Reaction from South Wales as 10-man Stoke City lose to Swansea

Referee Ruebyn Ricardo (in blue) is spoken to by Ben Wilmot and Eric Bocat after he showed a red card to Sorba Thomas.(Image: Getty Images)

Stoke City fell to a 2-0 defeat at Swansea in a game that turned on a controversial sending off for Sorba Thomas.

Eric Bocat had had a close range shot cleared off the line and Ben Wilmot had a headed goal disallowed when Thomas was shown a second yellow card by ever-erratic referee Ruebyn Ricardo.

Swansea had already chances of their own in an entertaining contest when all players were on the pitch and they went on to claim three points with a man advantage.

Zan Vipotnik powered in a header early in the second half when he was given too much room to attack a corner. Liam Cullen made it sure with a spectacular goal from 40 yards in injury time.

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Mark Robins had made three changes to his starting XI, bringing in Bocat, Steven Nzonzi and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi at the expense of Maksym Talovierov, Ben Pearson and Million Manhoef.

It was an action-packed first half that could have done without the dreadful officiating of Ricardo, who couldn’t wait to get involved except when he was needed. He saw fouls that no one else could spot and missed ones that everyone saw.

It was 100mph from the start, when Tommy Simkin saved low from Ronald after Swansea passed it too easily through the Stoke midfield.

Josh Tymon was next to go close. He sprinted outside of stand-in right back before dashing into the box to collect a neat slipped pass from Jisung Eom and try a shot with his right foot into the far post.

Stoke had been pinned back through the opening stages but suddenly stepped quickly through the gears mid-way through the half and might have helped themselves to a goal or two.

First Rak-Sakyi skinned Tymon and then beat Cameron Burgess to get to the by-line in the six-yard box and cutting across for Bocat. Bocat was stretching and took a touch before having his shot blocked by Josh Key on the line.

Next, Lamine Cisse swung in a superb cross from the right which Ashley Phillips met with a diving header that forced a brilliant reflex save from Lawrence Vigouroux.

Then Stoke thought they were ahead. Wilmot met Thomas’s corner and planted a header into the net. They were a few seconds into their celebration by the time they realised the linesman’s flag had gone up. Phillips was adjudged to be offside and in the way of Vigouroux when Wilmot got a touch.

But Stoke’s task was made all the more difficult when Thomas was dismissed. He had been shown a first yellow card for an ambitious scissor kick shot on the edge of the Swansea area that Ricardo deemed to dangerous play. Hapless Ricardo then missed what looked like a Thomas trip in the build-up to the corner.

Thomas was then given a second yellow card when he was accused of retaliating to a challenge from Goncalo Franco, who went down theatrically. The away end left Ricardo in no doubt what they made of his performance.

It didn’t take Swansea long at the start of the second half to make their advantage count. Tymon floated a corner into the front of the six-yard box and Vipotnik had a free header to power the ball past Simkin. Bocat had looked to be marking the striker as the set piece came in but he was blocked by Ben Cabango as he tried to follow the run.

Robins was making changes anyway and sent on Milan Smit and Manhoef in place of Cisse and Rak-Sakyi to try to conjure an equaliser.

Franco had two long rangers and Ethan Galbraith had a pop too as Swansea tried to find a second – before Stoke were hit by a couple more injuries. Bocat and then Wilmot needed physio treatment, leaving Robins to send on Junior Tchamadeu – making his first appearance since December – and then Talovierov. Junho joined Seko and Nzonzi in a midfield three and Manhoef tried to support Smit.

Gustavo Nunes should have put the game beyond doubt when he was fed into space on the inside left but his dawdling gave Tchamadeu the chance to get back and make a vital tackle.

Still, it felt like Stoke might get a chance and Junho might have done better when a poor defensive header fell into his path on the edge of the box in the closing stages. He swept his left leg at it and send a shot over.

Then the next goal came at the other end – or from near the half-way line. Cullen seized on a loose ball from Tchamadeu, spotted Simkin off his line and pulled off a brilliant shot to beat him.

Ricardo was still in the action after blowing his final whistle, flashing a yellow card to protesting Stoke players.

Here are the player ratings from the Swansea.com Stadium

Simkin: Safe hands at times and couldn’t do much about stopping another free header from a corner. Caught off his line for second. 6

Wilmot: Tough battle with Tymon as emergency right-back. Thought he’d scored with first half header. Off injured. 6

Bocat: Had to bury first-half chance. Exciting going forward but countered against vulnerability in defensive work. Lost Vipotnik for opener. Off after injury. 6

Phillips: Forced good save from Vigouroux and was flagged offside when Wilmot put ball in net. Showed urgency in his play. 6.5

Gibson: Shifted from centre-back to left-back. Won a few headers and largely kept the ball. Might have got his head on Tymon’s corner for Vipotnik goal. 6

Nzonzi: Some important interventions in the middle. 6.5

Seko: A lot of running around especially when Stoke were a man down. 6

Junho: Has to find a way to get involved in more dangerous positions. 6

Rak-Sakyi: Excellent run set up massive chance for Bocat. Sacrificed early in second half as 10-man Stoke readjusted. 6.5

Thomas: Unlucky with first yellow card, gave the referee a decision to make with second. Daft, especially with a ref of this calibre. 4

Cisse: Brilliant cross to set up header for Phillips. 6.5

Substitutes

Smit (for Cisse, 54): Asked to plough lonely furrow up front for the 10 men. 6

Manhoef (for Rak-Sakyi, 54): Skill and pace gave Stoke an outlet as he tried to support Smit. 6

Tchamadeu (for Bocat, 70): Welcome return and made a couple of thrusts down the right. 6

Talovierov (for Wilmot, 75): Yellow card for clumsy defending. 6

Not used: Fielding, Pearson, Rigo, Otegbayo, Kelly.

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo (Leicestershire) 1.5

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