Luke Moore's first Premier League goal for a year gave Swansea their first home and away double over Newcastle since 1980. Moore, on as substitute, scored at close range to settle a feisty scrap in the Welsh team's favour.
Swansea started as if determined to repeat the 5-0 drubbing they administered to Bradford at Wembley last weekend. Bristling with confidence, and creaming the ball around in imperious fashion, they threatened to take the lead three times in the first 15 minutes. Newcastle thickened their new French accent by giving a first start in the Premier League to Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, the tongue twister of a centre-half for whom they paid Montpellier £6.7m in January, but it was his partner, Steven Taylor, who came to their rescue time and again.
He cleared off the goalline from Ashley Williams, who ought to have scored at close range, then was first to the loose ball when Rob Elliot spilled a Jonathan de Guzman shot. The predatory Michu was lurking, as ever, and would certainly have scored but for Taylor's intervention. Garry Monk, deputising for the injured Chico Flores, might also have done so from De Guzman's free-kick, but headed over from an optimum position.
Newcastle had a Welsh storm to weather and by hook or by crook, fair means and foul, they did so, scrapping their way into the game. Unlike Bradford last week, they were more than willing to get in the Swans' faces and mix it. Alan Pardew was certainly in Leon Britton's face as the two teams went down the tunnel at half-time, an exchange of unpleasantries seeing the two men separated by others. Out on the pitch, there was another heated verbal exchange between Ashley Williams and Moussa Sissoko. It was feisty stuff.
Back at the football, Angel Rangel's powerful drive brought a notable save from Elliot, who improvised with his feet to repel De Guzman's follow up shot. The ball looped up and over the goalkeeper, leaving Taylor to make another clearance from under the crossbar.
Newcastle's first chance of consequence was delayed until the 56th minute, when Papiss Cissé beat Swansea's offside line but wasted an inviting opportunity by blazing wildly over the target. Two minutes later Yoan Gouffran did exactly the same. Midway through the second half Yohan Cabaye, shooting from 25 yards, was denied by the fingertips of Michel Vorm, who touched the ball on to his crossbar and over. Suddenly it was Newcastle making the running, with Swansea tiring after their exertions, emotional as well as physical, at Wembley, and Vorm distinguished himself again, flying to his left to keep out a goalbound thunderclap from Sissoko.
Swansea stirred themselves for Ki Sung-yeung, on as substitute, to test Elliot at close range, then finally for Luke Moore, another sub, to win it with a prod close in after Davide Santon had made a hash of dealing with Wayne Routledge's cross from the left.
