A welcome return to winning ways for our U21s this afternoon at Landore.
We fielded a youthful side and squad, although both Dan Watts and Jack Fanning made long-awaited returns to action after some time out. No Cadogan, Nzingo or Faakye and Filip Lissah is clearly still not ready. Ben Lloyd and Ben Hughes were in the stand.
4-3-3 line-up: Kit Margetson; Zac Jeanes (s – Ben Phillips 66m), Iestyn Jones, Arthur Parker (s – Jack Fanning 60m), Seb Dabrowski (captain); Tom Woodward (s – Dan Watts 60m), Jacob Cook, Ramon Rees-Siso; Josh Pescatore, Sammy Henia-Kamau (s – Morgan Bates 60m), Kyrell Wilson.
Unused sub: Sam Seager.
We dominated from the off, even it took some time before the Colchester rearguard was finally breached. Tom Woodward and Kyrell Wilson had both gone close with early chances as we spread the ball quickly around midfield to probe for openings. Colchester eventually conceded a penalty with an overstretching challenge on Wilson. Kyrell made up for his miss in the last home game before Xmas to put us 1 up.
Further chances followed although it took a misplaced backpass to send Henia-Kamau through on goal 6 minutes before half-time to create the Swans’ 2nd goal. He was blocked by keeper Chamberlain, the ball spinning kindly out to Woodward to finish decisively.
A mishap in defence gave Colchester almost an instant surprise foothold back in the game, Bendle keeping his shot down well after his free kick rebounded back to him. Fortunately, we pulled away again before the interval, Wilson scoring from a Henai-Kamau set-up.
The 2nd half was more of the same: lots of positive possession, Kyrell Wilson not quite succeeding in clinching a hat-trick, but some very attractive wing play by both Wilson and Pescatore to keep the visitors under pressure. For the most part, we were in complete control.
We were limited to a single further goal – this was testimony though to Morgan Bates’s determination and skill. He won a header on the halfway line, retrieved the ball just inside the Colchester half, laid off to Wilson, took the return and made space to strike a fine left footed goal to beat the keeper from outside the area.
Colchester were energetic but outclassed on the ball. Matthew Etherington managed the team last season, but former Brentford U18s coach Eddie Keen is now in charge. They never gave up, got a little frustrated seeing so little of the play, but kept the score respectable.
For our youngsters, it was a sound workout. Overall, we should really have scored more and conceded less, nevertheless it was a really entertaining watch.
More encouraging opportunities for our younger players, all of whom stepped up admirably. There was plenty of swift, precise interplay all over the pitch, frequently in tight space. Jacob Cook controlled the defensive midfield and was helped by the likes of Rees-Siso, Woodward and then Dan Watts offering themselves to receive and move the ball around and create openings for our flankmen. A real captain’s performance from Seb Dabrowski as well.
Scoring: Wilson pen 1-0 (21m); Woodward 2-0 (39m); Bendle 2-1 (43m); Wilson 3-1 (44m); Bates 4-1 (77m).
Have a browse of images from the match in our Swansea City Under 21 v Colchester United Under 21 match gallery.