Baker treat delights boss Potter
GRAHAM POTTER praised Courtney Baker-Richardson as the striker ended Swansea’s goal drought and put them on the path to a comfortable victory over QPR at Liberty Stadium.
Swansea’s wait for a competitive goal had lasted 291 minutes before Baker-Richardson scored his first senior goal.
“Courtney has different attributes to our other players and he had a bit of a thankless task, but he opened up some space for Oli McBurnie and he did everything asked of him,” Potter said.
“I said before we haven’t played as well as we would have liked at the Liberty and it was important to play well in front of our supporters.
“But I am really proud of the players. They have worked hard all season and to get three points, three goals and a clean sheet is a reward for them.”
Swansea started with midfielder Matt Grimes as a makeshift left-back and Baker-Richopportunity ardson led the line with Oli McBurnie supporting from a deeper role.
QPR included Angel Rangel – who spent 11 years and played 374 games for Swansea before leaving this summer – in defence.
The visitors looked the more dangerous, but it was Swansea who took the lead in the 16th minute. Kyle Naughton’s cross to the far post was headed down by McBurnie and Baker-Richardson did the rest by smashing the ball home.
Baker-Richardson should have had a second just minutes later. Roberts’ deflected cross found the 22-year-old but he spooned it over despite seeing an open goal in front of him.
Bersant Celina curled over when the second half began as QPR’s final ball continued to frustrate Steve McClaren.
With better quality of their own, Swansea should have put the former England manager’s side to bed earlier than they did and the game descended into a scrappy affair as both teams coughed up possession.
Celina tried his luck from range again and George Byers fired wide before McClaren introduced striker Matt Smith in search of an equaliser.
Swansea attempted to shore up their lead by bringing Leroy Fer and Fulton into midfield with Baker-Richardson withdrawn and McBurnie left alone up front.
It worked as Roberts scored the crucial second. Fulton’s pass found the Wales international who passed up the to shoot on his favoured right foot and cut in on his left.
His choice made no difference to the overall outcome as Roberts’ deflected effort left Lumley with no chance.
Fulton rubbed salt in QPR wounds after McBurnie dribbled through and the midfielder’s right-foot effort was deflected into the back of the net.
“I am disappointed with the scoreline. In the first 15 minutes I thought we started well. We created chances, but the final ball was not right and we were not clinical in front of goal,” McClaren said.
“We conceded from their first attack. We came back well, in the second half especially and we had chances to equalise and got punished.”