Report | Coventry City 2 Swansea City 2

29th December
First team
Liam Cullen cele

Liam Cullen's brilliant stoppage-time free-kick gave Swansea City a share of the spoils against Coventry City at the CBS Arena.

The visitors had taken an early lead in the west Midlands when Liam Walsh claimed his first goal in Swansea colours.

However, Haji Wright would quickly equalise and – after Swansea had spurned a fine chance to restore their lead in the second half – and Ellis Simms looked to have given his side all three points when he finished from close range with 25 minutes to play.

But the Swans kept battling, and substitute Cullen kept his nerve to curl home left-footed in the 93rd minute to secure a point and prolong Swansea's 42-year unbeaten record against the Sky Blues.

The Swans had shown four changes from the defeat at Southampton with teenager Sam Parker handed his senior debut.

Harry Darling, Walsh and Yannick Bolasie were the other trio to come back into caretaker head coach Alan Sheehan's starting XI.

Both sides had early moments of promise, the hosts saw Kasey Palmer’s shot blocked from a rehearsed corner routine, while Swansea could not quite play Bolasie in after good work from Jamie Paterson and Walsh.

But Walsh gave the Swans a seventh-minute lead when Coventry were unable to clear Darling’s attempted cutback, and the midfielder pounced before steering the ball into the left-hand corner of the net.

However, the lead lasted less than three minutes as a pass beat two Swansea defenders to put Wright into space, and he made no mistake to drill the ball across Carl Rushworth and into the far corner.

It was proving an open contest, and Swansea had a chance to quickly retake the lead when a ball fell to Walsh, but he slipped as he got his shot away from just inside the area.

Liam Walsh cele

Walsh was soon involved again, linking with Jay Fulton to get into the area and pick out Bolasie, but the forward was offside.

However, Walsh was fortunate to be able to continue after Luis Binks forced him into the advertising hoardings as they contested a ball near the touchline, with the Coventry defender booked and the Swansea midfielder only able to carry on after treatment.

The game settled after the frantic start but the two sides continued to enjoy moments of attacking promise.

Rushworth did well to tip a Palmer strike from 20 yards over the bar, before Bolasie directed a diving header wide from Matt Grimes’ volleyed cross.

Wright rolled a ball across a vacant six-yard box after escaping into space down the left for the Sky Blues, while Walsh went close to his second of the night as his free-kick forced Brad Collins to parry on the stroke of half-time.

Jamal Lowe came on for Paterson at the break but the first chance of the second half went the way of the home side as Tatsuhiro Sakamoto curled wide after a driving run from Palmer.

But Bolasie should have given Swansea the lead seconds later as Parker drove down the right and sent in a superb cross, only for the forward to send his final effort over the bar.

Matt Grimes Coventry

Parker was involved again, bringing down a raking cross-field pass to fire wide of the near post.

At the other end, Grimes made a tremendous block to keep out Sakamoto’s low effort from a clever corner routine.

But the Swans could not deny Wright a second when he arrived at the far post to head home Sakamoto’s cross.

Coventry threatened again, Rushworth making a superb save to tip Callum O’Hare’s flashing close-range drive away for a corner.

Sheehan sent on Jerry Yates, Joe Allen, Cullen and Charlie Patino as the Swans sought a leveller and Cullen came up with it with his brilliant free-kick in stoppage time which left Collins with no chance.

Swansea City: Carl Rushworth, Jay Fulton (Joe Allen 75) , Ben Cabango, Harry Darling, Matt Grimes (captain), Jamie Paterson (Jamal Lowe 46), Josh Tymon, Yannick Bolasie (Jerry Yates 64), Liam Walsh (Charlie Patino 82), Bashir Humphreys, Sam Parker (Liam Cullen 75).

Unused Substitutes: Andy Fisher, Kristian Pedersen, Nathan Wood, Kyle Naughton.

Coventry City: Brad Collins, Luis Binks, Jay Dasilva, Bobby Thomas, Tatsuhiro Sakamoto, Jamie Allen (Milan van Ewijk 60), Haji Wright, Ben Sheaf (captain), Joel Latibeaudiere, Matty Godden (Ellis Simms 60), Kasey Palmer (Callum O’Hare 60).

Unused Substitutes: Ben Wilson, Kyle McFadzean, Jake Bidwell, Yasin Ayari, Josh Eccles, Fabio Tavares.

Referee: Thomas Kirk

Attendance: 25,807