The Slovenian forward’s second-half header from Josh Tymon’s corner opened the scoring minutes into the second half as Swansea enjoyed the majority of the play following the first half sending off of Potters Wales winger Sorba Thomas.
The Swans dominated there after but could not get the vital second strike until Cullen’s moment of brilliance, chipping the goalkeeper from 40 yards sealed the points in stoppage-time for the Welsh side.
The Swans came into the game looking to bounce back from the disappointing 3-0 defeat to Ipswich at Portman Road last time out. The defeat would be the heaviest in the Vitor Matos era with the Portuguese conceding that his side was simply not good enough on the day and would need to take learnings from the match moving forward.
Back to SA1, Swansea looked to extend their impressive unbeaten home record to ten matches against a Stoke side two places and one point ahead of than the Welsh side.
Sharing similar ambitions, inconsistencies on the road have hampered both sides with ten and 11-point gaps on the top six respectively, leaving both knowing realistically every game is now a must-win affair if they are to enter the promotion picture.
The Swans would show four changes with recalls for Josh Key, Goncalo Franco, Ronald and leading scorer Vipotnik from the defeat in East Anglia.
Visitors Stoke, chasing a first win on the road since January, would be without forward Richard Cresswell and key midfielders Lewis Baker and Sam Gallagher for their trip to South Wales.
The Potters, looking to achieve a league double on the Swans, would bring in veteran midfielder Steven Nzonzi as one of three changes from the 2-1 defeat against league leaders Coventry. Swansea January transfer window target Jesuran Rak-Sakyi would also be handed a start.
It would be the home side who started the brightest and see the first sight at goal. Neat hold up play from Vipotnik on the edge of the penalty area seeing Ethan Galbraith with an opportunity. The Northern Irishman’s effort though would be tame and straight at visiting goalkeeper Tommy Simkin.
A neat piece of combination play from Ji-Sung Eom and Josh Tymon would see the latter then draw a sprawling low fingertip save from the Potters number one as the Swans would look sharp and energetic in the opening stages.
After a shaky start, Stoke would slowly battle their way into the proceedings and should have opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Rak-Sakyi on the right hand side breezing past Tymon with ease before squaring to full back Eric Borcat 12-yards out. The Frenchman would manage to get a shot away but would only meet an impressive block from Key so neutralise the danger when it seemed easier to score.
The on-loan Crystal Palace wide man would come close himself then minutes later as the game continued to be played at frenetic pace. Home goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux drawn into action to beat away the effort.
In a back and forth spell Vipotnik would come close with a power free kick from the edge of the area which would skim the outside of the post, before the Potters thought they had the lead themselves only for Ben Gibson’s header to be ruled out for offside following a Stoke corner.
With temperature’s rising, impetus would be back with the Swans after dangerman Thomas would crucially be dismissed for the Potters by referee Reubyn Ricardo for a second yellow after pushing Franco to the ground.
Matos’ side would knock the door but the scores would remain level at the break.
Impetus would be on the Swans from the re-start to take the game to the visitors, and cometh the hour, cometh the man as the Swans would take the lead from a set-piece. Championship top scorer Vipotnik losing his marker to guide Tymon’s corner into the far corner of the goal for his 17th league goal of the season.
Key’s rasping long-range effort almost doubled the lead minutes later, heading inches over the crossbar to the satisfaction of the home faithful, before Ethan Galbraith would fizz a shot just wide following another Swansea set-piece.
Substitutes Melker Widell and Cullen would both see efforts come close late on as the Swans pushed for a second, and after the Swans defense showed the steel like qualities that have helped maintain their impressive home record Cullen would seal the match with a stunning strike from range.
The Wales forward chipping Simkin from all of 40 yards to send the Jack Army into raptures of applause to secure the victory for the home side.
The win sees Swansea leapfrog Stoke into 14th in the Championship table eight points behind sixth-placed Wrexham holding the final play-off spot with the North Wallian’s having a game in hand.
Swansea City XI
Lawrence Vigouroux, Josh Key, Josh Tymon, Ben Cabango (captain), Cameron Burgess, Marko Stamenic (Jay Fulton 76), Ethan Galbraith (Melker Widell 75) , Goncalo Franco (Joel Ward 90), Ronald (Gustavo Nunes 66), Eom Ji-Sung (Liam Cullen 77), Zan Vipotnik.
Stoke City XI
Tommy Simkin, Eric Bocat (Junior Tchamedeu 69), Ben Gibson, Ashley Philips, Ben Wilmot (captain) (Maxi Talovierov 74), Steven Nzonzi, Tasuki Seko, Bae Jun-Ho, Jesuran Rak-Sakyi (Million Manhoef 54), Sorba Thomas, Lamine Cisse (Milian Smit 54).
[Lead image: Swansea City FC]
