The official match report already captures the detail, so here’s some summary personal observations from this morning’s match:
A really hard working team performance and a well merited victory for our very young side and over a useful Bristol City opposition.
Woodward, Arthur Parker, Cook, Watts and Griffith all shone in particular. The returning Iwan Morgan was right on top of his game, aggressive, skilful and direct. Geoff Bony was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet, but did a great job in setting up Morgan’s goal.
We had one or two madcap moments toward the end of the first half – and for the usual reasons – but generally our defence improved as the game went on.
2 of our substitutes started their morning on the pitch next door in the U16s 3-1 win over their Bristol City counterparts. It shows Darren Davies’s level of confidence in youth that he put Callum Deacon and Caio Ifans together in defence in the closing stages. Neither showed any nerves and both got heavily and positively involved.
Results haven’t always gone the U18 way this season – and there was a host of injured eligible players in the stand today – but this morning’s performance reflects really well on our academy and our coaching.
We started 3-4-1-2: Ewan Griffiths; David Roberts, Arthur Parker, Richard Faakye; Cameron Llewellyn, Jacob Cook, Dan Watts, Zane Myers; Thomas Woodward; Iwan Morgan, Geoff Bony.
We finished 4-3-1-2: Griffiths; Roberts, Parker, Callum Deacon, Caio Ifans; Woodward, Watts, Faakye; Yori Griffith; Bony, Rohan Davies.
Substitutions: Griffith for Llewellyn 55m, Deacon for Cook 73m, Davies for Morgan and Ifans for Myers 85m.
Goals: Myers 16m, Morgan 30m.
The official report missed Bristol City’s substitute Jayden Brown himself going off injured and being substituted by Reuben Shepherd on 77m.
Have a browse of images from the match in this Swansea City Under 18 v Bristol City Under 18 match gallery.
Feature Image Credit: Majestic Media