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Wales Online
Wales Online
Sport
Ian Mitchelmore

Russell Martin left 'hurt' at Coventry City as Swansea City boss slams reaction of players before crazy comeback

Russell Martin admits he was hurt by Swansea City's display for long periods at Coventry City before being left with immense pride by their comeback.

The Swans looked destined for defeat at the CBS Arena as goals from Jonathan Panzo, Jamie Allen and Viktor Gyokeres put Mark Robins' men in command.

However, Joel Piroe, Jay Fulton and Liam Cullen all struck in the second half as Swansea dramatically clinched a point.

READ MORE: Coventry City 3-3 Swansea City: Piroe, Fulton and Cullen strike to earn dramatic point

And head coach Martin says he was left hugely disappointed by some of the efforts of his players prior to their stunning comeback. "I don't know how to feel about it really," he said. "For half an hour, we were incredible.

"I'm really grateful and proud for the last half an hour, but I'm really hurt by the first 60 minutes. It's going to sound crazy, but, with the ball, the performance in the build-up, the lads, Steven [Benda], Grimesy [Matt Grimes], Jay at times, they did some incredible things, we got out and out, the build-up was so clean.

"We got to the final third and it just ended up on the counter attack. The energy at the top end of the pitch, the willingness to run, to sacrifice yourself, the reaction to losing the ball, all stuff we've worked on in the last couple of weeks was nowhere near acceptable.

"The lack of physical contact, lack of aggression in transition is why they came away with so many counter attacks. It's something we worked on and spoke about.

"To then concede from a set-piece is a disgrace with how we've been at them recently. We've gone behind in too many of the last seven games and when I sit there and look at the work Andy [Parslow] does, the detail he goes into with the players, how much we focus on them, because before today we'd given away the least shots against in the league on average, today I think we end up with 17 shots each.

"That's mentality. They have all of the detail in the world and the guy (Panzo) gets a free header and scores when the game had actually settled down. That's unacceptable.

"I saw some stuff in the first half I did not like one bit. I've told the players that. Passes that are not helping your team-mate, it's not hurting the opposition. I don't know where it came from.

"Then we concede two crazy goals. The third goal, I just really didn't like the reaction.

"For 60 minutes I was so happy with the build-up, but nowhere near happy enough with the final third, nowhere near happy enough with the reaction to losing the ball, recovery runs to our own goal, nowhere near happy enough with the physical contact.

"The thing that hurt me the most was the reaction to disappointment. The arms in the air, looking around at each other. We have a really young group so today will be brilliant for them in the long term, I think."

Swansea are now without a win in their last seven matches but are just two points adrift of the Championship play-off places at the midway stage of the regular season.

Their latest turnaround against the Sky Blues means they have now gained 14 points from losing positions in the league this term - the joint-most alongside Burnley in the division.

And Martin lavished praise on his side's substitutes Armstrong Oko-Flex, Ollie Cooper, Joe Allen, Harry Darling and Cullen for their key roles in the comeback.

"The subs that came on were willing to run," said the head coach. "Ollie Cooper set the whole show on the road really. There was more energy, intensity, no ego in their reaction to losing the ball and there was a willingness to press and give yourself up for the team.

"Armstrong was really direct and really aggressive with the ball, sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't come off, but, no problem, the reaction was great.

"Joe Allen, probably one of our smallest players in stature, every tackle and every 50:50 he went into, he came out with the ball or a Coventry player ended up on the floor. That's mentality, it's certainly not physicality at that point. Everyone needs to take note of that.

"Harry I thought was outstanding, he showed courage on the ball and made contact with Gyokeres who is one of the best strikers in the league judging on today and how much he's improved.

"Culls puts himself in the right place. Liam Cullen is a good team-mate all of the time, regardless of the questions that get asked of him all of the time. He's a good team-mate all of the time. It's all we can ever ask, run, 100%, and we didn't for the first 60 minutes, so that's why I'm hurt, but I'm incredibly proud and grateful for the last half an hour and I'm incredibly grateful to the supporters who even at 3-0 were incredible."

Swansea return to action against Reading on Tuesday, December 27.

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