Grimes deflected effort enough for Swans as Rotherham hard done by.

Swansea win after late pressure at the Liberty to go fourth in the Championship.

Matt Grimes scored the only goal of the match, but the end was enriched with controversy as Rotherham were denied a stonewall penalty.

The visitors made five changes from their win against Preston before the international break, with striker Freddie Ladapo the notable omission – and could only name seven substitutes from a possible nine.

Swansea came into the fixture without a win in two, but had won their last two games at the Liberty Stadium. They were without Andre Ayew and Marc Guehi through knocks.

The home side, despite missing their talisman, began the game on the front foot, with Jake Bidwell in particular threatening on the left hand side.

Midfield battles are always so crucial in the Championship, and immediately skipper Matt Grimes and tricky playmaker Yan Dhanda stood out immediately for Swansea.

Dhanda himself won the corner in which Swans created their first opportunity, with academy graduate Liam Cullen leaping high to nod low, only for Jamal Blackman to palm wide.

Grimes would open the scoring just ten minutes later though. A deep corner was punched away by Blackman, but the Chelsea loanee was left wanting when he fumbled Grimes’ deflected half-volley into the net.

A deserved lead for Swansea, who had dominated proceedings.

Rotherham came closest in the first period through Jamie Lindsay but his skidding effort was held by Newcastle loanee Freddie Woodman.

The second period took a while to get going before ROtherham began to impose themselves. Midfielder Matt Crooks, who is known on the stands as an “absolute unit”, came close but had an effort blocked.

Dhanda once again impressed for the Swans before being replaced by Kasey Palmer, notably doing three Cruyff turns consecutively before being hacked down for a free-kick.

Swans’ then had the easiest of opportunities to finish it off. Jamal Lowe shrugged off the Rotherham defence and laid back to Bidwell. The former Brentford man passed into what would have secured three points, btu unbelievably Wes Harding chested the ball wide.

The Rotherham game plan was obviously to stay in it until the latter stages – in which they pressed high and created several opportunities, with the closest coming after a Woodman mistake.

After a deep Ben Wiles corner, he fumbled and it fell to Kyle Vassell. The striker panicked, missing the ball, allowing Swans to clear.

Just before this though, the Millers felt infuriated with Ryan Bennett handballing on the line. At first glance it was difficult to see, but replays showed it hit the Wolves loanees’ arm.

Late pressure continued from the Millers, but Swansea held on to win by the skin of their teeth. It takes them to fourth, while the visitors sit in 19th.

It’s the first time Swansea have won three games in a row at home in 15 months, and the first time in 19 months that they have kept three consecutive clean sheets at home.

Swansea City: Woodman; Bidwell, Naughton, Bennett, Cabango, Roberts; Fulton, Grimes, Dhanda; Cullen, Lowe

Subs: Benda, Latibeaudiere, Manning, Rushesha, Williams, Smith, Palmer, Routledge, Cooper

Rotherham United: Blackman; Olosunde, Ihiekwe, A.MacDonald, Harding; Jozefzoon, Lindsay, Crooks, Barlaser, Wiles; Hirst

Subs: Johansson, Jones, Thompson, Clarke, Miller, Vassell, Smith

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