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Last Update: 2 June, 2008 9:38 AM

27 January 2010
ANOTHER DRAW FRUSTRATES DOMINANT SWANS

Wales Sport
Author: Chepstow Williams at the Liberty Stadium

SWANSEA CITY 0 COVENTRY CITY 0

TOO many draws cost Swansea City the chance of promotion last season, and the same scenario could be about to scupper Paulo Sousa`s team again.

Failure to break down a side which they totally dominated, resulted in Swansea only managing a goalless draw against a defensive Coventry City.

Coventry contributed nothing of an attacking nature to this encounter, resulting in frustration for the thirteen thousand eight hundred fans, and the Swansea players.

One of the Coventry team admitted, that with no game last Saturday, they had spent a week practising how to defend against Swansea. They succeeded in that.

Swansea goalkeeper Dorus de Vries could have taken a seat in the stand for all work he was called upon to do, especially in the second-half.

A seventeenth minute shot by Gorka Pintado was blocked by the Coventry goalkeeper Keiren Westwood, and the rebound was blasted against a post by Darren Pratley.

Pratley dominated midfield, and threatened to break out of the Coventry grip, as they closed down Swansea to stifle their usual fluent passing game. Pratley, physically strong and skilful was aided in the second half by the introduction of youngster Joe Allen, but Swansea couldn't create a decisive opening to threaten the Coventry goal.

Pratley's effort was the nearest either side came to a goal in the whole match, but Swansea mounted attack after attack without success.

Sousa sent on striker Lee Trundle, and gave a debut to new signing Shefki Kuqi but although Kuqi almost got to an Angel Rangel cross Coventry defended in numbers. They slowed the game at every opportunity with injuries which frustrated the crowd further.

After the game, Sousa admitted that he was frustrated with his sides failure to create goal-scoring opportunities, but had to admit that Coventry had defended well, saying: "They closed down our space well."

Sousa left midfielder Leon Britton out of his squad, saying that the recent transfer speculation linking Britton with a move to Wigan may have affected his focus.

Sousa said that he hadn't discussed any transfer with Wigan manager Roberto Martinez, but said that they may have spoken to his chairman (Huw Jenkins). Sousa added that he hoped Britton remained at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea have dropped to fifth in the Championship table on goal difference, following the Cardiff's six-nil thrashing of Bristol City at Ashton Gate. Ross Mc Cormack and Michael Chopra both scored twice, Peter Whittingham got his eighteenth goal of the season, and the scoring was completed by an own goal from Bristol defender Liam Fontain.

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