Stoke City vs Swansea City. Sky Bet Championship.
Bet365 StadiumAttendance17,720.
Report and free match highlights from the Sky Bet Championship clash between Stoke City and Swansea at the bet365 Stadium as goals from Jaden Philogene-Bidace, a Lewis Baker penalty and Jacob Brown struck for the Potters
Tuesday 8 February 2022 22:59, UK
Birthday boy Jaden Philogene-Bidace inspired Stoke's 3-0 Championship victory against 10-man Swansea as the Potters recorded a first home league win since November.
Stoke, with only one win in eight home league fixtures heading into the tie, started promisingly and had a glorious opportunity for an opener inside two minutes.
On-loan Manchester City youngster Taylor Harwood-Bellis was found in acres of space in the Swans area but was unable to convert his header.
Fellow defender Ben Wilmot also tried his luck in an entertaining first five minutes, but his snapshot from close range was diverted wide.
Stoke's early dominance showed no sign of relenting with Philogene-Bidace - making his first home start after a winter loan move from Aston Villa - also threatening to break the deadlock.
The sprightly forward had two early sights of goal, first seeing a venomous volleyed effort blocked by Jay Fulton before being thwarted by Swans goalkeeper Andy Fisher in a sign of things to come.
However, it was full-back Josh Tymon who came closest to securing a deserved Stoke lead shortly before the half-hour mark, but his clean volley from range whistled narrowly over the crossbar.
The visitors, looking to keep their play-off hopes alive after Saturday's encouraging win against Blackburn, did threaten an unlikely opener.
In a rare venture forward into the Potters half, Olivier Ntcham pounced on a slack Joe Bursik pass to tee up Fulton, but the midfielder's effort was blocked.
Philogene-Bidace was again left ruing some resolute Swansea defending when his powerful effort from close range was blocked by Ryan Bennett before the interval.
Yet the youngster's patience was rewarded shortly after the restart when he was in the right place at the right time to convert - a great way to mark his 20th birthday celebrations.
The inspired England youth international nearly turned provider immediately, but Nick Powell dragged his strike wide from a promising position.
After making all three substitutions by the 55th minute, an already frustrated Russell Martin would have been left further displeased when his Swansea side were reduced to 10-men moments later.
Shortly before the hour mark, Bennett - who only came into the side to replace the suspended Ryan Manning - was given his marching orders for handling Jacob Brown's goal-bound effort on the line.
Lewis Baker stepped up for the ensuing spot-kick and gladly obliged to double the Potters' advantage with his second goal for the club in his fourth appearance since a January move from Chelsea.
It took 77 minutes for the visitors to register their first shot on target when Joel Piroe tested a likely cold-handed Bursik, but any chance of a late comeback soon evaporated.
Scotland international Brown rounded off an impressive Stoke display late on when he rifled home his second goal within the space of four days to seal victory.
Stoke's Michael O'Neill: "(Philogene-Bidace) is a good player, he's getting sharp, he's dynamic and he does a lot of work off the ball as well. The other thing we like about him is that he's brave; he puts himself in dangerous situations. I knew I was getting a good player, Steven Gerrard told me I was getting a good player and we certainly haven't been disappointed.
"It was a really good performance altogether. From start to finish, I thought we dominated from the off. I was disappointed we weren't ahead at half-time but scoring early in the second half and then getting another after the red card, the game was done at that point. I think we've played well recently without getting what we've deserved. I felt we deserved more against Huddersfield and Fulham and tonight we got what we deserved. The team looks rejuvenated and fresh and we've got to maintain that between now and the end of the season."
Swansea's Russell Martin: "It's not good enough. We didn't start the game well. Saturday has taken a lot emotionally, physically and mentally out of the guys. We just haven't got enough players who can play relentlessly throughout a busy schedule. We were forced into a lot of changes and we paid the price. There wasn't enough intensity and there was a lack of quality on the ball, which hasn't been the case for so long.
"We started the second half so poorly, which is unacceptable. We tried to make a couple of changes, but then Benno (Bennett) gets sent off and that's the game done. It's damage limitation at that point. The boys stuck at it and gave everything they've got, but we've come against an aggressive, really athletic and experienced team. If you look at our team, it's very young and very inexperienced, different to theirs and we paid the price for it. This team is going to look physically very different next season."
