Swansea City 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1 - ‘There’s still things I want us to work on’ says Pulis after first point

Adam Reach put Wednesday ahead with their first goal in open play since October 21, but substitute Ayew gave Swansea a share of the spoils after a much-improved second-half display.

Pulis said: “I think we had the first half and they had the second.

“We kept possession really well and moved the ball through the pitch well.

“They changed their system in the second half and Ayew coming on was the difference.

“There’s still things I want us to work on, but we’ve got a good group and they all worked really hard tonight.

“We’ve got a lot of players out tonight. Those players are probably starting tonight.”

Swansea dominated the early possession but it was the Owls who went close to breaking the deadlock after 12 minutes.

Ben Cabango’s poor clearance went to Julian Borner, whose snapshot flew straight at goalkeeper Freddie Woodman.

Swansea broke instantly and Liam Cullen’s centre almost sneaked in at the far post.

It was the last involvement for Owls goalkeeper Kieren Westwood who, having been brought out of the Hillsborough cold by Pulis, pulled a groin muscle when stretching for the cross and was replaced by Joe Wildsmith.

Pulis added: “He’s tweaked his groin as he made a clearance and couldn’t continue.”

Wednesday were slowly imposing their will on the contest and the first goal of the Pulis era arrived after 27 minutes via a clever corner routine.

Barry Bannan sent the ball in low and Reach fired home after moving from the back post and finding himself unmarked 10 yards from goal.

Reach blazed over from a Callum Paterson knock down and Swansea boss Cooper responded at the interval to his side’s failure to register a first-half goal attempt. Ayew and Kasey Palmer were sent on in attacking positions as Cooper abandoned his wing-backs and went to a four-man defence.

Jamal Lowe planted a shot wide at the near post before Swansea were level on the hour due to a spot of Ayew brilliance.

Connor Roberts fed him but there was little hint of danger until Ayew engineered space in a crowded penalty area and beat Wildsmith with a superb curling effort. Swansea were now well on top and Yan Dhanda’s 25-yard effort flew just past the post.

Dhanda was inches away again with a free-kick and Wildsmith tipped over Ayew’s late effort.

Wednesday survived again when the ball ended up in their net after an almighty goalmouth scramble in the fifth minute of stoppage time, but referee Andy Woolmer had whistled for a foul much to their relief.

Swansea: Woodman, Cabango, Bennett, Naughton (Palmer 46), Roberts, Smith, Grimes, Bidwell (Manning 61), Dhanda, Lowe (Routledge 61), Cullen (Ayew 46). Unused substitutes: Fulton, Benda, Latibeaudiere, Rushesha, Cooper.

Sheffield Wednesday: Westwood (Wildsmith 14), Palmer, Lees, Borner, van Aken (Shaw 69), Odubajo, Paterson, Bannan, Luongo (Pelupessy 70), Reach, Rhodes (Kachunga 56). Unused substitutes: Penney, Dele-Bashiru, Urhoghide, Brown, Hunt.

Referee: A Woolmer (Northamptonshire).

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