Our U18s marched on into the PDL Cup Semi-Finals with a comfortable win over a desperately poor Doncaster Rovers side here at Landore.
Wingers Kai Rhodes and Callum Jones had free rein today, both creating and scoring to put early distance between the two teams. Rovers had no way of dealing with either player.
We lined up 4-3-3: Tom Wright; Kaven Bloniarczyk, Ben Phillips (captain), Carter Heywood (s – Brogan Popham 46m), Billy Clarke (s – Lukas Murphy 62m); Alfie Jones, Bobo Evans, Bobby Lewis; Callum Jones (s – Alex Godfrey 46m), Josiah Kallicharan (s – Harvey Gray 62m), Kai Rhodes
Unused sub: Jakub Nowak (g/k)
Although the visitors headed over from an early free kick, they were on the backfoot for the remainder of the half, with both Rhodes and Jones giving them plenty of problems. Callum Jones, starting on the right wing, miscued when a Rhodes cross found him in space. Moments later he put over a delightful cross that was calling out to be converted across the face of goal. Jones and Rhodes switched flanks and Callum put the Swans 1-0 up on 18 minutes with a typical run inside and right foot shot into the corner of the Rovers net. 2 minutes later Rhodes got a second from a lightning Jones break and cross. On 24 minutes Bobby Lewis was on the end of an excellent piece of inter play by Jones and Billy Clarke that completely opened up the Doncaster defence. It was 4-0 on 28 minutes and another goal to Lewis who was on hand to net from close range from yet another centre that Rovers could not deal with.
The goals kept coming – Kallicharan getting in on the act on 34 minutes after being set up by further incisive creative play by Jones and Rhodes.
Doncaster skipper Cashmore had an isolated effort easily saved by Tom Wright before the Swans ended the half with Carter Heywood completely free in space to cleanly finish, registering the 6th goal of the game.
Callum Jones and Heywood were removed at half-time to allow opportunities for Alex Godfrey and Brogan Popham.
Any hope of a respite for the visitors was denied when Rhodes collected possession just inside the Doncaster half and set off on a run that culminated in a finely struck shot from the edge of the box making it 7-0 off the underside of the crossbar.
Although the pace of the match understandably slowed, there was no real let-up for Rovers. Kallicharan, who had gone close on a couple of occasions, slammed home a volley after further excellent approach work by Rhodes gifted him a goal from close range.
Kallicharan was immediately replaced by Harvey Gray and Lukas Murphy came on for Clarke.
Swansea remained quicker to the ball and the middle trio of Evans, Lewis and Alfie Jones continued to create intelligently. Doncaster made changes of their own and kept going but had very little by way of a response.
The 9th came on 74 minutes with an uncontested Gray header from a corner.
Pawlak had a rare sight of goal for Doncaster but could not get his effort on target.
A 10th goal was ruled out when Gray was adjudged to be offside. That was merely delaying the inevitable when Godfrey got on the end of some neat approach work by Rhodes and Murphy.
The 11th and 12th goals arrived in the closing stages when Rhodes was put clear by Bloniarczyk – a defender may have got the last touch, but Rhodes’s flick was already on its way in. Rhodes made no mistake with the final action of the game, a decisively struck penalty after Bobby Lewis was bundled over in the penalty area.
Doncaster – coached by former Derby and Republic of Ireland international Paul Green – had drawn with QPR and beaten Brentford and Mansfield to get this far, but today’s side was totally outclassed.