By Graham Thomas
Russell Martin saluted his Swansea City’s players’ courage and determination after they came from 2-0 down to beat Reading 3-2 to stay among the Championship pace-setters on Tuesday night.
The Swans head coach was full of praise for his side who buried themselves in a deep hole, but managed to haul themselves out of it.
It was a display of impressive character from a team that had lost 4-0 at Burnley just three days before.
Goals from Harry Darling, the burgeoning talent of Ollie Cooper and Jay Fulton enabled Martin’s team to win their fifth match in their last six games.
The victory keeps the Swans in touch with the leading bunch and although they are seventh in the table, they are only one point behind second-place Burnley.
“We really proud of them,” said Martin after what he described as one of the most satisfying wins of his coaching career.
“That is one of the biggest wins we have had, especially when you consider how young our team was tonight. It just shows they are really starting to believe in themselves.
Swansea City are top of the Championship form table. You absolutely love to see it. What a come back. Buzzing to get to the SwanCom Sunday afternoon. LOVE YOU RUSSELL MARTIN. pic.twitter.com/IeaxiZmoZB
— AMY 🦢 #HerGameToo (@amyclement94) October 18, 2022
“I thought it was harsh on the players that we were 2-0 down. We started really well, but the goals we conceded were really poor – Reading pounced on our mistakes really well.
“The players were really annoyed at half-time, but the way they reacted was fantastic. To be 2-0 down after the disappointment we had at Burnley and come back – it takes some guts and courage.
“For them to come through a moment like this after Saturday is massive.”
Fulton’s winning goal – struck from long range with 16 minutes to go – was just reward for a dominant display from the Swans who stayed patient as Reading got 11 men behind the ball.
But Martin revealed the decision to shoot from 25 yards out was one the coach himself was cursing as his midfielder sized up his effort, with Martin wanting the ball to be worked nearer towards the opposition goal.
Martin added: “I am delighted for Jay [Fulton]. I shouted ‘no’ as he hit it – but Jay has got that in his locker.”
The head coach was also full of praise for Cooper, who continues to make a strong case for stepping up from the Wales U21 squad to the senior group.
The 22-year-old will be an outsider for Robert Page’s World Cup squad, but Martin has no doubts his senior international debut is not far away.
“We’ve known he has so much ability. He’s so tenacious, how many tackles and interceptions he made.
“The crowd love him, desperate to see another one come through.
“The next step for Ollie is that he feels he really belongs at this level, and he’s starting to show that. The next bit for him is adding goals and assists and he’s starting to do that now. Wants to learn, takes on advice.
“He’ll play for Wales at some point. I’ve got no doubt, I’m not the Wales manager so I don’t know when that will be.
“He has the ability and capacity now to be in that squad at my opinion. Long road to get there and a lot of people have been a huge part of that – and that affects Ollie at the moment.
“He would love to be on the plane, we would love him to be there. It may be a bit too early in terms of where the squad is where it’s at. He just needs to keep doing what he’s doing and he will get international recognition.
“Rob has spoken about rewarding the people who have been on the journey with him – and they’ve been on an incredible journey. I totally respect and understand that, and I’m sure Ollie would, too.”
Fulton scored his first Championship goal under Martin to complete a wonderful comeback for Swansea after they had gifted Reading two first half goals.
Five days before they receive their biggest rivals, Cardiff City, for the Welsh derby, Swansea leapfrogged the Royals to move to the verge of the play-off places.
That’s Swansea City Football Club for you.
Gave away two awful goals against a poor team. But fair play for turning it around. Cracking strike from Fulton, who continues to play a big part for this team.
Let’s not set that wing-back combination again please.
Roll on Sunday 🦢— Stuart James (@stujames75) October 18, 2022
Looking to recover quickly from their 4-0 mauling at Burnley to try to get back into the play-off places, Swansea were forced to wait before they got into their stride due to a floodlight failure.
The game was only 32 seconds old when referee Andy Davies had to call a halt to proceedings that forced the game to be stopped for more than six minutes.
Swansea completely dominated possession and territory on their own patch, enjoying 80% of the ball in a first hour in which they locked the Royals in their own half. Paul Ince’s men set up in two lines to keep them at bay and lived off the few scraps.
But when they got a sniff they pounced in dramatic fashion to bank two succor goals in the space of seven first half minutes. Both came out of the blue and had Swansea boss holding his head in his hands.
“I still feel I have a lot more to offer”
Wales hopeful Ollie Cooper is aiming to make his mark at Swansea City ⚽#BBCFootball
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) September 29, 2022
The build-up to the first goal came while Fulton was still waiting to get onto the pitch after recovering from an injury and that delay allowed Reading’s first attack to end in an opportunist goal from Yakou Meite.
Then a long ball hoofed up field allowed Meite to win a grappling match with Harry Darling and set-up Tom Ince for a second.
Darling made up for that slip-up by heading home his third goal of the season from a corner in the 40th minute and then Ollie Cooper levelled from six yards out.
Fulton then completed the fightback with a thunderbolt from 25 yards into the bottom left-hand corner to set-up his team for Sunday.