Paulo Sousa played down promotion talk at Swansea, despite seeing his side extend their unbeaten run to 10 games with a deserved South Wales derby win over Cardiff.

The Swansea boss insisted he was only eyeing a top-10 finish after Darren Pratley emerged as the two-goal hero to sink their rivals. “We need to be difficult for our opponents to beat us. I’m looking to win every game and see where we are at the end of the season,” he said. “We had a sloppy spell and were punished.”

Swansea’s eye-catching football created a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes. Nathan Dyer, the smallest man on the pitch, rose highest to nod home the ninth-minute opener and there was worse to come for the visitors when Pratley turned home Fede Bessone’s cross seven minutes later.

A three-minute purple patch for Cardiff saw Jay Bothroyd hold off Ashley Williams and slot home after 32 minutes before Mark Hudson nodded in Ross McCormack’s free kick moments later. McCormack saw his free kick rattle the crossbar after 58 minutes, and it proved critical as Pratley volleyed home Bessone’s cross to secure victory three minutes later.

Cardiff manager Dave Jones said: “We are a good side, up there on merit.”

Star man: Darren Pratley (Swansea) Yellow cards: Swansea: Britton, Dyer Cardiff: Gerrard

Referee: L Probert Attendance: 18,209

SWANSEA: De Vries 6, Rangel 7, Tate 6, Williams 6, Bessone 8, Dyer 7 (Butler 82min), Britton 7, Allen 6 (Orlandi 77min), Pratley, Van der Gun 6, Beattie 6 (Pintado 67min)

CARDIFF: Marshall 6, Matthews 7, Hudson 6, Gerrard 5, Kennedy 5, Burke 6, Rae 6, Ledley 7, Capaldi 4 (Taiwo 68min), Bothroyd 8, McCormack 7

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