If Ryan Bennett was feeling the pressure after being tasked with replacing Swansea City’s most influential player, then he certainly didn’t show it during a debut performance that was the very definition of the word ‘commanding’.
Wolverhampton Wanderers allowed their long-standing centre-half to join the Swans on a free transfer last week.
And it has taken just 90 minutes on the banks of the Sherbourne for Bennett to remind everyone that, yes, there is indeed life after Joe Rodon for Steve Cooper’s promotion chasing side.
A 1-1 draw with Coventry City was hardly the sort of result that will have Swansea’s top-six rivals quaking in their boots but, if it wasn’t for a perfectly-timed Bennett tackle to deny Matt Godden late on, even a singular point might have slipped through their grasp.
“We were pleased with him, he made one really good tackle at the start of the second half,” manager Cooper said at full-time, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“He got us out of trouble there, and there were good defensive headers from set plays and crosses. He did well and he is only going to get better.”
Bennett was left trailing by Wolves’ rapid rise from Championship also-rans to Europa League quarter-finalists.
But, after returning to second-tier level once again in pursuit of regular first-team football, the 30-year-old is already becoming something of a cult hero in South Wales.
Joe who?
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