No welcome mat for Lovell
OLI MCBURNIE made sure Steve Lovell’s hopes of a sunny Swansea homecoming turned into a wet weekend in Wales.
The Swans’ Scotland striker scored twice before the tide really went out on the Gills’ FA Cup hopes with second-half goals from Bersant Celina – a belter – and Barrie Mckay.
Josh Rees gave Lovell’s men brief hope when he made it 2-1 but former Wales striker Lovell – who grew up in Swansea – admitted it was a wash-out in the driving rain after they had dumped Cardiff City out in the previous round.
Even the prospect of his mum’s homecooking was proving difficult to stomach after this heavy defeat.
“My plan was to go home for my mum’s cooking, but I don’t know if she’ll feed me after that!” Lovell quipped.
“It won’t be such a happy evening but I’m sure we’ll have a few stories and tales about the game.”
Even in the damp, the Swans were cooking on gas by half-time and had one foot in the fifth round for a second successive season. Mcburnie had already struck the post by the time he planted a header home for the opening goal on 10 minutes after being found by Leroy Fer’s pinpoint cross.
He then drilled a low shot past Tomas Holy for his 13th goal of the season and fifth in three games.
With his kid-sized socks and flapping shin pads, Mcburnie looks like an FA Cup hero from yesteryear and his form is the club’s best hope of reaching the Championship play-offs.
Wilfried Bony suggested he might fill that role at the start of the season, but his contribution has been meagre and it appears the Swans can’t wait to sell him.
Clubs in Turkey and Qatar are keen and Swans manager Graham Potter admitted he left Bony out in case he got injured and became damaged goods.
After Rees made it 2-1 with a clever header, Celina struck a beauty from 25 yards in the 73rd minute and then Mckay swept in the fourth from Daniel James’ cross.
Potter said: “It got a bit nervy, but overall, after the third goal went in, which was a fantastic strike, it became a little bit easier.
“It’s a pleasing afternoon, because strange things happen in this competition.
“And it’s nice for us that we’re through to the next round.”