Bristol City 1-0 Swansea: The Sunday Mirror match report

Paulo Sousa admits he is in uncharted territory as he watches his Swansea side collapse.

Nicky Maynard’s late winner left the Portuguese midfield legend nursing a horror run of just six points from eight games that has left his club clinging precariously to the play-offs.

“As a player I was always fighting for championships, so I didn’t have this sort of experience, and not before now as a manager either,” he said.

“All we can do is to keep working. I have belief in my players and I think they should believe in themselves too.”

Nobody could accuse Sousa of not caring. If the ProZone cameras had measured his movement he probably covered more ground pacing angrily up and down his technical zone than some of his shell-shocked players managed on the field.

They passed the ball for fun, but always in front of City’s defenders – and when Darren Pratley did engineer an opening for Gorka Pintado, the striker froze and gave keeper Stephen Henderson the chance to block his shot.

While Swansea’s nerves are showing, City have relaxed since Gary Johnson stepped down six games ago and are a different team.

Their caretaker boss Keith Millen added another line to his credentials to take over permanently by introducing winger Ivan Sproule as a 66th-minute substitute.

Former schoolboy sprinter Sproule, inconsistent since his £500,000 move from Hibs two years ago, showed his potential with four sparkling runs.

Then came the one that mattered, six minutes from the end, dashing to the by-line before cutting the ball back for Maynard to slot home his 18th goal of the season.

Millen has won four and drawn two games since stepping up from his role as Johnson’s number two, and said: “The game was tailor-made for Ivan’s pace and it’s fair to say he won the game for us.

“It certainly makes my CV better. I have loved the job and enjoyed doing it and the chairman knows that.

“He’s talking to other people and then I will sit down with him next week and hopefully we’ll take a decision that’s right to move the club forward.

“It’s a big ask to get in the play-offs. We had to win this to have a chance and if any of the others above us slip up, we’ll hope to take advantage.”