Our U21 pulled back from 0-2 and 2-3 down to secure a spirited 3-3 draw this evening, in filthy weather at Landore.
We operated mostly 3-5-2, with Morgan Bates making his home starting debut at this level: Ben Hughes; Iestyn Jones, Arthur Parker, Richard Faakye; Zac Jeanes (s – Kyrell Wilson 59m), Mitchell Bates (captain), Jacob Cook (s – Josh Pescatore 80m), Ben Lloyd, Seb Dabrowski; Sammy Henia-Kamau, Morgan Bates. Unused subs: Evan Watts (g/k), Callum Deacon, Brogan Popham.
We were totally dominated in the first half by a Brentford side that was quicker in speed and thought. We gifted a couple of habitual openings in the opening 2 minutes, the 2nd of which found its way through to our former striker Iwan Morgan who neatly chipped Ben Hughes to put the visitors 1-0 up.
Morgan didn’t figure at centre forward – that role was played by the bustling Ashley Hay, who gave our back 3 a thorough examination before virtually disappearing from view after half-time. Iwan Morgan played a withdrawn left sided forward role, didn’t seem to be running freely from early on in the game and went off after the interval, but not before testing the Swans goal with at least 4 opportunities.
We were feeding off scraps in the first half – finally getting a shot on target from Henai-Kamau on 41 minutes – and even then Brentford intercepted a poorly taken free kick in their own half to burst clear to get an overdue 2nd goal just seconds later. The scorer was rangy winger Kyreece Lisbie, son of the former Charlton and Derby striker.
Our shape seemed wrong – we weren’t getting much possession in midfield, our forwards were isolated and our back 3 were under continuous pressure. We managed to get to half-time just 2 goals behind, but it seemed as though Brentford would overwhelm us in the 2nd half, particularly as we didn’t have too many comparatively experienced options on the bench.
The wind and rain continued unabated after the interval, Anthony Wright surprisingly kept with the same set-up and whether it was because a couple of key Brentford players had run themselves out or our persistence paid off, we started to look more comfortable.
The next goal would be crucial and that arrived when Zac Jeanes – who’d had little success on the right wing – found space for a cross that Morgan Bates expertly controlled and turned and fired a left footed shot to get the Swans back in contention. Amazingly, 2 minutes later Henia-Kamau slid an equaliser in from close range. In the excitement that followed, Henia-Kamau delayed a further shot, the chance to go ahead was lost, Brentford brought on 3 substitutes, broke quickly again, the ball ricocheted around our box until landing at the feet of Avenall who put Brentford back in front again. It might even have been his first touch.
Kyrell Wilson, who’d come on for Jeanes, slotted into a central striking role and with Henia-Kamau moving out to the wing. Kyrell had a couple of efforts, one first time strike from Morgan Bates’s clever cross, the second a run and shot that the keeper deflected wide.
We clinched what, on balance, seemed a highly respectable – and based on our first half performance highly unlikely – draw after a typically belligerent run by Richard Faakye was blocked on the edge of the visitors’ penalty area. Josh Pescatore earned another assist with a smart pass back to Ben Lloyd in space to curl a lovely goal home from 20 yards.
There was still enough time for a prolonged, fully fledged bout of shoving among most of the players, a couple of dangerous late sorties from Brentford’s lively substitutes, but the final whistle was eventually blown after 7 minutes added time.
It was a first half to forget for our players. Very encouraging and resilient performances after the interval from Morgan Bates, Ben Lloyd, Seb Dabrowski, Jacob Cook, Mitchell Bates and our entire back 3, who redeemed themselves with unrelenting battling displays in truly awful weather. Kyrell Wilson is still working his way back to match fitness, he looked hungry and dangerous when he got on the ball.
The Brentford coach was one-time Bees midfielder Sam Saunders.
I’m sure the coaches must be exasperated that our age grade sides struggle for consistency from week to week.
After such a grand showing against Millwall, our U18 conceded 4 today at Cheltenham. In mitigation, it seems we had no natural attacking outlet available to the squad, given Morgan Bates played an hour for the U21 last night.
I don’t disagree the remark about current academy recruitment (although I believe Sammy Henia-Kamau was trialling with Fulham before he came to us). The 2 Scottish lads who came in preseason from Aberdeen and Rangers – probably via Gavin Levey direct – are a case in point: they were never going to be good enough.
Given the club won’t pay fees, that clearly limits the pool of interest, but the quality must still be out there, particularly given the routine vast churn at Premier academy level.
Ewan Griffiths is actually on loan with Plymouth Parkway. Playing men’s football in the Southern Premier South can’t be doing him any harm, as he’s been recently sharing Wales U19 duties with Kit Margetson.