Cooper eyeing a top two finish
SWANSEA BOSS IS AIMING HIGH THIS TIME OUT
SCHEMING Steve Cooper masterminded another win which kept his Swansea side’s promotion bandwagon rolling.
The Swans were far from at their fluent best but defender Ben Cabango headed home the opener on the stroke of halftime before striker Jamal Lowe rifled in a second 10 minutes after the restart.
Swansea were relegated from the Premier League after a seven-year stay in 2018 but they reached the play-offs in Cooper’s first season in charge last term, losing to Brentford in the semi-finals.
Their form this season has encouraged hopes of a top-two finish with this latest success keeping them in second and four points behind leaders Norwich. Barnsley, in 10th, went into the match having won 11 times in 17 outings since Frenchman Valerien Ismael was appointed in October.
They threatened first when Victor Adeboyejo latched on to Herbie Kane’s lofted pass behind the Swansea defence, but he could only thrash a fierce 20-yard shot well over the crossbar.
Adeboyejo then found space inside the right channel and hit a right-foot strike which drew a smart stop from Freddie Woodman at his near post.
From the resulting corner, Conor Chaplin’s strike was blocked by Andre Ayew.
Swansea went close four minutes later when defender Marc Guehi headed just wide from a corner.
It was a contest full of the endless industry that so typifies the Championship and cried out for a touch of class. Six minutes before the break, Barnsley midfielder Callum Styles found space 20 yards from Swansea’s goal but his low right-foot shot flew straight into Woodman’s midriff.
Then in first-half added time, another long throw-in from the right flank by Connor Roberts broke the deadlock.
The ball sailed to the edge of the sixyard box and Cabango showed impressive strength to outmuscle two Barnsley defenders and direct a header past Jack Walton for his third goal of the season. When referee Jeremy Simpson blew the half-time whistle soon after, Barnsley skipper Alex Mowatt booted the ball into the stands in frustration.
Mowatt’s future remains the source of much debate as his contract at Oakwell expires in the summer.
Barnsley have offered him a new deal, having turned down an offer from a rival club for the Leeds academy product.
Swansea grew as an attacking force after the break and Roberts lashed a volley just wide in the 52nd minute.
Three minutes later, disaster struck for the hosts as defender Mads Andersen and Michal Helik went for the same ball with fatal consequences.
Lowe fired home a clinical right-foot shot from inside the penalty area to seal the points with Barnsley unable to conjure any real response. BARNSLEY: Walton 6; Sollbauer 6 (Sibbick 84), Helik 5, Andersen 5; Brittain 6, Mowatt 5, Kane 6 (Palmer 63, 6), Styles 6; Chaplin 6 (Morris 63, 6), Adeboyejo 6 (Thomas 84), Woodrow 6. Unused Subs: Collins, Oduor, Moon, Frieser, Schmidt. SWANSEA: Woodman 6; Naughton 6, Cabango 8, Guehi 6; Roberts 7, Smith 6, Fulton 6, Grimes 6, Bidwell 6; Lowe 7, Ayew 6. Unused Subs: Hamer, Manning, Routledge, Cullen, Dhanda, Latibeaudiere, Byers, Cooper, Garrick. MAN OF THE MATCH: Ben Cabango. The big defender helped keep Barnsley’s strikeforce at bay and popped up with opening goal. REFEREE: Jeremy Simpson 6.