BBC Sportfootball

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Related BBC sites

Page last updated at 09:56 GMT, Sunday, 18 April 2010 10:56 UK

No Swansea City goal crisis - Darren Pratley

Advertisement

Pratley happy with play-off form

Darren Pratley says Swansea's lack of goals will not cost them in the ever-tightening play-off race.

The Swans have scored just 40 goals this season, the lowest total ever to win Premier League promotion being Birmingham's 54 strikes last year.

But the 3-1 win over Barnsley means the Swans have scored six in their last two home games and remain in the play-offs, two points above Blackpool in seventh.

"We're creating chances - the worry is when you don't create," said Pratley.

"It's a positive thing to be able to score at home," added the midfielder, Swansea's leading scorer this season who netted his seventh of the campaign against Barnsley.

January recruit Shefki Kuqi has made a big difference to Swansea's strike power.

Shefki Kuqi in despair after his glaring first-half miss in the 3-1 win over Barnsley
Shefki Kuqi in despair after his glaring first-half miss

The Finn netted his fifth of the season against the Tykes, but only after a contender for miss of the season when he could not convert into an empty net from four yards.

"I have only seen misses like Kuqi's on videos but I am very glad he scored a goal to make up for it," said manager Paulo Sousa.

Pratley added: "Kuqi showed his character.

"You can easily crumble when you miss a chance as easy as that, but he didn't.

"I like that in my players, it says a lot about the character and spirit in the dressing room - it would have been so easy to hide.

"As for my goal, Andrea Orlandi did brilliantly when he came on, he looked sharp, had the individual skill and then the awareness to see me and cut it back, I just had to put it in."

While Blackpool's 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest ensures the tightest of finishes to the play-off race, Pratley is sure that the Swans can hold their nerve.

"Other results went against us on Saturday, but it's still in our hands," Pratley told BBC Sport Wales.

"It's a tough game at Sheffield United next week, but if we win both our games we're in the play-offs.

"All we can do is concentrate on ourselves."

Advertisement

Sousa hails 3-1 Barnsley win



Print Sponsor


see also
Swansea 3-1 Barnsley
17 Apr 10 |  Championship
Wales' sporting weekend in photos
16 Apr 10 |  Wales
BBC Sport Wales coverage
03 Oct 11 |  Wales


related bbc links:

related internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites