Connor nails it to keep Swans in play-off hunt
LOCKDOWN carpenter Connor Roberts made sure Swansea still have a chance of dining at the big buffet table next season.
The Wales full-back – who spent weeks at home making furniture before the Championship campaign resumed – scored the only goal, which could yet help add the varnish of the play-offs for the Swans.
At the very least, Steve Cooper’s young side have made sure the last day of the regular season in midweek will see a hammer-and-nails battle with Welsh rivals Cardiff for sixth spot.
There is a chance both could make the top six, but that would require back-to-back heavy defeats for Nottingham Forest at Barnsley today and then at home to Stoke.
But barring terror on the Trent, Swansea can only make sixth if they win at Reading and Hull do the same at Cardiff.
Bristol’s own thin hopes of the play-offs dived when Roberts scored on the stroke of half-time, after Conor Gallagher’s shot came back off the post.
But the Robins could have torn up the Welsh script if substitute Famara Diedhiou had scored with a penalty instead of striking the post.
“Anything can happen on the last day,” said Swans head coach Cooper. “All we can do is take care of our business and try and win at Reading.
“We have seen our younger players grow up in recent weeks and we go to Reading in a good frame of mind.”
Swansea are regularly incapable of holding leads but they clung on thanks to Diedhiou’s miss from the spot, awarded after the striker had been pulled down by Ben Cabango.
Bristol City caretaker head coach Dean Holden said: “The game swings on the penalty miss. He has scored big penalties before.
“Who knows what would have happened if we had put that away?
“We have come here with a plan and at times they couldn’t get near us. It’s just about the final end product.”
LUTON are on the verge of a stunning great escape thanks to Kazenga LuaLua’s dramatic late strike.
The Hatters’ super-sub grabbed a priceless 85th-minute winner to haul Nathan Jones’ heroes towards safety with a goal that is also likely to condemn Hull to relegation to the third tier for the first time in 15 years.
LuaLua was given time and space to drive forward and find the bottom corner to reward Luton’s secondhalf dominance in a tight, tense and tetchy basement battle.
It is just one defeat in 11 games for a side written off as certainties for the drop before lockdown – and victory at home to Blackburn on Wednesday will secure another season of Championship football.
Jones has led the escape since