Soccer

Coventry ease to fourth straight league victory over out-of-form Swansea

First-half goals from Ellis Simms and Brandon Thomas-Asante proved enough for Frank Lampard’s Sky Blues.

Ellis Simms opened the scoring for Coventry at Swansea
Ellis Simms opened the scoring for Coventry at Swansea (David Davies/PA)

Coventry were unable to parade new signing Matt Grimes at his forming stamping ground but they were still far too strong for Swansea as they made it four wins in a row with a 2-0 victory.

Grimes was formally announced as a Coventry player on Friday and left the Swansea.Com Stadium after a decade of service. Having not missed a game since March 2023, his former team-mates looked lost without him.

The latest win for Coventry took them up to 11th place and only three points adrift of the play-offs. Swansea are now without a win in seven games this year and have lost their last four Sky Bet Championship matches to stay in 17th.

After a cagey start it was the visitors, seeking their first Championship win on Welsh soil since March 2022, who took the lead in the 16th minute.

Milan van Ewijk sent a long throw down the right touchline in the home half and Brandon Thomas-Asante battled to first win the ball and then cross to allow Ellis Sims to swivel and hammer home from the six-yard area.

Frank Lampard’s side were by far the more aggressive and creative, and former Swansea player Jake Bidwell unleashed a shot that flew over the crossbar four minutes later.

Usually the more fluent of passing teams, Swansea took their time to play without Grimes before a great cross from the left by Josh Tymon forced Bobby Thomas to clear for a corner.

Jay Fulton had the ball in the back of the Coventry net from the following corner, but referee Sam Allison spotted a foul beforehand and was disallowed.

Thomas had a great chance at the other end moments later when he got to Victor Torp’s in-swinging free-kick from the right, but his header at the near post just flashed wide.

Home goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux was called into action to save with his feet from Thomas-Asante as he sent Liam Kitching’s cross-shot from the left goalwards with a neat flick.

At the other end, Oliver Dovin was forced to dive to save a Ronald header to keep Coventry in front.

Then came a moment of magic from Thomas-Asante as he capitalised on some sloppy control from Giancalo Franco 40 yards out from the Swansea goal and hit the ball first time to lob Vigouroux and give the visitors a 2-0 lead a minute before the break.

Coventry had some great chances to add to their lead in the second half, but Thomas-Asante missed a touch from two yards out four minutes after the restart and then Vigouroux had to use his feet once again to stop Jack Rudoni from scoring from a Sims cutback.

Moments later, new Swansea captain Ben Cabango had to block a Rudoni shot to keep his goal intact as Coventry maintain their winning touch.