Swansea City 0-0 Birmingham City: Defences on top in tepid draw

Swansea assistant coach Alan Tate (right) sparked a half-time melee after a confrontation with Jon Toral of Birmingham

Swansea City were held to a goalless draw at home by Birmingham City.

Chances were scarce in a first half which was only enlivened by a touchline melee involving both sets of players and coaches but of no consequence.

Morgan Gibbs-White wasted the hosts' best opportunity as he shot straight at Blues debutant Neil Etheridge.

Birmingham captain Harlee Dean then had a header saved by Freddie Woodman but neither side could produce that elusive moment of quality to win the game.

The result was a fair reflection of a tight contest but it may have been a little frustrating for both sides after winning their respective first matches of the season, Swansea away against Preston and Birmingham at home to last season's beaten play-off finalists Brentford.

Although the Swans controlled possession from the first whistle - 71% at one point - they struggled to work the ball into attacking positions against opponents pressing high up the field.

Each team had looked solid defensively as they kept clean sheets on the opening weekend and they were limited to one shot on target each during the first half an hour on this occasion.

Swansea left wing-back Jake Bidwell headed straight at Etheridge in the Birmingham goal and Woodman produced a decent save to deny Jon Toral.

Matt Grimes then tested Etheridge with a low free-kick but the first real incident of note came on the touchline just after the half-time whistle.

Swansea assistant coach Alan Tate looked like he grabbed Toral by the throat as they left the field and, despite an ensuing melee involving both sets of players and coaches, referee Gavin Ward took no action.

The second half followed the same pattern as the first, with defences on top.

Gibbs-White had a glorious opportunity to put the Swans in front but, after cutting inside on to his right foot in the Birmingham penalty area, he shot tamely at Etheridge.

After Dean's header was saved by Woodman, Swansea had to wait until the 88th minute for their next meaningful effort as Marc Guehi's volley from a corner was well parried by Etheridge.

That save capped a fine debut for the former Cardiff City goalkeeper - on a day for defences.

Swansea City head coach Steve Cooper:

"We're frustrated not to win the game, and I think we always should be if we don't win home games.

"Second half I thought we completely controlled the game, it was a game in their half. But we just didn't do enough to get enough chances on goal.

"We should be pleased with another clean sheet, they're not the easiest thing to do in this league. I do think there were games like that last season that we lost.

"So if there's a small step forward there then we'll take it, but it's a game we should have won and a game we want to be winning going forward."

On the half-time incident involving Alan Tate: "I didn't see it… clearly. It certainly didn't carry on down the tunnel because I went down there. Afterwards, it was fine - no dramas

"I haven't spoken to Alan. I was more interested in the game."

Birmingham City manager Aitor Karanka:

"I'm really pleased because it's a second game against another team that was in the play-offs last year and this was another really good performance.

"I could see a really committed team on the pitch, a really organised team with an amazing attitude.

"It's time to build and the main step in the building process is to have that commitment."

On the half-time incident involving Tate: "I didn't see anything because I was in the tunnel.

"The only thing I told them at half-time was to forget what happened. I don't care about what happened in the tunnel - the players showed their spirit on the pitch."