Swansea ruin Gillingham manager Steve Lovell's homecoming with crushing victory

As a child, Steve Lovell stood alongside his father on the north bank of the Vetch Field and dreamed of playing for Swansea in the FA Cup. Saturday wasn't quite the homecoming that the Gillingham manager had envisaged, but he could at least console himself with a hearty dinner from his mum.

Ahead of his long trip back to Kent, Lovell made popped in to see nearby Brenda, a devoted Swansea fan. "She might give me a bit more dinner," said Lovell, having watched his League One side thoroughly outplayed.

Despite the whitewash, it had been a proud trip down memory lane for Lovell, a former Welsh international. "I used to go (to the Vetch) for internationals too, seeing George Best play for Northern Ireland. Before the game, I did think of my dad. He would have loved to be here. He would have been proud. However, my mum and my sister will give me all the pats on the back - I need them at the moment."

Swansea were stylish and superior throughout, despite the absence of Wilfried Bony, who looks certain to leave before the end of January. Bersant Celina,  the former Manchester City midfielder, struck a brilliant 25-yard strike, while Oliver McBurnie also impressed with a brace for Graham Potter's man with a brace to warm a rainswept Liberty Stadium.

Swansea were on top from minute one and the impressive Barrie McKay came agonisingly close to scoring in the host's first dangerous foray, but his curling right-footed effort from 15 yards clattered against the far post. Leroy Fer was next in line after scampering through, but his drilled effort from the edge of the box was blocked.

Fearing the worst, Lovell switched his formation from 5-3-2 to a more cautious 4-5-1 set-up, but the packed midfield served little help as their defence came under rampant early onslaught.

The hosts' opener came after the busy Fer sent a slide-rule chip across the box for McBurnie to glance beyond Tomas Holy on 10 minutes. After a spell of overwhelming dominance, McBurnie was again the hero, this time slotting a right footed shot home from the centre after a neat backheel from Barrie McKay.

Lovell had clearly told his visitors to show more adventure as the visitors emerged brave in the second half, and were rewarded on 51 minutes when Josh Rees, a 25-year-old signing from non-league Bromley, headed from home a Mark Byrne cross.

The game was killed off with 20 minutes left thanks to a goal that would have graced any match. Celina looked miles from danger when he was fed by McKay midway inside the Gillingham half, but as Gills defenders pondered, the midfielder struck an almighty rocket from 25 yards into the top right corner.

McKay then deservedly made it a fabulous four after meeting a drilled low cross from substitute Daniel James on the breakaway. A classy way to round off a superior performance from a Swansea side who can now set their sights their chase for the Championship play-off spots.

Graham Potter, who hinted Bony could leave, said the match should be a fillip for his talented squad. "We spoke about the second half of the season and developing a mentality to try and win every game we play," he said. "We had that in the first half, but we had a lot of learning to do and understand what the players can do in different ways."

Match details

Swansea City (3-4-3): Mulder; Roberts, Van der Hoorn, Carter-Vickers, John; Fer (Fulton 80), Celina, Grimes; Baker-Richardson (James 60), McBurnie (Byers 80), McKay.
Subs not used: Nordfeldt, Montero, Dyer, Harries.
Booked: Carter-Vickers (14).
Goals: McBurnie (10, 32), Celina (73), McKay (84).
Gillingham (5-3-2): Holy; O'Neill (Fuller 81), Zakuani, Ehmer (Parrett 81), Ogilvie, Garmston; Rees, Byrne, Charles-Cook; Eaves, List.
Subs not used: Hanlan, Parker, Simpson, Oldaker, Hadler.
Goal: Rees (51).
Referee: Darren England.
Attendance: 15,080.