AYEW A REAL TRICKY RICKY
Swan’s solo goal as good as Villa’s
JORDAN AYEW scored a goal good enough to grace any FA Cup occasion to lift a wet and wild night in Swansea.
The Ghanaian striker, who has suddenly found his form under new manager Carlos Carvalhal, picked his way past four defenders before putting the Premier League side in front after only nine minutes.
It was so good it deserved to be the winner.
Instead that honour was left to Wilfried Bony, who prodded home from close range a few moments after Diogo Jota’s second-half equaliser for Wolves.
Immortal
In a third-round replay in pouring rain that wasn’t on TV, Ayew’s goal won’t join the list of the old competition’s classics.
But in its way it was every bit as good as Ricky Villa’s immortal, weaving run for Spurs in the 1981 final replay which still gets played in the Wembley build-up every season.
Ayew had only just squandered a chance after Kortney Hause’s mistake had set him clear, but there was no stopping him this time.
He picked his way through four defenders before pushing the ball out of his feet to shoot beyond young goalkeeper Will Norris.
Carvalhal leapt and punched Yp I8CG? <CC@J the air and he deserved the good start in reward for his approach to the tie.
After a dismal, goalless draw at Molineux 11 days earlier, Carvalhal picked pretty much his strongest side in the hope of a win to lift the mood in their survival fight.
In contrast, the runaway Championship leaders were without the bulk of their front-line players, as boss Nuno Espirito Santo looked ahead to Saturday’s clash with a potentially revitalised Nottingham Forest.
Certainly Swansea’s positive approach appeared the more successful. Ayew can be maddeningly inconsistent but this was his fourth goal in his last seven games and the boost in confidence could be seen as he struck a superb cross-field pass a few moments later.
It was getting on for half-time before Wolves got any sort of toehold in the game, Alfie Mawson blocking Alfred N’Diaye’s shot after a Barry Douglas free-kick wasn’t properly cleared.
Even so, it took a great save from Norris to stop youngster Connor Roberts doubling the lead for Swansea.
With only one home win since October, Carvalhal’s players showed nerves and they were lucky to still be ahead when Helder Costa fired narrowly high just after the break.
Wolves upped the stakes on the hour when Santo sent on top scorers Leo Bonatini and Jota. And he was rewarded when Jota took down Roderick Miranda’s long ball and fired in.
But Swansea responded instantly. Tom Carroll’s ball into the box created havoc and Bony reacted first to stab home. DONCASTER boss Darren Ferguson has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute after claiming referees should be shot. LEEDS are set to snap up Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Forshaw in a £2m deal. FULHAM will sign Southampton defender Matt Targett, 22, on loan until the end of the season. CARDIFF have signed Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic, 21, on loan until the end of the season. SOUTHEND have axed boss Phil Brown and his entire backroom staff after almost five years in charge. BOURNEMOUTH have been given approval to build a new multi-million pound training complex. DAVID WAGNER is set to seal the £2.5m capture of midfielder Samuel Bastien from Serie A Chievo Verona. JOS LUHUKAY has launched a £1.5m bid to land Dutch midfielder Joey Pelupessy as his first signing for Sheffield Wednesday.