MX23RW : Thursday, April 1 10:25:13| >> :120:79350:79350:

Steve Cooper admits Blackburn draw "could have been worse"

Andre Ayew scored his fourth penalty in as many games.

Swansea manager Steve Cooper was grateful to come away with a point as his side missed a chance to move into the automatic promotion places in a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.

Andre Ayew scored his fourth penalty in as many games to draw Swansea level moments after Bradley Dack's 37th-minute opener, but Ayew's spot-kick was the Swans' only shot on target as they were left hanging on in the second half.

The point is enough to move them level with second-placed Watford, still with a game in hand on the Hornets, and Cooper was grateful to take at least something from the game given how many chances Blackburn created.

"It could have been worse," he said. "We're a point better off with one of these games in hand. If sometimes you don't play well, you make sure you don't lose.

"I am going to focus on the positives, knowing that we can play better."

Blackburn were on the front foot from the very start, appealing for a penalty within a couple of minutes and creating chances as Dack, Ben Brereton and Tyrhys Dolan combined to good effect.

Swansea struggled to build any momentum, with Cooper admitting it was well short of the performance levels he wants – and will need to see – if they are to come out on top in what looks like a battle for second place behind Norwich in the Sky Bet Championship.

"Certainly in the first half I didn't like us at all. That's not the team I want us to be in terms of our style, our identity," he said.

"If we're going to make mistakes we've got to do it our way. That wasn't the case in the first half and it needed addressing in the second, which was a little bit better but not brilliant.

"I didn't love the game, I certainly didn't love our performance but credit to Blackburn, they played well."

Things certainly would have been worse but for the nerve of Ayew, who once again converted from the spot after Jay Fulton went down under a challenge from Sam Gallagher.

"Before the Stoke game I think we'd only had two penalties and now we're up to five," Cooper said. "I haven't seen it back, but I'm just pleased we're getting into those positions."

Asked about Ayew's conversion rate, Cooper added: "I don't want to say anything, I don't want to give it the kiss of death. We'll talk about it at the end of the season."

While Cooper was grateful to leave Ewood Park with a point, Tony Mowbray was left frustrated that a good performance was not rewarded with all three.

After a seven-game winless run came to an end at Millwall at the weekend, few would have grumbled if they had made it back-to-back victories here on the balance of play.

"I think the performance level is what we've been getting," Mowbray said.

"We've played against a decent side and were in the ascendency for most of the game. I think we deserved better.

"There was enough to suggest we could have won it, scrambling around in their six-yard box a few times, so it's a bit frustrating.

"We can beat anybody in this league and tonight we nearly beat the team who could be second."

ID:438521: cacheID:438521:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:4842:
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Swansea City's Connor Roberts celebrates scoring against Stoke City in the Championship on March 3, 2021
Read Next:
Tuesday's Championship predictions including Blackburn Rovers vs. Swansea City
>

rhs 2.0
Todays Game Header Right
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Norwich CityNorwich38258556272983
2Watford38229755262975
3Swansea CitySwansea37209845291669
4Brentford371911765392668
5Barnsley38197124942764
6Reading381881252411162
7Bournemouth3716111055371859
8Cardiff CityCardiff3816101255371858
9Middlesbrough38168144639756
10Millwall381216103836252
11Stoke CityStoke381313124242052
12Queens Park RangersQPR371311133943-450
13Luton TownLuton37148153141-1050
14Bristol City38154193950-1149
15Blackburn RoversBlackburn381210165042846
16Preston North EndPreston38135203949-1044
17Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest381012163038-842
18Huddersfield TownHuddersfield37119174152-1142
19Derby CountyDerby381010182742-1540
20Coventry CityCoventry37912163248-1639
21Birmingham CityBirmingham38911182850-2238
22Rotherham UnitedRotherham34105193847-935
23Sheffield WednesdaySheff Weds37108192847-1932
24Wycombe WanderersWycombe3869232561-3627

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!