No MG Cup run for us this season, as we went out at the first hurdle at sunny Baglan, losing after a 1-1 draw went straight to penalties without extra time.
Baglan scored all 5 of theirs, we missed our first and that was that, really.
Anthony Wright played the hand he was dealt – missing otherwise eligible players through injury or selection for the Austrian trip. We also didn’t – or couldn’t – include any of the recent trialists. The net effect was a very young squad comprising most of last season’s U18s players.
Line-up: Kit Margetson; Iestyn Jones, Harry Jones, Seb Dabrowski; Josh Pescatore (s – Tom Woodward 46m), Mitchell Bates (captain), Jacob Cook, Ben Lloyd, Ramon Rees-Siso (s – Harlan Perry 78m); Glory Nzingo, Sammy Henia Kamau.
Unused subs: Aidan Higgins, Sam Seager, Brogan Popham, Kiel Higginson, Billy Clarke.
We varied between 3-4-3 and (mostly) 3-5-2, with Josh Pescatore pushed right up on the wing in the first half and Ramon Rees-Siso supplying the complementary role on the opposite flank.
Things seemed to be going to plan when Sammy Henia-Kamau headed home an excellent cross by Ben Lloyd on 10 minutes. The same player flicked a Pescatore cross wide 3 minutes later but any thoughts that this provided a platform to work with were thwarted by a simple equaliser on 14 minutes by Dylan Thomas, that really should have been stopped.
The rest of the half was a case of huge swathes of Swansea possession, but this was largely up against 2 banks of 4 and 5 opponents with a single Baglan forward waiting for breakaways. The Joneses and Dabrowski saw lots of the ball and tried to patiently thread passes through that strong rearguard. All too often play broke down with balls being intercepted before reaching Henia-Kamau and Nzingo, neither of whom had much room to work in. We created little in the way of further clear cut chances, reduced to long shots from Cook and Nzingo.
Baglan continued to hold firm and looked to threaten with occasional breakaways.
This gameplan persisted into the 2nd half, our youngsters lacked the experience and imagination to break Baglan down and chances got even fewer as time went on. Tom Woodward livened things up, albeit in a more forward role than he normally operates in.
With about 20 minutes to go, Baglan sensed a knockout was in reach and they made a concerted push to get the winner without lessening the stranglehold they had in their own half.
Woodward tried to energise the attack. Iestyn Jones went close with a couple of headers from corners. We got lucky with 5 minutes to go when a Dylan Thomas free-kick from distance beat everyone, including Margetson, but was disallowed (I think) for being indirect.
To penalties: Henia-Kamau’s spot kick was saved, Baglan scored all theirs without Margetson getting anywhere near – and so we went out 5-3.
For the most part, our players did reasonably well. We just lacked the necessary cutting edge and wherewithal to break down a resolute defence. The back 3 and Ben Lloyd were the pick of the pack. It’s disappointing to go out so early and miss the opportunity to have our players tested in a different environment. Anthony Wright simply lacked the resources to deal with a disciplined and hardy set of opponents. I expect we’ll see a number of the recent trialists back in action on Tuesday at Briton Ferry Llansawel.
Stocky midfielder Dylan Thomas – a one-time Swans academy graduate – was the confident 5th Baglan penalty scorer and can take credit for his finishing. Do not go gentle into that Baglan sunlight, indeed… !
Baglan’s a friendly club that organised its big day well and hopefully made a bit of money in the process. Good luck to them.