Run ends as Swans lose ground in race for promotion
■ Bournemouth 3 Swansea 0: Match report- see pages 42&43
SWANSEA City’s four-game unbeaten run came to an end as they were beaten 3-0 by a classy Bournemouth side at The Vitality Stadium.
The Cherries flew out of the traps and went ahead with just nine minutes on the clock as Philip Billing volleyed beyond Freddie Woodman to fully capitalise on some sloppy defending from the Swans.
They extended their lead in first-half injury time as a corner struck the shoulder of Joel Latibeaudiere before bouncing into Woodman’s net as Steve Cooper’s side struggled to threaten at the other end.
Morgan Whittaker impressed off the bench in the second half and forced Asmir Begovic into two smart saves while Jack Stacey, Cameron Carter-vickers and Steve Cook had decent openings for the home side.
But the damage had long been done, and Arnaut Danjuma drilled home a third for Bournemouth late on as Swansea lost ground on the Championship’s top two with what was only their seventh league defeat of the campaign.
The Swans made just one change to the side that started in the 1-0 win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on Saturday.
Jamal Lowe – without a goal in his previous 13 appearances – partnered top scorer Andre Ayew in attack as Yan Dhanda dropped to the bench.
The pressure was lumped on Swansea as their automatic promotion rivals Watford thumped Rotherham United, although Brentford blew a two-goal advantage to draw with Derby County in what was another significant game elsewhere.
The slick surface on the South Coast of England ensured both sides were able to get the ball down and play at every opportunity, although the Cherries also carried a threat from set-pieces early on – with Billing having a shot blocked from a well worked corner.
Cooper’s side went into the match with the joint-best defensive record in the second tier this season – although they were the victims of their own downfall as Billing was left completely unmarked around 10 yards out from goal, and he spectacularly volleyed home Danjuma’s cross to give his side the lead inside nine minutes.
Having lost 3-2 to Barnsley last time out, Jonathan Woodgate’s men were clearly intent on putting things right as they continued to cause problems in Swansea’s half.
However, the visitors slowly started to settle and showed some lively moments at the top end of the pitch but without giving Begovic anything to worry about.
The Cherries carved Swansea open just after the half-hour mark in a move that ended with Dominic Solanke preparing to pull the trigger from inside the box, but Kyle Naughton produced a stunning last-gasp tackle to thwart the Bournemouth ace.
Junior Stanislas was forced off due to injury six minutes before the break – with Rodrigo Riquelme coming on in his place before Connor Roberts and Ryan Manning were both unable to test Begovic with shots from outside the box.
But after growing into the game, Swansea went 2-0 down in the final stages of the first half as Latibeaudiere was the unfortunate man to turn into his own net from a corner which left the away side with a mountain to climb.
Whittaker was sent on for the second half as Latibeaudiere made way which meant Swansea switched to a 4-3-3 shape.
The tweak initially did little to help the visitors find a way back into the game though, and former Swan Carter-vickers very nearly made it 3-0 with a bullet header from Jack Wilshere’s free-kick, although Woodman palmed away the effort before Cook headed over from the resulting corner.
Swansea pushed forward as the second half wore on, and Bournemouth had Begovic to thank for getting a strong hand to Whittaker’s rasping effort from distance in what was the visitors’ attempt on target.
Jefferson Lerma dragged a shot wide before Dhanda replaced Korey Smith with a quarter of the game left to play.
The game remained open late on, and a quick-thinking Swansea move ended with Begovic palming away Whittaker’s close range effort from Manning’s driven cross before Stacey’s deflected effort flew wide at the other end.
But Danjuma sealed a fine win for the hosts three minutes from time as defeat leaves Swansea three points adrift of the top two with 10 matches to play, although Cooper’s side have a game in hand over second placed Watford as they turn their attention to Saturday’s South Wales derby clash with Cardiff City at the Liberty Stadium. first
BOURNEMOUTH: Begovic; Stacey, Carter-vickers, S. Cook (C), Rico; Wilshere (Pearson 71), Billing, Lerma; Danjuma (Mepham 90+1), Stanislas (Riquelme 39), Solanke. Subs not used: Travers, Long, Surridge, Kilkenny, Anthony, Zemura. SWANSEA CITY: Woodman; Naughton, Bennett, Latibeaudiere (Whittaker 46); Roberts, Grimes (C), Smith (Dhanda 68) Hourihane (Routledge 80), Manning; Lowe, Ayew. Subs not used: Hamer, Cabango, Bidwell, Freeman, Fulton, O Cooper. REFEREE: James Linington