Fisher gathering two crosses. His long ball for Paterson putting him in on goal but his shot was blocked. The fine touches and flicks continued in the first five minutes of the half but failed to see a third goal. Simple passes drew the Wigan defence out of position again with Grimes and Jay Fulton pulling the strings and Wigan deciding to use strong arm tactics. Ben Cabango then found himself with two good headed chances but failed to convert.

The Swans began to pull Wigan all over the pitch with precise passing. The home sides fouling became more persistent as a result, not only spoiling the game for themselves but playing in to Swansea’s hands. Literally Wigan couldn’t get a kick. They’re only opportunities to build coming from misplaced Swans passing which was rare. The first fifteen minutes were navigated without any real issues. On sixty two minutes Ollie Cooper replaced Joe Allen who had a decent game in midfield but Cooper would offer more for sure going forwards. The quiet Wigan crowd enabled one wag to shout a comment that could heard in the away end ‘You are letting them belittle you Latics’ It seems it took sixty three minutes to work that out. It has to be said though another Swans goal was needed.

Wigan’s first corner of the half came on sixty five minutes as Will Keane came on for Charlie Hughes who was certainly on the cusp of a red card. The Wigan crowd were now so frustrated fair Swansea tables were being booed. Cooper should have done better when in the Wigan penalty area the redound seeing Manning again fouled by the ever volatile Lang. Some questionable booing coming from the main stand when Ntcham was on the ball as well. Swansea’s passing lost its way as the Latics substitutions added some pace to their attack. More energy was required in the Swans side. Wigan pressed on with their ever frustrated booing crowd hardly helping their cause. Keane had sight of goal but put his shot way over the bar.

That signalled Jamie Paterson to leave the field for Liam Cullen and that extra energy was plugged. Wigan were looking much better on the ball, albeit with it mostly in the air as Manning was deemed to have fouled his marker. A huge roar, in fact the loudest of the day from the home support met the referee’s decision. Another Wigan corner came about on seventy five minutes, a menacing cross defended well. The Swans just needed to retain some more composure to see the game out. As the five hundred Swansea pass stat greeted us Wigan again had more luck with their attacking intent.

Aasgaard had a wonderful shot met with an equally wonderful save by Andy Fisher but the pre were signs of tiring and a lack of concentration creeping in to the Swans play. Then another double substitution by Wigan was made with Tom Pearce and Scott Smith entering the play. Swansea really had to prevent any sight of goal. However, the Latics pressed on with a low cross in to the Swans penalty area cleared frantically. Piroe calmly passing the ball away. Matt Grimes recipe bed a head injury as the players took the opportunity to take on some water and receive some guidance from Russell Martin. It was needed as the last fifteen minutes had been stressful for Swans fans.

As we entered the last ten minutes with the only supporters being heard were the loud Jack Army you sensed more opportunities would present themselves for both sides. Wigans achilles heel is their persistent fouling when under pressure so Martin replaced Ntcham with Harry Darling. There had been a few dangerous moments and the defensive side of things needed shoring up. Ben Cabango sought the help of Nathan Wood who out muscled Keane when in on goal with five minutes to go.

There was no way Swansea reached the heights of the first half not least with their passing but choosing to preserve what they had to an extent. That’s a dangerous game to play but Wigan didn’t have the presence or tactical nouse to bring to bear any pressure on the away side. You have to give Wigan credit they still searched for space and pressed on with a corner on eighty eight minutes. The Latics set pieces are dangerous with excellent placement. From that corner Cullen didn’t have the pace to take on the Latics defence and Ollie Cooper headed weakly at goal. The Swans had opportunities to increase the lead but chose to keep the ball and play more comforting passes as five minutes of injury time was signalled.

Hymns & Arias boomed out across the DW Stadium as keep ball continued as the seconds passed by. Ryan Manning fluffed a shot at goal and Joel Latibeaudiere was nastily pushed to the ground in the final seconds. Wigan are going down despite what many have predicted and that’s ten points from twelve for the Swans. Yes it’s too little too late this season but some of the football today was exquisite at times. The second half was mute by comparison due to strong arm tactics by Wigan which went against them and stalled the game and any hope of them mounting a comeback.

We will question the away support numbers of 800, and leave that there. It was far more. But that’s all we can question in another decent Swansea display and another three points. Another clean sheet for Fisher, that’s three from four and the Swans are on fifty three points tonight.

Wigan Athletic: Amos; Darikwa (C), Nyambe, Hughes (Keane 65), Whatmough, McClean (Pearce 78), Power, Naylor (Smith 78), Tiéhi (Aasgaard 55), Lang, Fletcher (Magennis 55).

Subs not used: Jones, Rekik.

Yellow cards: 🟨 Lang 40, Hughes 45+1

Swansea City: Fisher; 7 Latibeaudiere,6 Cabango, 6 Wood,6 Manning; 7 Grimes (C), 7 Allen 6 (Cooper 62), 5 Fulton; 7 Ntcham 7 (Darling 83),6 Paterson 7 (Cullen 73); 5 Piroe. 8

Subs not used: Webb, Naughton, Cundle, Whittaker.

Goals: Piroe 14 & 35

Yellow card: 🟨 Manning 45+2

Attendance: 11,634 (812 away)

Referee: Sam Allison 7/10 : decent enough, kept the game flowing.

Photograph with permission Swansea City AFC & Swans Indy

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