Loan ace Brew-ing up a big storm for Woodgate’s outfit
RHIAN BREWSTER brewed up more trouble for Boro with an early quickfire double to boost Swansea’s play-off hopes.
Liverpool’s England
Under-21s striker took his tally to six goals since joining on loan in January.
And after his opening goal yesterday he held up a black T-shirt with the words ‘Our colour is not a crime’ in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Swans boss Steve Cooper said: “Rhian has a voice like everyone else. We all support each other and that was an example.
“He got two goals and he’s disappointed he didn’t get three.”
Andre
Ayew, who scored the only goal against Luton on December
21 the last time Swans won away, added a penalty to leave Boro three down after 34 minutes.
The Teessiders have certainly suffered at Ayew’s hands this season. A week before his Kenilworth Road decider, the Ghana attacker struck twice – including a spot-kick – in Boro’ 3-1 defeat at the Liberty Stadium.
Any more of this and relegation-threatened Boro will be wishing the season had been called off.
Manager Jonathan Woodgate admitted he was “stunned’’ by his side’s performance.
He said: “I thought we were very poor.
“There were no signs of that performance at all. That’s why I was stunned on the sidelines. But they have some exceptional players in Brewster, Conor Gallagher and Ayew and we couldn’t deal with them.’’
These sides were among the early risers as English football’s second tier awoke from its slumber of more than three months.
With exiled defender Daniel Ayala’s Boro days numbered, six of the club’s seven out-of-contract players – George Friend, Jonny Howson, Ryan Shotton, Adam Clayton, Marvin Johnson and Rudy Gestede – were in the matchday squad.
Hopes are high that the half-dozen will agree to remain until the end of the season.
Swansea are also encouraged that all six loanees and a number of free agents will stay to see out the campaign.
The hosts had two early scares before Brewster found his finishing touch to telling effect in the 18th minute. Three minutes later he connected with Aldo Kalulu’s dink from the opposite flank with a first-time strike.
It went from bad to worse for Boro when George Friend’s torrid afternoon continued as he conceded the spot-kick after bringing down Gallagher.
And Ayew stepped up to send Stojanovic the wrong way in clinical fashion.
Cooper added: “It’s an important win for us. Three-nil away is fantastic any time, never mind when we haven’t played for so many months.’’
THE only bubble West Ham want to be in at the end of July is the one belonging to the Premier League.
But the threat of relegation was echoing all the louder around an empty London Stadium after the Hammers were sent spinning to their eighth home defeat of the campaign.
Wolves hitman Raul Jimenez struck the crushing blow with 17 minutes to go before Pedro Neto wrapped up victory with a sensational volley.
David Moyes’ men may be deep in the mire but it is the complete reverse for Nuno Espirito Santo’s troops.
They have picked up exactly where they left off in March – in fine form and chasing down a possible top-four finish.
Wolves, who are also still in the Europa League, are now level with fifth-place Manchester United on 46 points.
And on this evidence, they cannot be discounted from going even higher over the next few weeks.
If there was one thing the first two days of Project Restart had taught us in a surreal era of crowd-free grounds is that sides who want it most – and have the stamina and heart to go for it – will hit the ground running.
They realise that by starting the second coming fast, the chances of snatching three points are vastly improved.
Manchester City and Southampton had been shining examples of that fact.
So the big question before this game was, ‘Who would take the bull by the horns?’
Moyes had claimed that prior to the 100-day suspension of the campaign, his strugglers had been in decent shape.
Really? Performances may have been improving but five points from a possible 27 since January was simply dreadful.
And that sort of return over the final nine games would not keep them alive in the top flight.
Wolves, on the other hand, were on fire before the season was interrupted.
No matter where they go, no matter the situation, they adapt, survive and thrive.
Little reason to suspect a visit to deserted east London would throw them off track.
Certainly, not during the opening exchanges when the Hammers barely got out their own half. When they finally broke free of the self-imposed lockdown, the hosts nearly scored with their first attack.
Indeed, they should have done. It was route on as Mark Noble pinged one over the top in the 13th minute and Pablo Fornals was clean through – only to blaze high and wide from 10 yards.
Moments later, Tomas Soucek’s piledriver was on target before Conor Coady deflected it clear.
Despite plenty of possession, the visitors did not trouble Hammers goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski until Diogo Jota’s 30th-minute shot.
By half-time, though, they were showing real pace on the break with Jimenez and Jota really clicking.
And yet that threat completely disappeared after the interval – until boss Santo shuffled his pack with lightning winger Adama Traore and Neto coming on in the 63rd minute.
What a switch it proved. Traore, with the pace to terrorise tiring defenders, crossed for unmarked Jimenez to head in his 23rd goal this season.
And it was not long before Neto doubled the lead, rifling in at the far post from Matt Doherty’s pinpoint centre to add the crowning glory.