Potter praise for match-winner McKay

Posted Sunday, November 11, 2018 by PA

Boss Graham Potter challenged match-winner Barrie McKay to find a high level of consistency after the Scot’s stunning first-half goal earned Swansea a 1-0 Championship win at Bolton.

The former Rangers and Nottingham Forest forward scored the only goal with a stunning 15th-minute strike – his first since moving to south Wales.

McKay’s goal dumped Bolton into the bottom three for the first time this campaign to increase pressure on manager Phil Parkinson.

Potter said: “I thought Barrie’s first half performance was really good.

“His attributes are of a really high level. It’s up to him to help us effect the game and effect the scoreline which he did.

“He has those qualities that can produce things like that though I haven’t seen too many of those strikes.

“If he could consistently produce that he wouldn’t be playing in the Championship for too long.

“But that’s always the challenge with the attacking players to get that consistency.

“Barry’s response to being on the bench has been good and he has been supportive of the players.

“It is indicative of the spirit we have so it was nice for him to effect the scoreline. And a 1-0 win shows a bit of character about the team.

“I thought we played well in the first half, attacked well and could have been more than 1-0 up.

“In the second half, it became more scrappy and we couldn’t control things at all. So, we have to try and be resilient and weather the storm.

“You need a bit of luck which we probably had but overall I’m delighted with the players’ personality.”

Asked if Swansea fans should be dreaming of a swift return to the Premier League, Potter smiled: “We shouldn’t pay attention to the table in the Championship until April or May.”

Parkinson watched his team lose four successive home games without scoring for the first time in the club’s history.

He said: “I don’t really know what to say. It’s the same script for quite a few weeks now.

“Their lad smashes one into the top corner and it is an unbelievable strike.

“Generally our play has been good but we didn’t score again. We have had several opportunities and I cannot fault anyone’s effort. But we are on a run when nothing is going for us at all.”