Everton 1 - 0 Swansea City

SWANSEA CITY ended 2011 without an away win in the top flight after falling to their sixth defeat on the road at Goodison Park.

Not since May 1982, when Swansea were in the old First Division under John Toshack, have they won in the top flight and despite another hard-fought display against Everton they were left with nothing to show away from home.

The Swans had never beaten Everton in 13 previous attempts in all competitions and Leon Osman’s 60th-minute header ensured that record would continue for another game at least.

After conceding four goals away on three occasions this season the Swans have been vastly improved in defence in recent games.

It looked as though they may earn their second point on their travels in four days after a resilient performance at Newcastle on Saturday.

But after Osman put the home side in front in the second half the writing was on the wall for Swansea, who have yet to gain a point from a losing position in the Premier League.

Both sides had only scored 16 goals in the league before last night so a high-scoring game was never going to be on the cards and that’s how it played out in a contest of plenty of endeavour but few real chances.

Everton had only taken four points from their last five games at Goodison so there was plenty of reason for Swansea to travel to Merseyside with a some expectation of securing their first away win of the season.

Swansea were unchanged from Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Newcastle but Spanish full-back Angel Rangel returned to the bench having not featured since injuring his ankle against Aston Villa at the end of November.

For Everton, midfielder Seamus Coleman started on the right after shaking off a thigh strain, but Manchester United target Jack Rodwell missed out last night with a hamstring problem.

The home side, obviously wary of Swansea’s passing game, pressed high up the pitch early on but with nowhere near as much venom as Newcastle had with great success four days earlier.

Their low-tempo closing down allowed Swansea plenty of time and space to get into their grove and they started the more confidently of the two sides.

A Mark Gower short corner to Wayne Routledge on nine minutes almost created their first chance of the game, but his pass to Scott Sinclair was just behind the winger and the opportunity went begging.

Swansea were keeping the ball well, but looked vulnerable at set-pieces with Everton’s giant midfielder Marouane Fellaini menacing and Louis Saha’s movement causing problems.

Saha dipped into midfield to create Everton’s first opening, threading the ball through to Leon Osman, but goalkeeper Michel Vorm was quickly off his line to clear.

Rodgers’ side were dominating possession, with 54% of the play compared to 38% after half an hour against Newcastle, but Everton looked dangerous on the counter-attack with Royston Drenthe lively down the left for the Toffees.

The on-loan Real Madrid man got the better of Jazz Richards midway through the half, but his ball across the six-yard box was hacked away by Leon Britton.

Drenthe switched wings and turned provider from the left on 34 minutes after Coleman was forced off with an injury and replaced by Magaye Gueye, but Saha’s glancing header from his cross went wide.

Substitute Gueye then had a great chance to put the home side in front from Leighton Baines’ cross, but his shot from eight yards out was brilliantly saved by Vorm.

Gueye’s close-range follow-up was blocked by the top of Ashley Williams’ arm, but, with the home supporters screaming for a penalty, referee Kevin Friend gave nothing.

Williams didn’t get the same luck a couple of minutes later when he charged down a Leon Osman shot from the edge of the box and was booked for handball.

Left-back Baines wasted the free-kick with a wild effort high over the bar and, like at Newcastle at the weekend, Swansea were glad to hear the half-time whistle with the scores still level.

Just like at St James’ Park, Rodgers reacted by taking off Mark Gower at half-time and replacing him with Dutchman Kemy Agustien.

Gower had been fortunate to keep his place after a poor showing at Newcastle, but there was little improvement here as he struggled to impose himself on the game.

Agustien looked bright straight away and almost set Scott Sinclair away with his first touch of the ball, but Hibbert was alert to the danger.

It took the visitors 50 minutes to record their first attempt at goal, a Routledge shot that was blocked by Hibbert, but it sparked Swansea into their best spell going forward.

Routledge and Agustien were combining well and the Swans were frustrating the home side with their quick movement of the ball.

If there’s one thing that’s cost Swansea on the road this season it’s their lack of concentration at times and they almost fell behind when Phil Neville caught them sleeping with a quick free-kick on 56 minutes, but Osman failed to make the most of the chance.

The diminutive midfielder didn’t make the same mistake four minutes later when the next opportunity, and a much harder one, came his way.

Another quality Drenthe delivery, this time a corner, was whipped into the heart of the Swansea area and 5ft 8in midfielder Osman somehow managed to out-jump 6ft 3in defender Steven Caulker and head the ball home.

After so much talk about working on the fine details in defence away from home, Swans boss Rodgers will be unhappy at the way his side let one of the smallest players on the pitch score a header from the middle of the area.

With the goal scored and Swansea creating very little going forward, Everton were happy to conserve their lead rather than push hard for a second.

Drenthe smashed a free-kick from the edge of the box well over on 70 minutes and the winger was denied by Vorm a couple of minutes later after Jazz Richard’s misplaced header backwards.

Rodgers put on Leroy Lita for the final 10 minutes in the hope of rescuing something for Swansea and there was a late flurry from the visitors, although nothing that threatened Everton’s goal.

Swansea will now look to home games against Queens Park Rangers and Tottenham Hotspur over the Christmas period to lift themselves closer to the 20-point mark manager Rodgers wants before the season’s halfway stage.