London: Two goals in five second-half minutes gave Swansea City a 2-1 win at West Brom as the Welsh managed to secured their first three points in four matches.
Marc-Antoine Fortune gave the Baggies the lead ten minutes into the second-half, but Gylfi Sigurdsson and Danny Graham netted soon after for the visitors.
In an even contest the home side were denied a penalty after a clear Ashley Williams hand-ball, but they were made to regret their lapses of concentration soon after taking the lead.
Roy Hodgson made two changes to the side that drew with Fulham as Steven Reid and Jerome Thomas both returned from injury, replacing Gabriel Tamas and Simon Cox, while new signings Liam Ridgewell and Keith Andrews both made the bench.
Brendan Rodgers kept an unchanged side from the team that drew 1-1 with Chelsea, but Josh McEachran was eligible once again and was given a place on the bench.
Swansea started the match well and saw an early Angel Rangel shot from a corner deflected wide. Gylfi Sigurdsson then won and took a free-kick from 20 yards out, but instead of finding the goal, it hit the back of the netting, causing the visiting fans to celebrate prematurely.
However, the Baggies were denied an early penalty when Nicky Shorey’s ball into the area was taken off the head of Gareth McAuley by the hand of Williams, but referee John Moss didn’t give the decision despite strong protests from the home players.
Graham was next to try his luck, but after taking down Leon Britton’s pass and shrugging off McAuley he fired over inside the area.
The match livened up towards the end of the first-half with Peter Odemwingie seeing his shot cleared off the line by Sigurdsson, and soon after Scott Sinclair went tumbling in the area on the stroke of half-time, but referee Moss deemed there was no foul.
The second-half began with Swansea looking the more likely to score, but after an opening spell of pressure it was West Brom who took the lead. Graham Dorrans’ corner was flicked on by Jonas Olsson to Fortune who took a touch and stuck it into the net.
Yet, in the space of five minutes the game had been completely turned on its head. Sixty seconds after Fortune’s, goal Swansea were level, with Sinclair feeding Neil Taylor down the left and the full-back’s cut back was met by Sigurdsson who hit it past Foster.
Moments later the visitors had the lead as Sigurdsson was given time to deliver a low ball into the West Brom area and Graham was there to meet it before McAuley and again put it past Foster.
Rodgers' side almost grabbed a third goal soon after, but following good work from Graham down the left, Nathan Dyer could only stab his low cross wide whilst running in.
Back came the Baggies though, and they should have equalised, when Dorrans’ effort was deflected into the path of Odemwingie six yards out, but the Nigerian blazed over with Michel Vorm out of position. Morrison then tried his luck from the edge of the area but he also cleared the crossbar.
Rangel then slipped in Dyer, but the winger's shot was saved by Foster before Olsson blocked the follow-up from Sigurdsson. At the other end Fortune was allowed in by a Williams mistake, but like many times this season, Vorm was there to save.
The full-time whistle blew moments later to condemn West Brom to another home loss and gave Swansea a rare victory on their travels.
Comments
0 comment