Swans in a waltz to victory
IT’S STRICTLY NO FUN FOR WARURTON’S RANGERS
QPR may boast the Strictly Come Dancing champion in celebrity fan Bill Bailey – but they were caught flat-footed by the Swans.
Steve Cooper’s side delivered a killer two-step either side of half-time to hop into second spot.
Andre Ayew reacted quickest to head the visitors in front on 44 minutes with his eighth goal of the season.
And strike partner Jamal Lowe hit his fourth goal in as many games when he raced clear of a static defence to double the lead on 54 minutes.
Swansea boss Cooper said: “I thought it was a tight game first half and I was really happy to come in at half-time in front.
“Second half was about managing the game.
“We thought we could manage our moments to attack and get a second – and it came off.
“It was a fantastic pass from Matt Grimes and a brilliant goal for Jamal.
“It was great for Andre and Jamal to score.”
The pressure is starting to pile on Rangers boss Mark Warburton as his side slumped to an eighth game without a win on the back of a th i rd straight goalless home performance.
Macauley Bonne did at least force an acrobatic save from Freddie Woodman with a looping header with just four minutes on the clock.
But he then miscued the ball instead of blasting home Todd Kane’s cross.
And a succession of Ilias Chair balls into the box failed to receive the finishing touch they deserved.
B on n e’s poor layoff cost
strike
YEW BEAUTY Andre Ayew celebrates his goal for Swans partner Lyndon Dykes a shooting chance and Dominic Ball headed wide from Kane’s far-post cross.
As the clock ticked towards half-time, Swansea threatened for the first time since a tame Lowe shot and Jan Dhanda’s 13th-minute curler, which forced a fine stop out of Seny Dieng.
They took the lead when former QPR full-back Jake Bidwelll saw his header deflected against the post by Yoann Bardet and bounce out for Ayew to nod in from five yards.
The visitors made it 2-0 when Grimes’ diagonal pass split the QPR defence and Lowe raced clear to beat Dieng with ease. Frustration levels increased on the home
bench as Bonne headed a Rob Dickie cross off target from six yards and Willock volleyed wide.
Boss Warburton said: “In the first half we controlled the game, got balls in the box and we have to take our chances. As simple as that.
“We have given away two awful goals and dominated long periods but it is irrelevant if you don’t put the ball in the back of the net.”
QPR: Dieng 6; Dickie 7, Cameron 7, Barbet 7; Kane 7 (Adomah 77), Ball 7, Carroll 6 (Willock 77), Hamalainen 6 (Osayi-Samuel 66, 6); Chair 6; Bonne 6 (Kelman 66, 6), Dykes 6.
Unused subs: Kelly, Thomas, Masterson, Bettache, Duke-McKenna.
SWANSEA: Woodman 7; Bennett 8, Guehi 8, Cabango 8; Roberts 7, Fulton 8, Grimes 8, Bidwell 7; Dhanda 7 (Smith 65, 6); Ayew 7, Lowe 7. Unused subs: Benda, Manning, Gyokeres, Routledge, Latibeaudiere, Cooper, Garrick, Palmer. MAN OF THE MATCH: Matt Grimes. Pass of the game for Lowe to score Swans’ second. REFEREE: Steve Martin 7.