The U21 continued their good run of form with a convincing 4-0 win over Development League North visitors Fleetwood Town.
Fleetwood got off rather lightly today. Although the match dipped briefly into a lull after the interval, we were well worth the win – Kyrell Wilson making a welcome return cameo from the bench and creating 2 goals in the process.
We fielded a strong starting line-up, in what seemed mostly to be 3-4-3 formation: Evan Watts; Kian Jenkins, Filip Lissah (captain) (s – Thomas Woodward 76m), Seb Dabrowski (s – Iestyn Jones 58m); Joel Cotterill, Mitchell Bates, Glory Nzingo (s – Kyrell Wilson 64m), Charlie Veevers; Cameron Congreve, Maliq Cadogan, Ben Lloyd.
Unused subs: Kit Margetson, Sammy Henia-Kamau.
Our first goal came on 21 minutes when full back Wright-Ocana was forced to intercept a dangerous Ben Lloyd cross only to steer the ball beyond his own keeper. Joel Cotterill made it 2 with a powerful direct free kick just outside the box 4 minutes later. Joel got an even better goal with a first time strike from distance after Kyrell Wilson had rounded the goalkeeper and worked the ball back. Maliq Cadogan got the final goal 2 minutes from time when Wilson’s first time cross allowed him to convert from close range.
Fleetwood were tenacious but no great shakes. Brown had a single shot on target but straight at Evan Watts in the first half. He went close again in the final minutes, but Watts saved well to preserve Swansea’s clean sheet. The referee was quite weak, letting far too many spiteful and occasionally reckless Fleetwood challenges go unpunished. By the time he started brandishing yellow cards to repeat offenders Glenfield and Hoyle, the damage had already been done – Seb Dabrowski limping off after suffering one foul too many and Flip Lissah also taking a knock. Cameron Congreve seemed to get singled out for particular attention.
The pleasing aspect today was that a number of our key academy performers – notably Congreve, Cotterill and Lloyd – were encouragingly back to top form. Kian Jenkins was sound at both right and then left centre back, Lissah was calmness personified in the centre and Mitchell Bates neatly tidied up possession in midfield. Great to see Kyrell Wilson back in action. Good experience as well for U18 Iestyn Jones and Tom Woodward.
Scoring: Wright-Ocama own goal (1-0 21m), Cotterill (2-0 25m), Cotterill (3-0 74m), Cadogan (4-0 88m).