After the last few days in South Wales, it wasn’t surprising to see a smile sweeping over Graham Potter’s face at full-time, as did a full lap of the field applauding the crowd. He knew how key it was to answer the fans with a win.
After losing four key players on transfer deadline day, 12 in total over the summer, Swansea City captain Mike van der Hoorn was the only senior centre-back left at the club when it came to pick the team.
A makeshift defence held strong against Preston North End with 20-year-old Joe Rodon stepping up to make his debut. In a number of other firsts, substitute keeper Erwin Mulder was forced on for his first game too, and Jay Fulton rounded it off with his first league goal after five seasons at the club.
As a rainy mist descended down on the Liberty Stadium, tension was high to get something out of this game to answer fans with something positive. They hadn’t seen a win here since March 3. Although striker Oli McBurnie had said last weekend that his manager had brought a smile to the club again, that was seemingly wiped away once more when the club failed to respond with investment where it was needed deep in its ranks.
McBurnie knows with the lack of experience up top the 22-year-old has a lot resting on his shoulders this season. Last year he’d gone on loan to Barnsley for more playing time, and now he’s leading the Swansea line himself while Wilfried Bony is still recovering on the sidelines. That pressure got to the striker early on when the home side’s first real chance came from the penalty spot. But his effort was dismally weak, and easily palmed round the post by Declan Rudd.
There was more disappointment to come for Swansea, and you could hear the collective sighs, as keeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt limped off giving Mulder a chance to shine on his unexpected debut, which he did. But as the game paused there were chants of “Where’s the money gone?” and “We want Jenkins out” directed at the owners and chairman Huw Jenkins – in response to their transfer woes in midweek.
A Preston without last season’s top scorer Sean Maguire were lacking an edge as teenage loanee from Man City Lukas Nmecha was the sole option up top. The visitors failed to really get going until the second half, as Rodon and van der Hoorn gelled comfortably with each other at the back.
The home side broke the deadlock thirty minutes in, as new signing Joel Asoro found himself in space on the right-hand side. His cross floated into the box, finding Jay Fulton to send a looping header over Rudd for his aforementioned first league goal for the club. A moment of relief for Potter and Co.
Suddenly Swansea were finding their feet, and a warmth of positivity started to shield the fans from the rain and quell any discontent. Mcburnie twisted through defenders to find space but his shot was almost as poor as his penalty, and easy for the keeper to collect.
In the second half Preston suddenly came out of the blocks. Had Tom Barkhuizen not handled in the area he might’ve put Preston level, and his second chance moments later flashed just wide. Callum Robinson and Josh Harrop, who also tried desperately to engineer a comeback, both had their chances go wide.
Praise rang around the Liberty in particular for Erwin Mulder, who shone through the mist for a fantastic save from Barkhuizen just after the hour. His confidence boosted, he went on to command his area, coming out twice to slide into successful challenges. Although Potter only otherwise has 19-year-old Steven Benda to rely on, he might have found solace in Mulder in the meantime.
As the match petered out, and Preston failed to find what they needed, a final chance for McBurnie to finish the game off. He rounded Rudd, but chipped over. One to forget for a striker who may be carrying the club on his shoulders for a little longer.
But Potter won’t mind for now. He needed a little bit of magic today and found it, in spite of some poor luck.
