HOURIHANE IS A BIG HIT
Ten-man Swans rescue point
CONOR HOURIHANE’S wicked free-kick took 10-man Swansea back into the Championship top two.
The Swans looked dead and buried after Tariqe Fosu-Henry headed the Bees in front moments after Kyle Naughton saw red.
But the on-loan Aston Villa star and some heroic defending revived Steve Cooper’s side to keep them ahead of Brentford in the race for the Premier League.
Swansea head coach Cooper said: “The red card, whether it is or not, I’m not sure. I’m certainly not complaining about it at the moment.
“We went 1-0 down and showed great character to get back into the game.”
This clash between these high-flying promotion contenders had all the makings of a Championship classic, but it took 70 minutes to catch fire.
Brentford received a boost when Naughton, above, was shown his second yellow card for a late challenge on Sergi Canos.
They made their man advantage count five minutes later when Henrick Dalsgaard found Fosu unmarked for the substitute to head home from six yards.
But the 10 men of Swansea fought back quickly to equalise.
David Raya failed to punch Hourihane’s whipped free-kick away and had to watch on as the ball eluded everyone in the box and found the corner of the net. The Swansea players laid their bodies on the line to deny a late barrage of Brentford pressure.
Bees head coach Thomas Frank said: “Of course, when it is 11 versus 10 you have to go on and win but that is why football is such a beautiful game. There are such small margins. It is two points dropped.”
SWANSEA (3-5-2): Woodman 6; Guehi 7, Cabango 8, Naughton 6, Roberts 6, Fulton 7, Grimes 6, Hourihane 7, Bidwell 5; Lowe 6 (Manning 91, 6), Ayew 5. Goal: Hourihane 78. Sent off: Naughton 69.
BRENTFORD (4-2-3-1): Raya 6; Dalsgaard 7, Sorensen 6, Pinnock 8, Henry 7; Jensen 7, Dasilva 8; Mbeumo 6 (FosuHenry 56, 6), Janelt 7 (Ghoddos 86, 6), Canos 6 (Forss 77, 6); Toney 7. Goal: Fosu-Henry 74.