Swansea City 1-2 Burnley: Ian Maatsen double seals leaders’ sixth straight win

Leaders Burnley claimed a sixth straight Championship victory as Ian Maatsen’s spectacular first-half double secured a 2-1 win at Swansea City.

Ollie Cooper shortly pulled a purpose again for a Swansea aspect who had some good moments.

But Burnley held on comparatively comfortably in a second half the place they missed probabilities to increase their lead.

Their newest triumph – it’s now 10 of their 11 league matches – noticed Vincent Kompany’s staff transfer six factors clear on the high, with second-placed Sheffield United taking part in later.

More considerably, maybe, the hole to third-placed Blackburn is 14 factors.

Swansea’s third defeat of their final 5 video games noticed Russell Martin’s staff drop to 14th.

Kompany’s males arrived in Wales in assured temper having crushed Stoke final Friday. Swansea, although, have been buoyed by a thumping victory over Watford – which ended their eight-game winless streak – on the identical night time.

But the Swans have been shortly on the again foot as Burnley’s first effort of the sport produced the opening purpose.

After Harry Darling tripped the livewire Nathan Tella 25 yards out, Maatsen’s whipped free-kick flew past Steven Benda and bounced in off the far put up.

The hosts virtually responded, Cooper feeding Liam Cullen for a shot which was crushed away by Aro Muric, earlier than Burnley made it two targets from two makes an attempt of any notice.

On-loan Southampton winger Tella was concerned once more, dancing in off the suitable flank earlier than squaring for Maatsen.

The on-loan Chelsea left-back struck a fierce shot from outdoors the field which flew by Benda and into the web.

Swansea might have felt unlucky to be 2-0 down on the steadiness of play, however hit again as Jay Fulton’s deflected drive was parried by Muric and Cooper arrived first to brush within the rebound.

Cooper had one other sight of purpose earlier than the break solely to slash his shot large having been picked out by Joe Allen.

Burnley loved better management within the second interval, with Josh Brownhill losing two probabilities to increase their lead quickly after the restart.

First Benda saved fantastically when Brownhill went by on the goalkeeper, then the Burnley midfielder lifted a second alternative over the bar.

Jay Rodriguez was additionally responsible of lacking a giant alternative as he headed large after Brownhill flicked on Tella’s cross.

Swansea’s menace pale as the sport wore on, but there was a mighty scare for the guests in stoppage time when Cameron Congreve’s good work despatched Olivier Ntcham galloping into the field just for the Cameroon worldwide to flash his shot throughout the face of purpose.

Swansea head coach Russell Martin:

“I’m actually happy with the gamers. I assumed we have been excellent in massive components, however I’m additionally very pissed off and disillusioned that we lose to 2 such poor targets.

“The distinction between the 2 groups over the course of the season is that they make only a few errors resulting in targets and we make too many. That’s what you’ve got with youth and I suppose that is the distinction with monetary energy with the gamers they’ve.

“But I assumed there was little or no between the 2 groups. First quarter-hour we in all probability paid them just a little bit an excessive amount of respect however after that, for half an hour, I assumed we have been excellent. We precipitated all of them kinds of issues.

“Steve [Benda] has been good for us. I’m positive he might be disillusioned with the targets, however the lead-up to the free-kick we give away is simply ridiculous – we miss a five-yard move after which it is a free-kick. The second one, Steve will really feel he may have performed higher however he’ll bounce again, no drawback.”

Burnley supervisor Vincent Kompany:

“We began the primary half extraordinarily nicely, recovered plenty of balls and created moments, probabilities, in transition.

“Then, for 20-25 minutes first half, they have been on high of us. They have been higher. They modified it as Swansea do. If you come up with them, they alter it round and transfer positions.

“We weren’t in a position to get the identical strain on them and if Swansea have time on the ball, they’re going to damage you. Second half, I assumed, was a fair recreation. We bought a press on within the second half and we had the higher probabilities.

“We wiped out plenty of power within the flawed manner within the first half. But within the second half we simply went once more. That’s the power of this staff – if you suppose they’re about to bend and break, they go once more.”