A personal perspective. The match was no contest, as we fielded a very strong line-up with overage first team squad players Kyle Naughton, Liam Walsh, Oli Cooper and Cameron Congreve all starting.
Line-up was a fairly adaptable 4-3-3: Evan Watts; Sam Parker, Filip Lissah, Kyle Naughton (s- Maliq Cadogan 62m), Nathan Tjoe-A-On (s- Richard Faakye 46m); Oli Cooper, Liam Walsh (s- Mitchell Bates 62m), Ben Lloyd (Kyrell Wilson 75m); Cameon Congreve, Ruben Davies, Liam Smith. Uunsed sub: Remy Mitchell.
Liam Smith finished smartly within the opening 2 minutes and then produced a number of jinking runs to apply pressure to the Charlton rearguard. On 20 minutes, Ben Lloyd was adjudged to have been tripped in the area after receiving another Smith set-up and Congreve duly converted the penalty. We created and missed a number of further opportunities as the heavens opened and the side showed no let-up.
Naughton half volleyed in a scuffed clearance from a corner to put us 3 up on 33 minutes. A minute later, Congreve was brought down in the area and this time Ruben Davies hammered home the resulting penalty. It was 5 on 41 minutes when Davies took possession to score after neat interplay by Cooper and Smith.
Liam Walsh was head and shoulders the most influential player on the park to that point. Lots of touches, always looking to create and fierce but fair in the tackle. Will he ever fully realise his talent with the Swans? Who knows, but he is a pleasure to watch.
We created umpteen chances in the 2nd half, but that was the scoring done. In fairness, the Charlton keeper made some outstanding stops to keep the score to 5-0.
Charlton, who are having an indifferent season at this level, barely threatened before the interval. They fared a little better in the 2nd half by tightening up and building a couple of half chances. A couple of players, notably centre half Hobden, showed their frustration with a number of wild challenges during the match. Although 4 visiting players were cautioned, the referee was rather lenient throughout.
All in all, good match-time for players on the periphery of the first team and no doubt good experience for a number of our younger players to play alongside them. Evan Watts had very little to do; Sam Parker was adventurous and drew a fine save with a cracking 30 yard drive; Filip Lissah looked in full control alongside Naughton; Richard Faakye made a firm impression at both left back and left centre back. Maliq Cadogan went close a couple of times. Kyrell Wilson enjoyed a lively cameo, leading the Charlton defence a merry dance and he too was denied a goal after a great 1 -2 with Oli Cooper in the closing minutes. Mitchell Bates had a positive effect in midfield. Ruben Davies and Ben Lloyd can also be pleased by their efforts. Liam Smith started on the left wing, switched to the right and ended up supporting Davies as our side adjusted to substitutions. Cam Congreve spent the last quarter of an hour at left back (and did well).
The 2nd half was livened up by the arrival at the ground of a horde of boisterous schoolkids from Blaenymaes and Llanelli, being chaperoned by the club. They created a fair old racket.
As would have been expected, Michael Duff was in attendance. Paul Watson was also present, as was new Academy Manager Gavin Levey.