Roo’s under Pir pressure
them looking near enough doomed as they are still nine points from safety with only five games left.
It might have been a different story if they had shown the same application in the first 20 minutes as in the last 20 – but the Swans had it too easy.
Piroe clipped in a beauty for his first, from the impressive Hannes Wolf’s JOEL PIROE struck two cross, and then pounced on perfect short irons of which an error by Curtis Davies to the Masters field would curl home a second. have been proud – but it A foul by Swansea left bunkered Wayne keeper Fisher on Luke Rooney in a rage. Plange enabled Lawrence
Piroe’s sweet first-time to pull a goal back with a efforts put Swansea into a spot-kick, but the Rams
2-0 lead inside 16 minutes have only scored more than but they were left hanging one goal in a game once in on after Tom Lawrence’s 11 matches. penalty made it a tense Rooney admitted: “We finish. know we’re in a difficult
Derby position with manager five games to Rooney was go but the incensed his players will side were give everything denied a for those five penalty in games.” added-time Piroe, a when £1million buy substitute from PSV Bartosz Eindhoven last Cybulski summer, has tangled with Swans now scored 20 goals this goalkeeper Andy Fisher. season, the first Swan to
“I hope the referee gets make that figure since Oli banned and fined because Mcburnie three years ago. that is not good enough,” Swansea head coach stormed Rooney. Russell Martin said: “It’s not
“We’ve got a good young about what he is now worth group of players who are to the club, it’s about what working hard to try and he is bringing on the pitch.” help this club get through Martin’s side now have the difficulties it’s going four wins and a draw from through. their last five games and
“We’ve got a young could even make a late tilt player coming on for his for the play-offs if they second game, gets wrestled maintain that momentum. to the ground and the “I don’t think the playoffs officials don’t see it. Crazy!” are in my thinking at the
The defeat – Derby’s moment – but the players third in five games – leaves may be different,” he added.
SWANSEA: Fisher 6; Cabango 6, Naughton 7, Latibeaudiere 6; Christie 6, Fulton 6, Grimes 7, Wolf 7; Piroe 8 (Smith 76, 6), Paterson 6 (Ntcham 60, 6); Obafemi 6 (Joseph 90+3).
Subs not used: Hamer, Ogbeta, Congreve, Manning, Ogbeta, Congreve.
DERBY: Allsop 6; Byrne 6, Davies 5, Cashin 6, Buchanan 6 (Ebosele 46, 7); Bielik 5, Thompson 6 (Cybulski 84); Ebiowei 6, Morrison 6, Lawrence 7; Plange 6 (Knight 73, 6). Subs not used: Roos, Stearman, Forsyth, Cybulski, Richards.
MAN OF THE MATCH: Joel Piroe: Two sweet strikes reminiscent of his Dutch hero, Ruud van Nistelrooy.
REFEREE: Tim Robinson 7.
GRAHAM THOMAS