Coventry City 2 - 2 Swansea City

[dutchman]

Late Cullen strike earns Swans a point at Coventry



Liam Cullen netted an injury time free kick to earn Swansea City a 2-2 draw with Coventry City.

Former Sky Blues midfielder Liam Walsh put Swansea ahead seven minutes in with his first goal for the club.

But Haji Wright and Ellis Simms put the Blues ahead, although Cullen struck at the death to ensure the points were shared.

Coventry are 12th while Swansea stay 17th.

Ex-Swans midfielder Kasey Palmer looked to give the hosts a dream start when he was found by Ben Sheaf from a corner, although his scuffed effort was easily cleared.

But it was another midfielder, Walsh, who made a decisive impact against his former employers in the seventh minute.

The 26-year-old robbed Jamie Allen of the ball just inside the Coventry box and duly slotted beyond Bradley Collins.

It was his first senior goal since netting for the Sky Blues in a 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers in February 2020.

Nevertheless, with time still firmly on their side, Coventry remained composed knowing that Swansea's tally of 19 points dropped from winning positions was the most of any Championship side this season.

And they needed just three minutes to level proceedings as Palmer picked out Wright who cut on to his left foot before firing beyond Carl Rushworth.

It will no doubt have left Alan Sheehan - in his sixth game as Swansea's caretaker boss - deeply frustrated.

His mood should have been lifted in the 17th minute when debutant Sam Parker, 17, and Jay Fulton combined with Walsh who teed up Yannick Bolasie, although the veteran attacker made a mess of his attempt to lash goalwards, typifying what was to be a frustrating performance.

Rushworth then had to be alert to tip over Palmer's driven strike before Bolasie was unable to trouble Collins from a Matt Grimes cross as the contest petered out following a frenetic opening.

Walsh had another chance to inflict further pain on his old club, but his free kick was comfortably saved by Collins as the game remained finely poised going into the second half.

Jamal Lowe replaced Coventry-born Jamie Paterson ahead of the restart, and the Swans spurned a golden opening to go back in front on 48 minutes.

Parker found space on the right flank before crossing to Bolasie who could only prod over while stretching at the back post.

The miss proved costly as Swansea desperately struggled to threaten after going so close on that occasion.

Wright headed over from a corner as Robins made a triple change - with Simms, Callum O'Hare and Milan van Ewijk all being summoned from the bench while Bolasie was replaced by Jerry Yates.

And minutes after Swansea fans aimed chants of "get out of our club" towards the club's ownership group, Coventry went ahead.

Tatsuhiro Sakamoto's curling cross found Wright at the back post, and the forward nodded towards the opposite corner before Simms prodded home in front of the away section.

O'Hare was well denied by Rushworth as - with Swansea appearing increasingly despondent - Coventry went in search of a third.

By this point, the Coventry faithful were only too happy to greet their side's successful passes with chants of Ole while those from Wales will have been pondering how an initially promising 2023 was ending with such misery.

Swansea finally applied some late pressure and were awarded a free kick 20 yards out when Lowe was fouled in the second minute of added time.

Substitute Cullen stepped up to rifle home his third goal of the campaign as Swansea claimed a point for their efforts.