Swansea City recorded their first win of the season against a poor Sheffield Wednesday side which saw the Swans climb out of the relegation places in the Championship.

It was a bright start from the Swans as Jamal Lowe found himself in space early on but his snap shot was deflected for a corner. The real issue came on eight minutes when Nathan Wood was fouled badly and had to be replaced by Harry Darling. Wednesday were playing out from the back and the Swans tried to press their defence but the clear options for the home side were not being taken. The Swans looked comfortable on the ball but since that Lowe effort didn’t create anything with harsh challenges from the visitors continuing to cause the Swans injury concerns. Paterson was floored on fourteen minutes and lunges seemed to be the order of the day for the Owls.

The visitors first real glimpse of a reward for their efforts was a corner on fifteen minutes. Despite the Swans clearing their lines Wednesday continued to press. The game was stop, start with little of value for the crowd to get excited about. The main issues again were the weaknesses in the Swans midfield. Their failure to keep the ball gave possession back to the visitors throughout the first twenty. Charlie Patino was the biggest offender,the frustration causing him injury in a rash tackle. With Patino down Wednesday failed to take an opportunity which keeper Carl Rushworth saved.

The Swans looked lightweight and ill equipped to deal with the physicality the visitors were bringing to the game. The Swans couldn’t find their men in a congested Wednesday half as they tried to pick their way through the visitors at walking pace. The clue came with a burst of pace from Josh Ginnelly getting into the penalty area which Wednesday defender Pol Valnetín stopped by pulling his shirt back. He was yellow carded. The referee had no problem giving a spot kick which Jamal Lowe calmly converted on twenty seven minutes.

Wednesday continued with their persistent fouling allowing the Swans to retain a foothold in the game. It resorted again in a congested midfield. Valentín continued to kick Swansea players and was now on a real tightrope. It has to be said had he not already been booked he would have for his next challenges.

He wasn’t.

Musaba looked to be the only threat the Owls could muster. His strength and ability shining out well above his team mates. The Swans managed to deal with him but he is a big unit and went relatively unsupported from those in the same colour shirt as him.

The physicality continued with players from both sides going down injured in a bruising first forty five minutes. Despite Patino’s small frame he mixed it with the opposition. It was noticeable that Wednesday were doubling up on Swansea’s flanks. Jeff Hendrick was carded, and then Ginnelly went down injured as the tackling was furious. Ginnelly left the game and was replaced by Jerry Yates and a formation change was needed. With two of the Swans most effective players in the treatment room the game became disjointed. It worked in the visitors favour. Eight added minutes to the first half was testament to the stopping and starting nature of this fixture.

The Swans pressed at the end of the eight minutes getting the ball in to the net but the goal was ruled offside. The visitors really did look frantic in their efforts when the Swans moved forwards. It has to be said this game wasn’t a classic but it was never going to be with the referee calling a halt on fifty four minutes.

The Swans looked much better as the second half started, more aggressive and with more intent to get the ball forwards. The visitors looked ragged as possession switched from side to side. Josh Windass and Callum Patterson came on to bring some more bite to the Owls attack. Patino shot wide and it really was now a matter of who scores next takes control of the game. Yates was having one of his better games uo front for the Swans, maybe the recent omissions from the side were having an effect ? The game returned to the patterns of the second half, stopping and starting but Windass looked busy and a forced cross shot was deflected for a corner. Both sets of players threw themselves in to challenges as Wednesday looked more the better side. This resulted in tel quick corners, the second resulting in Wednesday smashing the ball onto the crossbar.

Paterson charged down the visitors keeper and the rebound almost found the net. It really was chaotic football. Pedersen found himself working overtime on the flanks and on sixty two minutes a set piece from Wednesday delivered by Barry Bannan was comfortably fielded by Rushworth. The game was on a knife edge, not a particularly exciting one but Yates made it 2-0 after some crazy Wednesday defending. He slotted home his third goal of the season after a lovely disguised pass from Lowe. That goal came on the back of a very decent spell from Wednesday. The Owls left spaces at the back as they pressed forwards, another lovely ball in for Patino ( below ) from Lowe saw the youngster chip the visitors keeper as cooly as you like. At 3-0 the game was over.

Had that shot from Wednesday which hit the bar gone in then we would have been watching a completely different game. Fine margins indeed. Michael Smith and Ashley Fletcher came on for the Owls to shore up their midfield and defensive deficiencies. Patino went off on seventy three minutes for Jay Fulton and Jamal Lowe for Josh Tymon in another reshuffle of the side.

The game at 3-0 was lost for the visitors and it was really a case of damage limitation. Cullen seemed to favour getting his legs in a twist which saw any threat breaking down, and it has to be said there was more here for the Swans. However, the final ball was letting them down. That pattern continued for the final minutes as the Swans recorded their first win and clean sheet of the season.

Swansea Independent view
Sheffield Wednesday are no great shakes but this was a must win for Michael Duff, it wasn’t the best of games by a long way but a win is a win. There are still many question marks over this Swansea side under Duff. It hasn’t got the dynamics of a side that is confident and assured despite this win. However in the main the Swans battled hard against a team that has less personality than any side we have seen so far this season. And that includes QPR. Four points from those two games this week was a necessity, and that has happened. It isn’t going to get any easier next Saturday after a weeks rest for the Swans, they face Millwall away. There we will see if there’s any value and improvement in Michael Duff’s vision for this side. Not against relegation fodder like Sheffield Wednesday who bar a few moments were absolutely

The ratings

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, 7 Josh Key, 7 Kristian Pedersen, 6 Ben Cabango, 7 Matt Grimes 5 (captain), Jamal Lowe, 6 Josh Ginnelly, 6 Jamie Paterson, 6 Charlie Patino, 7 Liam Cullen, 5 Nathan Wood 6

Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Jay Fulton, 5 Harry Darling, 6 Jerry Yates, 7 Josh Tymon, 6 Mykola Kuharevich, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Harrison Ashby, Bashir Humphreys.

Sheffield Wednesday: Devis Vazquez, Bambo Diaby, Lee Gregory, Barry Bannan (captain), Pol Valentin, Juan Delgado, Di'Shon Bernard, John Buckley, Jeff Hendrick, Akin Famewo, Anthony Musaba.

Substitutes: Cameron Dawson, Liam Palmer, Dominic Iorfa, George Byers, Josh Windass, Callum Paterson, Tyreeq Bakinson, Michael Smith, Ashley Fletcher.

Att : 16,880
Away : 1,859

Referee 6/10: Faired okay for a ref early on in his championship career.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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