In the first home game in over a month, our U18s achieved a special victory today against near neighbours Bristol City. The last match here was a comprehensive 4-7 defeat to Bournemouth, so today’s outcome will taste especially sweet.
We lined up initially 4-3-3 but varied the formation during the game, particularly when the visitors went a player down during the 2nd half, when we went to 3 at the back:
Tom Wright; Kaven Bloniarczyk, Brogan Popham, Jack May (s- Ben Phillips 59m), Wahab Ojetero (s – Elis Thomas 59m); Carter Heywood (captain), Alfie Jones, Bobo Evans; Kai Rhodes (s – Billy Clarke 59m), Lukas Murphy (s – Harvey Gray 59m), Caio Ifans (s – Bobby Lewis 82m).
Bobby Lewis played for the U16s on the pitch next door (I believe we beat Bristol City 2-0 in that game) and came over to get a late and lively substitute appearance.
The game kicked off a little later than advertised, but there were only 3 minutes on the clock when Caio Ifans, playing in an advanced left sided role, chested down a probing ball forward from Brogan Popham, moved into the box and scored decisively into the far corner of the net. On 10 minutes we were 2-0 up, Ifans again breaching the Bristol backline, regaining possession on the byline and working the ball back for Bobo Evans to slam home from 10 yards.
On the right wing, Kai Rhodes was enjoying a lot of success in beating his full back.
On 22 minutes, a corner taken from the right by Wahab Ojetero went straight through the defenders, allowing Popham to chest the ball and line it up perfectly to drill home from close range. At this stage, little had been seen of the Bristol City team, although Popham was on hand to deal with Ikpeama’s opportunist break after Ojetero had slipped in possession.
Rhodes miscued wide after another searching ball played him in, this time from Carter Heywood, who was playing an elegant anchoring role in midfield. At the other end another slip let in the visitors and keeper Tom Wright was able to push Illan Wood’s flick onto the post and Swansea got the rebound away to safety.
On 39 minutes, we scored a wonderfully crafted goal that started deep in our own half with a throw-in by Kaven Bloniarczyk to Evans. Under pressure, Evans returned the ball, Kaven played the ball back to Popham who fed Ojetero, who in turn sent Ifans away down the left flank. Caio found Heywood in space and he returned the ball to the onrushing Ifans making his way into the penalty area to once again finish clinically in the far corner. It was a cracking goal so neatly executed from one end of the pitch the other.
Robins’ coach Trevor Challis made a half-time change, replacing the beleaguered left back Ababio with Williams, whose parents were in the stand.
Within 5 minutes, another searching ball from Ifans released Rhodes in space on the right, his shot was saved and when the ball came back to him he unselfishly passed to Lukas Murphy to convert from short range.
The visitors went close again on 56 minutes when Tom Wright could only get his fingertips to a cross and the ball fell kindly for the diminutive midfielder Kumih-Barimah, only for him to scuff the ball wide of an empty net.
We were still dominating overall, although it was a shame to see Kai Rhodes pull up with either cramp or a muscle injury. Coach Joe Roberts took the opportunity to make 4 changes: Harvey Gray was a straight swap for Murphy, who wasn’t really seeing much of the ball; Billy Clarke replaced Rhodes; Elis Thomas replaced Ojetero, with Caio Ifans dropping into left back; Ben Phillips came on for Jack May, who alongside Popham had had a steady and powerful game up against a physical Robins forward duo. Clarke was immediately in the action, firing wide after being set up by a deep Ifans cross.
Bristol City made their own substitutions and had a couple of sorties, including a header from centre half Sainsbury that Wright pushed over the bar and a volley by Kalkowski that flashed wide.
A minute or so later, Sainsbury slipped in possession in a vulnerable area, letting Gray snatch the ball and release Clarke to score clinically through the keeper to make it 6.
Sainsbury, clearly frustrated, went straight through Bobo Evans immediately after play resumed and was dismissed with a straight red card. Although Bristol City reorganised, they really looked a beaten side that couldn’t wait for the match to finish.
Bobo Evans was denied by the keeper after cleverly working his way into space. With 9 minutes left Popham intercepted a ball just inside the visitors’ half, broke forward to the edge of the box and intelligently fed Clarke to get his second with another certain finish to the far corner. The Swans got two further goals in the closing stages, another Popham break setting up Bobby Lewis for a shot that rebounded to Harvey Gray to slot home, then Gray getting number 9 when Lewis worked the ball back from a deep centre by Elis Thomas.
This result will have given the players great heart, particularly after the heavy defeat suffered at home last month against Bournemouth, although in fairness the team has done well on the road in recent weeks. Impressive performances across the park today: a clean sheet for Tom Wright; the back four was disciplined, creative and stood up to any physical test; Carter Heywood excelled in a midfield role and both Alfie Jones and Bobo Evans were always looking to receive and deliver constructively; Kai Rhodes and Caio Ifans are chalk and cheese as players but equally effective today; Lukas Murphy got his goal; the substitutes each made a creditable contribution.
The only downside today was the constant loud drone from the tannoy system that our man Eirian couldn’t resolve. It was like listening to Lou Reed’s seminal Metal Machine Music LP (ask your grandads).
Goalscoring: Ifans 1-0 3m; Evans 2-0 10m; Popham 3-0 22m; Ifans 4-0 39m; Murphy 5-0 50m; Clarke 6-0 72m; Clarke 7-0 81m; Gray 8-0 84m; Gray 9-0 90+2m.
Why not have a browse of the Swansea City Under 18 v Bristol City Under 18 Professional Development League match image gallery.
Feature Image Credit: Majestic Media