Swansea and Cardiff win big as Wrexham’s play-off hopes take a hit: Welsh football weekend round-up
Swansea City and Cardiff City both recorded big wins over the weekend, as Wrexham’s play-off hopes took a hit at home to Millwall.
In the League Two relegation battle, Newport County played out at 0-0 draw at home to Grimsby, with both sides missing penalties.
Let’s get into the action!
The Viper is the Championship’s most lethal striker
What a season Zan ‘The Viper’ Vipotnik is having.
Yes, Sheffield Wednesday are the Championship’s easiest targets, but watch the Slovenian’s ripsnorter of a freekick to put Swansea 2-0 up with twenty minutes to go, and you would struggle to name a better finisher in the division this season.
Vipotnik added his second and Malick Yalcouye piled on the pain for Wednesday as Swansea claimed a third win in four games.
The man who has inspired this turnaround – Vitor Matos – is not getting carried away, though.
Matos says his squad has “a lot of potential” – but insists their only focus is on being “the best possible team to compete” in each game they play.
“That’s what we are trying,” the Swansea boss said.
“In the Championship this season, you win one game, you think you are close to the play-offs, you lose one game, you think you are close to the relegation.
“So being emotionally stable, I think that’s quite important and I think that’s what mindset we need to have.
“That’s what, until this moment, made us what we are and I think that’s what we need to do for the next game, because then it is again three games in a short period of time after that one.
“That makes us again in a really tough place because we play a game, two days, game, two days, game.”
Kellyman the striker shines again for 10-man Cardiff
If Swansea striker Vipotnik is The Viper, then maybe Cardiff’s makeshift version is ‘The Mamba’. Fast moving and highly venomous, Kellyman has shone ever since filling in for the injured Yousef Salech through the middle.
His opening goal against Rotherham was vital for Cardiff, who had seen captain Ryan Wintle sent off on 21 minutes for bringing down Harry Gray after he was in on goal.
The Bluebirds doubled their lead just before the hour, Tanner again with the assist as Chris Willock slotted home.
They continued to press with replacement forward Cian Ashford hitting the side netting while Jamal Baptiste had a late effort superbly blocked by Will Fish.
But there was to be one more goal in the 95th minute after Isaak Davies beat his man and fired in a low strike.
After the game, Cardiff manager Brian Barry-Murphy not only criticised match referee Seb Stockbridge but the general standard across the division, even hinting it could be linked to Cardiff City being the only Welsh team in League One.
“The refereeing performances this season are getting gradually worse. It’s been really poor,” the head coach told BBC Sport Wales.”
“We’re the only Welsh team in this league and at some stage our players need to be protected [but] they’re not being protected.”
Wrexham ‘masters of their own downfall’ against Millwall
Phil Parkinson believes Wrexham were the masters of their own downfall defensively as they lost 2-0 to Championship play-off rivals Millwall.
A Max Cleworth own goal along with Josh Coburn’s 85th minute strike earned the Lions victory over the Red Dragons at Stok Cae Ras.
Coburn’s goal was Millwall’s sole effort on target in north Wales while Sam Smith spurned a couple of efforts for the home side as Parkinson’s men missed out on the chance to strengthen their place in the top six.
“We’ve deserved something from the game, but it’s about moments. It was always going to be a tight game, two teams in the top six,” said the Wrexham manager.
“There was nothing really in it, although in the first half I thought we had the better of the play.
“The goal we conceded has come from absolutely nothing. We’ve had two great chances and should have had a penalty when Thommo [George Thomason] has had a shot and I can’t see how the referee hasn’t given that.
“Then out of absolutely nothing we end up 2-0 down and the scoreline is not a fair reflection on the game.”
On the goals his side conceded, Parkinson commented: “We’re very frustrated because when we analyse the goals as a group, they’re really nothing moments in terms of their play. We’ve been the masters of our own downfall for the two goals.
“But a lot the play was good. A lot of what we set out to do against their shape we did well, but it’s defining moments in football matches and they didn’t go our way today.”
Newport rue missed penalties in goalless draws
Newport County and Grimsby Town both missed penalties as they played out a goalless draw at Rodney Parade.
Andy Cook and Kieran Green hit the post for the visitors in a dominant first half, while County improved after the break.
Gerard Garner drew a foul from Géza Turi to win County a penalty just before the hour mark, only for Nathan Opoku’s effort to be saved by Jackson Smith.
Matt Baker brought down Jaze Kabia to gift Grimsby a penalty on 73 minutes, with Jordan Wright emulating Smith’s heroics in goal and denying Charles Vernam.
Both sides continued to squander chances and it ended in a south Wales stalemate. The result sees County move a point closer to safety, but they remain in the drop zone.
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