Blackburn Rovers 0-1 Swansea City: Liam Cullen goal gets three points for Swans

New Wales international Liam Cullen (left) has scored twice for Swansea this season

Liam Cullen scored a first-half winner as Swansea City got back on track with victory at inconsistent Blackburn Rovers.

Cullen curled home in the 28th minute as the Swans bounced back from successive Championship defeats with three points at Ewood Park.

Carl Rushworth made a couple of saves from Sammie Szmodics after the interval as Blackburn threatened an equaliser.

But Rovers lost after three successive wins and are now 12th, one point and one place ahead of the Swans.

Blackburn had been hoping to record a fourth win on the trot for the first time since March and could have gone in front immediately as Tyrhys Dolan cut the ball back to Callum Brittain, who steered his effort past the post.

The Swans had twice had goals disallowed for offside through Jamal Lowe, but they were not to be denied for a third time on the half-hour mark.

Charlie Patino worked the ball on the right side of the area to Cullen, who made his senior Wales debut in the recent friendly win over Gibraltar, to cut inside on to his left foot and beat Leopold Wahlstedt with a curling strike into the bottom corner.

Jamie Paterson could have made things safe early in the second half after Rovers were caught playing out from the back, but Wahlstedt made a crucial save.

Szmodics was twice denied by Rushworth at the other end, while Harry Leonard headed one straight at the goalkeeper as Swansea held on to record their first win away to Blackburn since 1971 and a third straight Championship away victory, after previous wins at Millwall and Plymouth.

Blackburn Rovers manager Jon Dahl Tomasson told BBC Radio Lancashire:

"Why we were not in front in the first minute, we still don't know it. We started really well the first 20, 25 minutes but after there was too much distance between us defensively and we were sloppy on the ball.

"Second half, we were the better team, creating plenty of chances and good moments to win the game.

"But we shouldn't forget this young team had won three on the bounce, and there will be days like this but of course it was a disappointing result."

Swansea manager Michael Duff said:

"The game should have been out of sight now and it wasn't and they're a good team.

"It was a case of trying to do the other side of the game well, whilst trying to pick them off on the counter attack.

"People put their bodies on their line, defended, made blocks when they had to. For all their opportunities, Carl [Rushworth] has not really made a brilliant save.

"It definitely wasn't comfortable but it was a well-earned win in the end."