Swansea stalwart Fulton’s 25-yard yard effort would be just the tonic for the home side who would show plenty of effort and commitment to the cause, but in a game of few chances the Scotsman’s strike would be decisive.
Home goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux save smart from vising forward Karlan grant as the visitors attempted a comeback, but it would be in the end a comfortable three points for Swansea who move above the Baggies to 15th in the table.
Having won their last three fixtures in front of their own fans, the Swans would look to start the New Year off with a positive performance against a Baggies side two places and as many points above them in the Championship standings.
Thursday’s 1-0 win at Oxford, Swansea’s first on the road since September, saw Vitor Matos’ side move seven points away from the drop zone, and with just nine points the gap to the top six, a fifth victory in seven would cast thoughts firmly on the right side of the table.
In their way would be a Baggies side faltering after a promising start to the season. Having prominently occupied a play-off spot in the first quarter of the season, eight defeats in the last 14 games have seen the Midlands outfit plummet in the standings.
Looking to avenge the 3-2 defeat at the Hawthorns in his first game in charge of the club in late November, Matos would make four changes to the side that won at the Kassam Stadium just three days ago.
With Swansea in the middle of four games in nine days, top scorer Zan Vipotnik and key midfielder Ethan Galbraith would be rested to the bench with Ronald coming into the X1. The would also be starts for Josh Key, Malick Yalcouye, Goncalo Franco.
Having lost their last eight on the road, Baggies boss Ryan Mason would be keen to gain a first win in South Wales since 2018. The Baggies had however, stop the rot of two successive defeats with a 2-1 win against Queens Park Rangers and would be unchanged for encounter.
It would be the home side who would start the brightest enjoying the better of the early exchanges. Patient build up play seeing chances for Marko Stamenic who fired an effort from the edge of the box narrowly over the bar, whilst Josh Tymon should have done better with a free kick after Callum Styles had wiped out Ronald on the edge of the West Brom penalty area.
The visitors would be watchful and would look to frustrate the Swans with a deep back line, with an emphasis on being firm in the challenge off the ball and breaking quickly on the counter attack whilst in possession. Samuel Illng-Junior’s having the Baggies best effort of the half, a rasping effort testing Lawrence Vigouroux’s finger tips from an acute angle.
The Swans would probe around the West Brom box but would lack a cutting edge in the final third as the half would come to a close with the away side far the more happier of the two sides to be level at the break.
The second half would start in a similar vein, the Swans with plenty of industry, but lacking a focal point in the attack.
On would come Vipotnik and Eom Ji-sung to add more creativity and fire power to the home sides attack. The latter almost making an immediate impact, delivering a corner and finding the head of captain Ben Cabango. The Wales man though only able to head over the bar.
The longer the scores remained level the visitors confidence would grow, Karlan Grant benefiting from a quick break to pull a smart diving save from Vigouroux, who would also block from an acute angle from the same player in the same phase of play.
With the game looking like it would take something special as it entered it’s final quarter, it would be a screamer that would break the deadlock. A collectors item for midfielder Fulton whose 25-yard curling effort would bend into the far corner past despairing visiting goalkeeper Joe Wildsmith.
The visitors would attempt to push the Swans back, but the home defence would be resolute to hold on to pick up a deserved three points.
Swansea City XI
Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Tymon, Josh Key (Ethan Galbraith 45), Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Melker Widell (Eom Ji-sung 56), Marko Stamenic, Goncalo Franco, Malick Yalcouye (Jay Fulton 70), Ronald (Bobby Wales 79), Zeidane Inoussa (Zan Vipotnic 56).
West Bromwich Albion XI
Joe Wildsmith, George Campbell, Callum Styles, Nathaniel Phillips, Charlie Taylor, Ousmane Diakité, Alex Mowett (Jason Mulumby 59), Samuel Illng-Junior (Issac Price 79), Mikey Johnson, Karlon Grant, Aune Heggebø (Josh Maja 65).
