ERRORS SO COSTLY FOR SWANS IN OPENING DAY DEFEAT
THE Russell Martin era started in defeat as Swansea City were beaten 2-1 by Blackburn Rovers. The Swans fully implemented their new ideas under the former MK Dons boss but were undone by repeated errors in Lancashire.
Sam Gallagher drilled home in the opening period before Ben Brereton Diaz scored from the penalty spot early on in the second half following a howler from Steven Benda.
Swansea threw caution to the wind and got back into the contest through Martin’s first Swansea signing Jamie Paterson just before the hour mark.
But they were unable to nab an equaliser as Swansea lost on the opening day of a league campaign for the first time since 2013.
The Swans were without Connor Roberts, Jay Fulton and Ryan Manning while summer signing Joel Piroe was left out of the squad altogether.
Goalkeeper Ben Hamer missed out after returning a positive coronavirus test meaning Nico Defreitas-Hansen was listed on a youthful looking bench which also included Lincoln McFayden, Kyle Joseph and Ollie Cooper.
But the Swans were boosted by the return of captain Matt Grimes while Paterson was thrown straight into the starting XI little more than 24 hours after joining the club.
The hosts had their own injury problems while last season’s top scorer Adam Armstrong was omitted from the squad amid fierce transfer interest from the likes of Southampton, Crystal Palace and Watford.
In the torrential Lancashire rain, Swansea’s ideas were evident from the outset. Dominate the football.
New number one Benda and centre-back Ryan Bennett were key in building out from the back as Joel
Latibeaudiere and Ben Cabango were given more licence to aid wingbacks Kyle Naughton and Jake Bidwell.
As expected, there were nervy moments for the 908 members of the Jack Army housed in the upper section of the Darwen End to endure.
And Benda was forced to stoop low to keep out Tyrhys Dolan’s goalbound effort just five minutes in.
Simple errors were giving Rovers chances to attack, although their final ball let them down on numerous occasions.
Swansea continued to stick to their methods and started to show signs of confidence, and Cabango split the Blackburn defence with a sublime pass that sent Liam Cullen through on goal, although the striker’s effort was well blocked by Thomas Kaminski.
They took ownership of the football, although Tony Mowbray’s side always carried the greater threat, largely after capitalising on mistakes from those in black.
And Martin’s men were duly punished 10 minutes before half time as John Buckley won possession, sending Brereton Diaz goalwards.
The Chilean forward’s effort was well blocked by Benda, but Gallagher was on hand to lash home the rebound in front of the Swansea supporters.
The following few minutes produced some frightening moments for the Jack Army, with mistakes creeping in as Blackburn looked to rub salt into the visitors’ wounds.
Following a fumble from Joe Rothwell’s long-distance strike, Benda made a vital save to keep the score at 1-0.
Grimes and Korey Smith both had efforts blocked as Swansea pushed late on in the half, but the statistics told the full story at half time.
Martin’s troops had enjoyed 70% of possession in the opening 45, although they were beaten 11 to three when it came to shots, and six to one on efforts on target.
No one said it would be easy, mind. And after less than a week with his new players, Martin will no doubt have at least taken some comfort
from the fact his players were boldly following his orders.
But he will have been pulling his hair out moments after the restart as Benda dallied in possession before Dolan robbed him of the ball. The goalkeeper panicked and lunged into the Blackburn forward, leaving referee David Webb with no choice but to point to the penalty spot.
Brereton Diaz put plenty of power on the spot-kick to ensure Benda - who dived the right way - was unable to prevent his side from going 2-0 down.
The picture looked bleak for the Swans who felt they had no option but to throw the kitchen sink at Rovers.
And shortly after Naughton had a teasing cross cleared, Smith’s pass trickled into the path of Paterson whose shot caught out Kaminski and rippled the centre of the Blackburn net.
It was as though Blackburn’s second goal was required for Swansea to really commit to attacks, and they came agonisingly close to levelling through Cullen whose leftfooted strike was expertly kept out by Kaminski shortly after Smith had been replaced by Yan Dhanda.
The quality was lacking where it mattered most, and that was evidenced when Grimes drilled a freekick over the crossbar from 20 yards out after Dhanda had been fouled.
Rothwell’s pile driver sailed over late on as space opened up on the counter attack for Rovers while Morgan Whittaker was sent on for Cullen.
The former Derby County man almost set up Bidwell with a chipped cross before Benda denied Danny Butterworth from a counter attack at the other end.
They then struck the post in injury time.
And a frenetic contest ended in defeat for the new-look Swans whose focus now switches back to the transfer market ahead of Tuesday’s Carabao Cup contest with Reading.