Our U21s snatched a 4-4 draw at Briton Ferry Llansawel in a friendly at the Old Road today.
No teamsheet, a fairly low turnout and we were blessed with a comedy announcer, so not much in the way of information supporting today’s midday friendly.
It was an unusual but entertaining match. U-21s Coach Anthony Wright – who has close links with Ferry – seemed as though he’d decided to pick an attack-minded line-up with a view to getting early advantage. Unfortunately, the initial set-up left us open at the back, which was pretty much limited to Iestyn Jones and Jack Fanning. I’d say we actually started 2-5-3, which really didn’t play to our advantage. Common sense prevailed after the interval and we dominated the remainder of the game.
Line-up: Trialist (s – Joe Collins 58m); Iestyn Jones (s – Staitham Bowen 58m), Jack Fanning (captain) (s – Greg Asemokhai 58m); Josh Pescatore, Yori Griffith, Milo Robinson, Harlan Perry (s – Joel Cotterill 46m), Billy Clarke; Kai Rhodes (s – Kaleab Meron 46m), Joe Davies (Josiah Kallicharan 46m), Ben Lloyd.
Jack Fanning skippered the side against the team he was on loan at last season.
It was an odd opening. We were clearly trying to get players forward, but the formation seemed lopsided and with no width. Newcomer Joe Davies was positioned at centre forward, although that doesn’t really seem to suit him, particularly when up against a very big and physical central defence. The Ferry defending was a bit agricultural but worked. Given our light defensive approach we were always open to breaks and after 20 minutes we were 2 down to an open run on goal and a rebound that one-time Swans trialist Ollie Anderson scuffed home.
Joe Davies toiled away against the odds up front and had a couple of half-chances, but it took just under 30 minutes before Billy Clarke and Yori Griffith combined to fight their way into space at the edge of the area for Griffith to score a cracking half volley to get the U-21s back in the match.
Disappointingly, we were carved open again almost immediately for Salter to get his second and on 35 minutes Anderson profited from a rebound off Iestyn Jones to put Ferry 4-2 up.
Ben Lloyd and Kai Rhodes created opportunities before and Josh Pescatore pulled one back before half-time, but we really weren’t at the races.
Necessary tweaks were applied at the break: Josiah Kallicharan came on for Joe Davies, newcomer Kaleab Meron came on for Rhodes and Joel Cotterill came on for Harlan Perry. We went to a typical 4-3-3, Billy Clarke shifted to right back, Meron played as an advanced left sided defender and Cotterill slotted in alongside Milo Robinson and Yori Griffith.
Although Ferry had an early isolated breakaway that ended with a shot that our trialist keeper palmed against the post, the rest of the half was pretty much dominated by the young Swans side.
Further changes brought on the 2 former Brentford centre halves Bowen and Asemokhai and keeper Joe Collins. Kai Rhodes came back on for Ben Lloyd.
Ferry, who selected ex-Swan Corey Hurford, also brought on Luis Bates and Jacob Jones. Mitch Bates was present, but it’s not clear he’s signed for the club after his release by the Swans in the summer.
Over time, our passing play yielded results with a goal for Meron and a second for Pescatore from a smart incisive ball through by Cotterill to bring us level.
The 4-4 draw was good value in the sun.
Milo Robinson and Kaleab Meron were my picks.
With the best will in the world, Ben Lloyd, Joel Cotterill and Jack Fanning shouldn’t be playing U-21 football and the same sentiment applies to Kyrell Wilson and Seb Dabrowski, who weren’t match fit but trained beforehand along with a recuperating Ramon Rees-Siso.
Of course not every academy product will succeed but, at a time when our first team signs a 20 year old for £6m, it’s perhaps not surprising that a few of our academy players are wondering what this pathway plan that Jonathan Grey is in charge of.
Goalscoring: 0-1 (Salter 18m); 0-2 (Anderson 20m); 1-2 ( Griffith 29m); 1-3 (Salter 31m); 1-4 (Anderson 35m); 2-4 (Pescatore 45m); 3-4 (Meron 79m); 4-4 (Pescatore 87m).