Dykes' late goal sinks The Swans at home
Championship:
Swansea City 0 - QPR 1
The pyramid in English football is alive and kicking – but Swansea City still have much work to do if they are climb it in time for the 2021/22 campaign.
Last night’s 1-0 defeat to QPR, courtesy of Lyndon Dykes’ late goal, all but ended hopes of automatic promotion. And with a nine point gap between the Swans in third and Reading seventh, with the latter going to Luton tonight before hosting Steve Cooper’s men on Sunday, the play-offs aren’t secured yet either.
In truth the result was no less than the visitors deserved. A high tempo first half saw chances at both ends, with Wayne Routledge seemingly clean through from Jamal Lowe’s pass only to be thwarted by Yoann Barbet’s recovery tackle.
Struck woodwork twice
QPR responded by twice hitting the woodwork. Ilias Chair nudged the ball against the post from close range and again struck the woodwork with a low right foot shot after cutting into the area.
Routledge then wasted a clear opening after Lowe has flown down the right and clipped over a pass - which the winger failed to control in the face of onrushing QPR keeper Joe Lumley.
And before half time it was Routledge who again had an opening, firing an angled shot against the foot of the post – before Korey Smith was also denied from Lumley’s smart low save.
Threat was lacking
But the second half reflected the recent struggles of the hosts – the intent was there, but the threat as lacking.
There were optimistic shouts of handball in the area by Niko Hamalainen but it was Mark Warburton’s side who looked the most likely winners, with Freddie Woodman getting down low to deny Chris Willock whilst sub Charlie Austin fired wide and swivelling in the area.
And in the final minute, Albert Adomah fed Dykes in the area who made no mistake from 10 yards out.
Swansea did mount some pressure at the death as Liam Cullen had a header deflected over, but it ended as a night which left Cooper’s men still needing to cement a top six place, as opposed to securing a top two berth.
Swansea: Woodman; Naughton, Bennett, Guehi, Bidwell; Grimes (C), Fulton (Dhanda 75), Smith; Roberts, Routledge (Cullen 70), Lowe (Whittaker 86). Subs: Hamer, Cabango, Manning, O Cooper, Latibeaudiere, Hourihane.