Match ends, Swansea City 3, Stoke City 0.
Swansea City eased their relegation concerns with a 3-0 cruise past Stoke City which leaves the Potters still scrapping for Championship survival.
Liam Cullen's crisp finish gave Swansea a first-half lead before Niall Ennis thought he had claimed a bizarre leveller, only for his effort to be ruled out for a foul on goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.
Matt Grimes drilled in from the spot to give Swansea breathing space early in the second half before Josh Key's fine counter-attack goal sealed what was ultimately a comprehensive victory.
Swansea's first win in four games may well prove to be the result which guarantees they will still be in the second tier next season.
Luke Williams' side are now seven points clear of 22nd-place Sheffield Wednesday with just four league games remaining in this campaign.
But while Swansea look close to safety, Stoke have much work to do to secure their Championship status after their three-game unbeaten run came to an abrupt end.
Steven Schumacher's side are just three points above the drop zone with a potentially pivotal game against the Owls to come at Hillsborough on Saturday.
- Williams wants more from Swansea after Stoke win
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- Relive Wednesday's Championship action
This was a meeting of two clubs who, having begun 2023-24 with some degree of optimism, have spent the majority of the season licking wounds.
Swansea responded to their latest painful day, at Middlesbrough last weekend, by showing much more purpose against Stoke.
They ought to have gone ahead when Jamie Paterson spun away from Ki-Jana Hoever and pulled back for Jay Fulton, but a big chance went begging as the Scot's shot hit the post.
The opener came from a free-kick near halfway, Paterson exchanging passes with Grimes before crossing invitingly for Cullen to guide home.
The goal prompted an improvement from Stoke, who thought they had equalised on the half-hour after Ennis inadvertently knocked the ball from Rushworth's grasp.
Ennis rolled the ball into the empty net - but saw his strike disallowed for a foul even though the contact with Rushworth had been unintentional.
Stoke came again, Million Manhoef twice firing wide as the visitors found some momentum before half-time.
Yet Swansea were gifted the chance to reassert control thanks to Luke McNally's clumsy challenge on Ollie Cooper.
The initial contact may have occurred outside the box, but Cooper tumbled into the area and referee Keith Stroud pointed to the spot.
There was no sign of nerves from Swansea captain Grimes, who drove his penalty high into the net.
A Stoke comeback never looked likely after that, particularly when Josh Laurent dragged wide, and Swansea wrapped up victory in style when Paterson's pass sent Jamal Lowe breaking down the left.
After a clever dummy flummoxed McNally, Lowe squared for the onrushing Key to burst beyond Michael Rose and smash in his first home goal in a Swansea shirt.
Swansea head coach Luke Williams:
"When we sit and review games, without the emotion on the day, we're controlling the game [in] the last three games we played.
"We get in there and we fizzle out a bit. We gave not too much to the opposition but something was missing because we're getting there and not quite scoring, we are keeping the opposition out but then they score from nothing.
"There has been something missing but tonight the intensity and aggression, all of that lovely stuff, we put back in and got a really great result."
Stoke head coach Steven Schumacher:
"I felt we got beaten by the better team on the night. Swansea in all departments were better than us.
"They won all of the battles, the 50-50s, and they also passed the ball better and were brighter from set-piece moments.
"It was a poor performance from us and it's one that we weren't expecting because we've been playing really well.
"There's also a few key decisions that's gone against us. In any game in the Championship you need those big decisions to go for you, tonight unfortunately they didn't go our way."
Line-ups
Swansea
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 22Rushworth
- 2KeySubstituted forAbdulaiat 77'minutes
- 5Cabango
- 6DarlingBooked at 61mins
- 14Tymon
- 4FultonSubstituted forWalshat 76'minutes
- 8Grimes
- 35Pereira Martins
- 31CooperSubstituted forLoweat 69'minutes
- 12PatersonBooked at 43minsSubstituted forGoveaat 77'minutes
- 20CullenBooked at 67minsSubstituted forPatinoat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Fisher
- 9Yates
- 10Lowe
- 18Patino
- 19Kukharevych
- 28Walsh
- 33Humphreys
- 37Govea
- 47Abdulai
Stoke
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Iversen
- 17Hoever
- 23McNally
- 5Rose
- 3StevensBooked at 38minsSubstituted forBakerat 79'minutes
- 28Laurent
- 6BurgerSubstituted forThompsonat 63'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 42ManhoefBooked at 61minsSubstituted forLérisat 63'minutes
- 22BaeSubstituted forCundleat 45'minutes
- 7Cunha Vidigal
- 14EnnisSubstituted forCampbellat 63'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Baker
- 10Campbell
- 13Bonham
- 15Thompson
- 16Wilmot
- 20Haksabanovic
- 24Tchamadeu
- 25Cundle
- 27Léris
- Referee:
- Keith Stroud
- Attendance:
- 14,692
Match Stats
- Possession
- Home51%
- Away49%
- Shots
- Home12
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home4
- Away1
- Corners
- Home2
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home15
- Away16
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Swansea City 3, Stoke City 0.
Post update
Offside, Stoke City. Josh Laurent is caught offside.
Post update
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Josh Tymon.
Post update
Attempt missed. Matt Grimes (Swansea City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left from a direct free kick.
Booking
Jordan Thompson (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
Aimar Govea (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Jordan Thompson (Stoke City).
Post update
Attempt saved. André Vidigal (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Lewis Baker.
Post update
Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Ben Cabango.
Post update
Attempt blocked. André Vidigal (Stoke City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Baker.
Post update
Foul by Liam Walsh (Swansea City).
Post update
Lewis Baker (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Azeem Abdulai (Swansea City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Foul by André Vidigal (Stoke City).
Substitution
Substitution, Swansea City. Charlie Patino replaces Liam Cullen.
Post update
Attempt missed. Jamal Lowe (Swansea City) right footed shot from more than 35 yards is just a bit too high. Assisted by Josh Tymon following a fast break.
Substitution
Substitution, Stoke City. Lewis Baker replaces Enda Stevens.
Substitution
Substitution, Swansea City. Azeem Abdulai replaces Joshua Key.
Substitution
Substitution, Swansea City. Aimar Govea replaces Jamie Paterson.
Comments
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Wishing him and Swansea all the best for the remainder of the season 🙂
GYBGOOOC.
Played like a team of strangers.
Didn't get the rub of the green with two decisions but played without passion and commitment.