Played
April 14, 2012 10:00 AM EDT
Liberty Stadium — Swansea
Referee: M. Clattenburg
Attendance: 18985
April 14, 2012 10:00 AM EDT
Liberty Stadium — Swansea
Referee: M. Clattenburg
Attendance: 18985
Top of the Match
Joe Allen
Swansea City
Swansea City
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Swansea City
Swansea City
Flop of the Match
Grant Hanley
Blackburn
Blackburn
Grant Hanley
Blackburn
Blackburn
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Swansea 3-0 Blackburn: Rovers edge closer to the trapdoor as Sigurdsson helps get City back to winning ways
A toothless performance from Steve Kean's side sees it stay in 19th position in the Premier League table, as Swansea passes its way past the 40-point mark.
By Alex Richards
Blackburn Rovers became further entrenched in the relegation mire after suffering a 3-0 defeat at Swansea City thanks to goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson, Nathan Dyer and a Scott Dann own goal.
Both sides came into the match on the back of dismal recent runs, each having lost their last four Premier League matches.
The early exchanges were tentative to say the least and supporters had to wait for the 22nd minute for any real incident of note, as the home side had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Mark Clattenburg.
Morten Gamst Pedersen, playing in the center of Rovers five-man midfield, was late tracking the run of Sigurdsson and appeared to clip the heels of the advancing Icelander, as he looked to get onto a pass from Angel Rangel. Replays showed that the Norwegian was fortunate to have escaped without reprimand.
Yakubu looked isolated for the away side, which was struggling to make any impression on proceedings, while quicksilver winger Junior Hoilett was becoming frustrated with his lack of openings and was booked in the 32nd minute for a late lunge on Neil Taylor.
On the other hand, Swansea was starting to find the feet of its dangerous wide duo, Dyer and Sinclair, with increasing regularity, and Sigurdsson, floating dangerously in between the lines, forced Robinson into a good save from 25 yards after 35 minutes.
If that served as a warning shot, then Blackburn can't say it hadn't been warned as Sigurdsson opened the scoring two minutes later.
Rovers never really cleared the corner that followed Sigurdsson's effort, and when Joe Allen found the on-loan Hoffenheim midfielder with a clever cross-field pass, Sigurdsson bent a left-footed effort into the far top corner.
Swansea was now firmly in the ascendency, and two minutes before halftime, it doubled the lead, with Blackburn the creator of its own downfall.
A poor cross from Neil Taylor should have been easily dealt with by Grant Hanley, but his woeful touch fell to Sinclair, who squared to Danny Graham, who flicked the ball to his right for the unmarked Dyer, who made no mistake and doubled the Swans' advantage.
At halftime Hanley was replaced by Formica, a change from Steve Kean designed to give his side more of an attacking threat, but it was Swansea who started the second period the brighter and skipper Ashley Williams put a header wide of Robinson's left-hand post when he really should have done better.
Hoilett had been extremely disappointing, failing to make any impression on proceedings and was replaced in the 55th minute by on-loan French striker Anthony Modeste, while five minutes later Yakubu was also substiuted with David Goodwillie coming on.
Just minutes later however, and Swansea all but secured the three points with a third goal.
A mesmerizing run down the left from Sinclair saw him go past three Rovers defenders, before cutting back for Sigurdsson, whose shot from point-blank range somehow hit the post, only to rebound off the helpless Scott Dann and into the back of the net.
Rovers had been woeful all afternoon, but at least David Dunn hadn't given up the ghost, the homegrown midfielder first heading a Pedersen corner over the crossbar, before curling a splendid effort from 20-yards off Vorm's left-hand post.
Steve Kean's attacking changes were ineffective, and his side will need to regroup and find itself before next week's match against Norwich City, or face falling out of the Premier League and into next season's Championship.
Both sides came into the match on the back of dismal recent runs, each having lost their last four Premier League matches.
The early exchanges were tentative to say the least and supporters had to wait for the 22nd minute for any real incident of note, as the home side had a penalty appeal turned down by referee Mark Clattenburg.
Morten Gamst Pedersen, playing in the center of Rovers five-man midfield, was late tracking the run of Sigurdsson and appeared to clip the heels of the advancing Icelander, as he looked to get onto a pass from Angel Rangel. Replays showed that the Norwegian was fortunate to have escaped without reprimand.
Yakubu looked isolated for the away side, which was struggling to make any impression on proceedings, while quicksilver winger Junior Hoilett was becoming frustrated with his lack of openings and was booked in the 32nd minute for a late lunge on Neil Taylor.
On the other hand, Swansea was starting to find the feet of its dangerous wide duo, Dyer and Sinclair, with increasing regularity, and Sigurdsson, floating dangerously in between the lines, forced Robinson into a good save from 25 yards after 35 minutes.
If that served as a warning shot, then Blackburn can't say it hadn't been warned as Sigurdsson opened the scoring two minutes later.
Rovers never really cleared the corner that followed Sigurdsson's effort, and when Joe Allen found the on-loan Hoffenheim midfielder with a clever cross-field pass, Sigurdsson bent a left-footed effort into the far top corner.
Swansea was now firmly in the ascendency, and two minutes before halftime, it doubled the lead, with Blackburn the creator of its own downfall.
A poor cross from Neil Taylor should have been easily dealt with by Grant Hanley, but his woeful touch fell to Sinclair, who squared to Danny Graham, who flicked the ball to his right for the unmarked Dyer, who made no mistake and doubled the Swans' advantage.
At halftime Hanley was replaced by Formica, a change from Steve Kean designed to give his side more of an attacking threat, but it was Swansea who started the second period the brighter and skipper Ashley Williams put a header wide of Robinson's left-hand post when he really should have done better.
Hoilett had been extremely disappointing, failing to make any impression on proceedings and was replaced in the 55th minute by on-loan French striker Anthony Modeste, while five minutes later Yakubu was also substiuted with David Goodwillie coming on.
Just minutes later however, and Swansea all but secured the three points with a third goal.
A mesmerizing run down the left from Sinclair saw him go past three Rovers defenders, before cutting back for Sigurdsson, whose shot from point-blank range somehow hit the post, only to rebound off the helpless Scott Dann and into the back of the net.
Rovers had been woeful all afternoon, but at least David Dunn hadn't given up the ghost, the homegrown midfielder first heading a Pedersen corner over the crossbar, before curling a splendid effort from 20-yards off Vorm's left-hand post.
Steve Kean's attacking changes were ineffective, and his side will need to regroup and find itself before next week's match against Norwich City, or face falling out of the Premier League and into next season's Championship.
Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match
Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In EDT
Live
Final
scheduled
Suspended
Cancelled
Postponed
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Robin van Persie Striker Man United |
26 | 3 |
|
Luis Suárez Striker Liverpool |
23 | 0 |
|
Gareth Bale Midfielder Tottenham |
21 | 0 |
|
C. Benteke Striker Aston Villa |
19 | 3 |
|
Michu Midfielder Swansea City |
19 | 0 |
