Swansea 1-3 Stoke City: Laurent's double eases Potters relegation fears

Josh Laurent scored twice - his first league goals of the season

Josh Laurent scored twice as Stoke City shook off an an early goal to ease their relegation fears at Swansea City.

The captain opened his league account with two goals in four minutes to clinch a first away win since December.

Lewis Baker grabbed a third in injury-time to lift Alex Neil's side nine points clear of the drop.

Morgan Whitaker marked his Swansea return with a second-minute goal but it was not enough to prevent a second loss in four days.

It was an undisciplined display from the Swans both with and without the ball that has all-but shattered any slim play-off chance with just one win in six.

For Stoke, who climb two places in the Championship, they can finally start looking up.

They suffered a surprise defeat to bottom side Blackpool on Saturday and after Phil Jagielka pulled out with a stomach bug, they must have feared the worst when they conceded inside two minutes.

Whitaker, among three changes by Russell Martin after the loss at Blackburn, was handed his first league start since May 2021.

The 22-year-old has barely featured under Martin and missed out on a move to Rangers after being re-called against his wishes from a successful league spell at Plymouth Argyle.

But he proved a major point when he poked home Matty Sorinola's pass with his first touch.

However that was as good as it got for the Swans while Stoke, to their immense credit, refused to let the early blow knock them back.

Morgan Whitaker marked his first Swans league start in 21 months with a goal inside two minutes

They swarmed all over the white shirts but Swansea were also architects of their own downfall.

Tyrese Campbell had success on the left of attack, flashing a shot across goal and then setting up Jacob Brown who failed to control.

The equaliser may have taken four efforts in a goal-mouth scramble, but was inevitable. Dwight Gayle and Dujon Sterling had shots blocked before Laurent smashed home his second effort.

Having waited for his first league goal of the season, Laurent claimed a second just four minutes later.

Campbell was the again the provider, squaring for the unmarked captain who had time to place his shot from close to the penalty spot.

Martin stopped kidding himself that the 3-5-2 formation was working and after just half an hour made the change to a back four.

It stemmed the flow but not the mistakes as Gayle had a shot from close range well blocked by Andy Fisher and Ben Wilmot headed a golden chance wide.

Swansea had glimpses through Joel Piroe and Whitaker but the game grew fractious with five yellow cards in the space of 15 minutes either side of half-time - including Stoke manager Neil.

He was unhappy at a challenge on Campbell that saw the striker make way a few minutes later under advice of the team doctor amid concern over a head injury.

Once tempers calmed the game slowed to a stalemate, though Stoke always looked more likely to score.

Twice Andy Fisher was forced to tip audacious efforts over the bar, a wicked curling effort with the outside of Jordan Thompson's boot and another off the head of Gayle.

Swansea steadily ran out of ideas, limited to long-range efforts from the ferocious boot of substitute Olivier Ntcham before Stoke's Brown galloped clear with a classic counter-attack to set up Baker's 93rd-minute strike.

Stoke City manager Alex Neil said:

"We were brave with our set-up because we know how Swansea like to play so we were aggressive in our approach and we were the better team in the first half.

"With the games we've had and still have to come, I wondered if we could keep that effort up in the second half so we changed tact and looked for the counter, which got us our third.

"It was very disappointing to concede so early. We've done that too many times this season, but we carried a threat and probably should have scored more. But we're pleased with the win."

Swansea City head coach Russell Martin said:

"We are paying the price for a really poorly managed 20 minutes.

"You have to earn territory and we needed to beat their press better and get in behind them. But there was a lot of anxiety out there and we gave them too much hope and energy by giving away the ball too easily.

"We showed character in the second half but this group will a lot from that. Sometimes with a young team you have go through some painful lessons."