A thoroughly deserved win this evening at the main stadium for a gritty display against a Cat 1 Newcastle side that had classy performers but little cutting edge.
Coach Anthony Wright was able to select a strong line-up and a decent bench. Newcastle were led by ex-Middlesbrough player Robbie Stockdale, who’s had a lengthy and much travelled coaching career including management at Rochdale.
Line-up (4-3-3): Joe Collins; Tom Searle (s – Carter Heywood 77m), Iestyn Jones, Blair McKenzie, Callum Deacon; Milo Robinson, Dan Watts (captain), Yori Griffith (s – Billy Clarke 77m); Josh Pescatore, Morgan Bates, Tom Woodward (s – Harlan Perry 46m).
Unused subs: Evan Anderson (g/k), Josiah Kallicharan.
It was an even start, Newcastle wingers Fitzgerald and Seung-Soo giving Callum Deacon and Tom Searle plenty to contend with. Searle was booked early on, but managed to contain Seung-Soo for much of the remainder of the game.
We got an opening goal rather out of the blue when Tom Woodward surged into the box and struck home on 18 minutes.
At the back, Blair McKenzie and Iestyn Jones got in crucial blocks as Newcastle tried to quickly level. Jones was next in the book for taking out Seung-Soo.
Newcastle were no angels themselves – skipper Thompson was fortunate only to be yellow carded for going straight through Tom Woodward.
The Swans went 2-0 up on 27 minutes, the result of a well-worked corner routine that McKenzie headed home after Woodward’s initial strike had come back off the post.
Newcastle kept pressing but, even though there was a lengthy stoppage when Searle was injured after a mid-air challenge, the team made it through to half-time without conceding.
Woodward left proceedings at the interval, possibly as a result of the earlier challenge, Harlan Perry joined the midfield engine room with the busy Dan Watts and Milo Robinson, with Yori Griffith pushed forward.
Josh Pescatore, who’d had a quiet first half, had a great chance to put us further ahead with a first-time effort after Morgan Bates set him up, but keeper Harris denied him. Baes went close himself shortly after when Griffith weaved his way past challenges to open up the Newcastle rearguard.
Newcastle still looked threatening but it was a wayward Swans pass that let in centre forward Neave to break clear and hit the outside of the post. That was a crucial sliding doors moment in the game.
Swansea dug in, Watts, Perry and Robinson getting through a lot of work to either win or retain possession and look to set our strike force free. The visitors forced a series of corners but didn’t particularly create much in the way of open chances. We always looked liable to get something on the break as space opened up. Morgan Bates shot straight at the keeper and Pescatore shot over when Dan Watts released a perfect ball for him to run onto.
Reinforcements arrived in the form of Carter Heywood, at right back, and Billy Clarke, who took up an unusual central midfield role with Dan Watts moving out to the left flank. Dan continued to get through a tremendous amount of work and his ball retention in close quarters was something else.
Newcastle looked increasingly ragged and desperate to find a way back into the contest. Another big moment came on 86 minutes when Seung-Soo got to the byline and set up Munda for a snapshot that Collins punched clear. A goal at that point might have given the visitors fresh energy to get back on terms.
Harlan Perry was booked for dragging back an opponent as full-time approached. The entire side stuck together to see the game out. It was a real team effort, disciplined and well managed by Anthony Wright. Difficult to pick out individuals, although Watts, Perry and Robinson did everything asked of them to defend our backline and to free up our strike force. Blair McKenzie and Iestyn Jones were indomitable in the centre of defence. Morgan Bates foraged tirelessly leading the line, such an intelligent player.
It’s not clear who we face in the next round. The initial fixture list suggested we would play the winners of the Stoke/Peterborough tie – the Posh won that 3-1 tonight and took our U21s home stadium record earlier this month.
The players and coaching staff can be justifiably really pleased with their efforts and outcome this evening. Another good attendance at the stadium tonight to will the team on.
Goalscoring: Woodward 1-0 (18m); McKenzie 2-0 (27m).