By Gareth James
Steve Cooper paid tribute to ‘classy’ Jamal Lowe as the forward ended a difficult week with a double strike in Swansea City’s 3-0 victory at Millwall.
Lowe’s two goals after Andre Ayew netted the opener ended a four game losing streak by Cooper’s men who got their promotion bid right back on track.
And the win came after the club took a stand against the racial abuse suffered by Lowe on social media after the Good Friday defeat at Birmingham.
With Ben Cabango and Yan Dhanda having also suffered at the hands of racists, the Swans had imposed a week long social media blackout and called on social media companies to act.
“I am pleased for Jamal in a week where he has shown a lot of class and the sort of guy he is,” said Cooper of the 26-year-old
“We were a real attacking threat. Wayne Routledge was excellent, Andre scored at a great time and was a nuisance to the Millwall defenders.
“But they were excellent goals for Jamal. He was in a good position in the first half and did not score, but he has not let it affect him and he has scored two.
“People ask a lot about goals but he does not let it affect him, and that’s the sign of a good character and a good player.
“He did not need to score two goals today to make the discrimination he has received any easier to take, and he did not need to score two goals today for us to know what a good person he is.
“He is a great team-mate, he has two kids and I know he is a brilliant dad.
“But the fact he did score two goals at the end of a difficult week makes us all really proud of Jamal, proud of all the boys who have been on the end of abuse, and proud of the stance the club has made this week.”
Ayew gave the Swans the lead right on the stroke of half-time, superbly curling home his 15th goal of the season from just inside the box.
Lowe bagged his 10th goal of the campaign – ending his 17-game drought for the club – on 76 minutes after a lung-busting run to meet a pass from Wayne Routledge who made his first league start of the season.
The summer signing smashed home and five minutes from time made it 11 for the season as he converted from Ayew’s pass.
After such a nightmare run, Cooper’s side have now passed their league points total from last season with six games left.
The promotion campaign continues at Sheffield Wednesday on Wednesday with the rediscovered scoring touch shown by Ayew and Lowe the perfect boost.