Swansea justify play-off favourites status
Swansea are odds-on to be playing Premier League football next season after securing their spot in the Championship play-off final at Wembley with a 3-1 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Goals from Leon Britton, Stephen Dobbie and Darren Pratley saw the Swans build on the magnificent position that they had assumed by grinding out a goalless draw with ten men at the City Ground and as a result they are now [1.94] to find a way past Reading or fierce rivals Cardiff in the English capital.
Forest rallied in the second half at 2-0 down, with Robert Earnshaw livening things up within minutes of coming on but the home defence limited their chances - though they did hit the woodwork three times - and capitalised superbly on the break after visiting goalkeeper Lee Camp went up for a corner.
Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers celebrated the fine Pratley strike that confirmed his side's progress with a re-enactment of the famous celebration of his mentor Jose Mourinho at Old Trafford when he knocked Manchester United out of the Champions League with Porto, sprinting down the touchline.
His opposite number Billy Davies meanwhile forced his way through a sea of jubilant pitch invaders to salute his team's travelling support, waving in a move that prompted speculation that his time in charge of the Tricky Trees is about to end, however he has since revealed that he is going nowhere.
Swansea's success leaves the delicious prospect of an all-south Wales final against Cardiff tantalising close, with odds of [1.61] offered on that being this year's decider, while a Wembley reunion with the club that sacked him last season, Reading, is an equally intriguing prospect.
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Published: 17 May 2011
Alan Maile (May 17, 2011 3:46 PM) said:
I must first point out that I am not a Forest fan but I wonder why they appoint Premier League referees for these play off games when they are not brave enough to award penalties for blatant shirt pulling and then caution a player for a far less serious offence outside the penalty area. Why not leave it to the guys who have officiated all season. They can't be any worse can they?
Garry (May 18, 2011 10:32 AM) said:
After reading the comments from Alan Maile about Premier League referees, Howard Webb must have read them too as he had the bottle to give a penalty to Reading for tugging in the penalty area. Only problem was, there was one just as bad at the other end and true to form he bottled it. Premier league managers could learn from the Championship in that in both play off second leg games the losing managers lost with dignity and sportsmanship. How refreshing.