Swansea City 0 - 0 Aston Villa: Swans subdued as game overshadowed by death of Wales hero

There were four members of the Wales squad involved in the game as Ashley Williams, Neil Taylor, Joe Allen, of the Swans, and James Collins, of Villa, started. Villa goalkeeper Shay Given, who had played with Speed at Newcastle, was in tears prior to kick-off.

Given the sense of sadness, it was perhaps no surprise that the match was a drab affair.

Substitute Leroy Lita fired narrowly wide with Swansea’s best chance, while Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor was twice denied by Michel Vorm and Chris Herd headed wide.

After the pre-match tributes, the action got under way with Alex McLeish’s side intent on jolting Swansea out of their familiar passing rhythm. Swansea had enjoyed an early spell of pressure, but it was Villa who had the first meaningful effort on goal with nearly 20 minutes gone as Agbonlahor forced Vorm to beat away an angled drive after good work by Charles N’Zogbia.

Swansea were dealt a blow when full-back Angel Rangel was forced off after 26 minutes with an ankle injury, with Wales under-21 captain Jazz Richards replacing the Spaniard.

Agbonlahor’s pace was proving to be a real threat and he teed up Stephen Warnock for the full-back to miscue a cross narrowly over Vorm’s bar. Alan Hutton blazed a volley over the bar as the second half opened in the same scrappy vein as the first.

Swansea were dealt another injury blow when striker Danny Graham was forced off in 53 minutes, with Lita taking his place.

The hosts were fortunate not to fall behind when Vorm failed to get a convincing touch on an Agbonlahor shot, doing enough to get the ball over the bar.

Swansea’s best chance quickly followed, as Mark Gower fed Lita in the box and the striker turned Collins but fired narrowly wide of the right-hand post.

Herd wasted a great chance to steal the points for Villa when he headed wide from barely six yards out with just five minutes remaining.