By Paul Jones
Luke Williams showered praise on Jay Fulton after his goal proved decisive in Swansea City’s victory at Plymouth Argyle.
Swans head coach Williams watched his team earn their fourth away victory of the season with a 2-1 win which moved them up to ninth in the Championship, just four points off the play-off places.
Swansea took a 44th-minute lead through Fulton following Josh Tymon’s cross from the left, with Liam Cullen doubling their lead on the hour.
Mustapha Bundu pulled one back but Argyle were left looking up at all bar Hull in the table.
Williams said: “The opposition were very aggressive, pretty much full-court press.
“The players handled that so well that they made it look comfortable, but I don’t think it was as comfortable as it appeared.
“We started really well, then had a couple of sticky moments, then managed to get a foothold again and I am so happy for Jay [Fulton] because he is such a terrific guy who has been brilliant for the group.
“You can see why Plymouth are hard to beat at home. It speaks volumes for the group, the strength of character, to be able to go away from home and be able to win at tough places.
“I am very impressed with the group.”
Wasn’t quite as comfortable in the end as it probably should have been. But that’s a really, really good win for Swansea. Four unbeaten. Look to be finding a bit of form on the road too now #Swans https://t.co/fZArtfRx0p pic.twitter.com/JkRXOWixDu
— Tom Coleman (@tomEcoleman) December 10, 2024
The Swans stretched their unbeaten streak to four matches with with a resolute defensive display in the closing minutes after Bundu narrowed the gap for the home side.
The visitors showcased their composure and precision in possession, with superb crosses from Josh Tymon and Myles Peart-Harris perfectly complemented by the quality of finishes from Fulton and Cullen.
In the final stages, as Plymouth pressed forward with urgency, the Swans remained steadfast.
They held firm defensively, limiting any significant opportunities for their opponents and climbing into the Championship’s top 10 as a result.
Plymouth head coach Wayne Rooney said: “I felt first half we were the better team, actually.
“I thought after 10 minutes we played some really good stuff. We had a few chances, a few half-chances, then we got hit with the sucker punch of them scoring just before half-time.
“It’s very disappointing because a lot of the stuff we have been working on over the last 10 days has been stopping crosses, but we allow the cross to come in too easily, a poor clearance and they score.
“Swansea are a good team and in the second half they started to put us on the back foot, then again for the second goal we had three players around the ball, we didn’t stop the cross and didn’t defend the box well enough.
“From there we get a little bit of momentum back. We pushed for the equaliser but just couldn’t get it. It was an improvement on the last two games but tonight was about the result and we didn’t get that.”
Swansea take all three points on the road with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Wayne Rooney’s Plymouth Argyle ⚽#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/tHhEPVNns3
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) December 10, 2024
Swansea ended Plymouth’s six-match unbeaten home run as Rooney’s side slipped to 23rd in the Championship.
Tymon gave a hint of what was to come in the fourth minute with a near-post cross, which had to be turned away by recalled Hungarian international central defender Kornel Szucs.
Minutes later Argyle keeper Dan Grimshaw had to be quick off his line to grab a loose ball out of the air after a Swansea shot was deflected up invitingly inside the six-yard box for striker Florian Bianchini.
Tymon’s next cross from the left, after a superb give-and-go by Swansea playmaker Eom Ji-sung, flew across the face of goal, crying out for a finishing touch on 12 minutes.
Argyle countered with Adam Randell enabling Bundu to drive in from the right and let fly with a thumping shot, which needed to be deflected away for a 16th-minute corner.
Argyle’s on-loan Leeds midfielder Darko Gyabi was having an increasing influence on the game and followed up one incisive run from midfield with another, resulting in a booking for City midfielder Josh Key on 20 minutes.
The home side’s next best chance came from a 32nd-minute Randell free-kick headed over and wide by Bundu from distance.
Randell’s 38th-minute free-kick from 18 yards, following Ben Cabango’s foul on Callum Wright, was headed clear by a defender in the wall.
Bundu and Wright were prominent in the home side’s next attack, after Eom was tackled by Randell in the Argyle penalty area.
He sent Bundu away down the right and when he turned inside on the touchline his pass put Wright in on goal, but his first-time ball into the area was easily cleared by the resolute Swans’ defence.
Luke Williams Insists Swansea City Can Add To Wayne Rooney’s Problems
The opener came when Brendan Galloway’s clearance fell invitingly to Fulton, who finished clinically from 10 yards, giving home keeper Grimshaw little chance with the first shot on target in the first half.
Eom went close with a superb 56th-minute shot from the left which flew just wide from 20 yards.
City increased their when Cullen slid in to sweep home at the far post following a measured cross from Myles Peart-Harris from the right.
The visitors were unlucky not to go further ahead from another Peart-Harris cross minutes later but Fulton just failed to get a finishing touch as Argyle’s defence was again caught cold.
Plymouth pulled a goal back in the 79th minute when Bundu headed home from close range after Szucs’ header came back off the bar following Randell’s corner.