Lowe blow
JAMAL BRACE STUNS LIONS
JAMAL LOWE brought a week of hell to a happier close with a spectacular double that breathed new life into Swansea’s promotion bid.
The Jamaica striker scored his first club goals since January which, along with another superb strike from Andre Ayew, earned a vital victory.
Disgusting racial abuse aimed at Lowe recently on Instagram led to the Swans boycotting social media.
And he responded with wonderful finishing that keeps faint hopes of an automatic promotion spot alive, and helps shore up a place in the top six.
For Millwall this loss may well signal the end of their remote chances of gatecrashing the play-offs.
But delighted Swans boss Steve Cooper, after seeing his side end a
492-minute goalless streak in style, said: “We needed a win but it was also a stylish performance.
“Jamal Lowe ended his drought but it has also been a tough week for him. He has shown a lot of class and the guy that he is.
“He didn’t need to score two goals for us to know he is a brilliant person and dad but the fact he did is pleasing.
“We are proud of him and others that suffered abuse, the club did what it felt was right.
“Andre scored at a brilliant time for us. And we created chances, were clinical and kept a clean sheet. It was important after four losses.”
A two-minute silence was observed as a tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh. Then a quick Lions break saw Danny McNamara cross for Mason Bennett.
He teed up Billy Mitchell but his
20-yard shot was deflected just wide. From the corner Jake Cooper headed off target. Lowe was denied by a brave save from Millwall’s Bartosz Bialkowski but the visitors broke the deadlock – and their goal drought – in first-half stoppage time.
Conor Hourihane picked out Ghana striker Ayew on the right of the area and he cut back onto his left foot and buried a curling shot.
Bialkowski kept his side in the match with a brilliant save in the 52nd minute to deny Wayne Routledge and Lowe had an effort blocked.
Bennett could not get his shot on target from McNamara’s cross.
At the other end referee Robert Jones waved away Ryan Manning’s appeals for a penalty.
But Lowe, sent clear by Routledge, crashed in his side’s second in the 76th minute. And he added their third with five minutes left, teed up by Ayew.
Lions manager Gary Rowett said: “Conceding 20 seconds before half-time was a bad blow but we didn’t play well enough overall to get anything. It’s a long season and has been very hard on the players so I don’t want to be too tough on them.”
MILLWALL: Bialkowski 7; M Wallace 6, Pearce 6 (Zohore (62nd) 6), J Cooper 6; McNamara 6 (Romeo
(62nd) 6), Evans 6, Kieftenbeld 6 (Mahoney (62nd) 6), Mitchell 6 (Williams 78th), Malone 6; J Wallace 6, M Bennett 6 (Bodvarsson 78th)
SWANSEA: Woodman 6; Naughton 6, Guehi 7, R Bennett 7, Manning 6; Fulton 7, Hourihane 7, Grimes
6; Ayew 8 (Whittaker 90th), Lowe 9 (Cooper 90th), Routledge 7 (Roberts 78th)
STAR MAN: Jamal Lowe
REF: Robert Jones