Wrexham manager Phil Parkinson has claimed Swansea City captain Ben Cabango should have been sent off in Saturday's Championship derby. The Swans maintained their unbeaten start and top spot in the league with a -0 draw at the Swansea.com Stadium, a result reported by BBC Sport Football.
Parkinson's complaint centred on a 77th-minute incident where Cabango, who had come on as a substitute, was booked for a foul on Swansea's new signing Callum O'Hare. The Wrexham boss argued it should have been a straight red card. "I know we want to protect our players but, when someone flies in at that speed, that could have been a leg-breaking challenge," Parkinson said. He also referenced an earlier tangle between Cabango and Kieffer Moore on the halfway line.
Swansea boss Vitor Matos offered a brief response when asked about Parkinson's comments. "I never comment on ref decisions, in one way or the other. If he [Parkinson] says that, good for him," Matos stated. The Portuguese coach's focus remained on his team's performance, which extended their strong early-season form. Swansea City have taken 10 points from their first four games, scoring seven goals and conceding just one.
The stalemate kept Swansea City in first place in the Championship. Their record reads three wins and one draw, with a goal difference of +6. Wrexham, meanwhile, picked up a useful point ahead of a busy week. Parkinson praised his team's effort, noting they grew into the game and had chances to win it. The Red Dragons had secured their first victory of the season at Millwall in midweek.
The match marked the debut of deadline-day signing Callum O'Hare, who joined from Sheffield United for £6.5m. The Swans continue to deal with some injury concerns, with defenders Cameron Burgess and Gonçalo Franco currently sidelined. Despite this, the defensive unit has been exceptionally solid so far this campaign.
Attention now turns to a quick turnaround and a tough away trip. Swansea City's next fixture is against Southampton at St Mary's Stadium on Tuesday, September 8th. The Saints currently sit 18th in the table. Maintaining their early momentum will be the challenge for Matos and his squad as they prepare for this next Championship test.
