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Swansea 3-0 Westbrom: Sinclair, Lita, Dyer scored
Swansea secured their first goals and first win of the Premier League season with a 3-0 victory over West Brom at The Liberty Stadium, Saturday 17/09/2011.
Scott Sinclair's penalty broke the deadlock after 14 minutes, before Leroy Lita doubled the advantage 10 minutes later with a close-range header.
The away side, who twice turned around 2-0 deficits last season to secure draws in the top flight, tried to get back into the contest, but Nathan Dyer struck a third shortly after the break which settled the game.
The only sour note for the Swans came late on when Neil Taylor was stretchered off after a clash of heads with Peter Odemwingie which left him with a nasty head wound and possible concussion.
But it could not detract from a successful day for the hosts, who climb out of the relegation zone and into mid-table, leapfrogging the Baggies in the process.
Lita, who scored one and set up another, only started when Danny Graham was ruled out shortly before the match with injury, but made the most of his opportunity to take down the disappointing away side.
Twice this season already West Brom have gone in front in the league within the first five minutes, but they made a desperately slow start to their visit to Wales.
Sitting back as Swansea dominated possession, they were let off early on as Sinclair lashed into the side netting after Youssuf Mulumbu made a hash of a clearance.
Joe Allen also had an opportunity to put the hosts ahead, but hit an unconvincing shot at the far post which Ben Foster grabbed comfortably.
But Allen made amends by coursing into the box moments later. Paul Scharner clumsily brought him down, and Martin Atkinson, who awarded more penalties than any other referee in the top flight last season, had no hesitation pointing to the spot.
Sinclair stepped up, sent Foster the wrong way, and in the process notched the first Premier League goal ever scored outside England.
The hosts continued with confidence, with Sinclair and Dyer a constant threat on the wings.
Taylor almost gifted the Baggies a way back into the contest with a desperately misplaced pass across the penalty area, but to his relief Shane Long did an even worse job of finishing, blasting over the bar from 12 yards out.
Swansea seized the advantage and surged up the other end to score a second. Winning a corner, Sinclair was picked out in acres of space, and his header to the far post was bundled in by Lita.
An ecstatic Lita threw his shirt to the ground as he ran in celebration, immediately earning a booking.
West Brom, two goals behind, finally began to come out of their shell, as Swansea became a touch ragged in their play.
New Swans keeper Michael Vorm made a sensational one-handed save to glance Long's long-range effort over the crossbar, while a couple of minutes later a penalty shout for handball against Ashley Williams was turned down as he slid in to challenge Reid.
Roy Hodgson made a double change in a bid to take the game to the Premier League new boys, with Chris Brunt and Graham Dorrans coming on for Mulumbu and Jerome Thomas to energise the midfield.
But 50 minutes in, the task was made almost impossible as Swansea grabbed their third.
For a side with a reputation for playing flowing football, it was a route one goal, with Vorm's clearance flicked on by Lita, and Dyer applying a cool finish through Foster's legs.
West Brom had chances but could not score - Brunt nodded into the net, only to be pulled back for offside, while Dorrans struck a free-kick which forced another excellent save from Vorm.
The clash between Odemwingie and Taylor caused a seven-minute stoppage, but the early reports were that the injury was not as serious as first feared.
It took the edge off the encounter in the final twenty minutes, with Swansea displaying composure to hold possession and play out the match in comfort.
With a trip to Stamford Bridge looming next weekend, Swansea will be relieved to post their first win, while West Brom will hope to turn their fortunes around when they host Fulham at the Hawthorns.
Mark Patterson: on Twitter @markjpatterson / Eurosport
Source: Eurosport
TEAM LINE-UP:
SWANSEA CITY: Michel Vorm, Angel Rangel, Garry Monk, Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Leon Britton, Mark Gower, Joe Allen, Nathan Dyer, Scott Sinclair, Leroy Lita. Subs: Stephen Dobbie, Wayne Routledge, Luke Moore, Fede Bessone, Gerhard Tremmel, Jazz Richards, Lee Lucas.
WEST BROM: Ben Foster, Steven Reid, Nicky Shorey, Jonas Olsson, Craig Dawson, Jerome Thomas, James Morrison, Yosouff Mulumbu, Paul Scharner, Shane Long, Peter Odemwingie. Subs: Fulop, Cox, Fortune, Jones, McAuley, Brunt, Dorrans
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