Our U17s successfully progressed to the next stage of this age grade competition, although it was a case of getting over the line this evening at Landore.
Our squad featured a couple of new names from the U-16s, one of whom – Andrew Griffiths – came on late in the game at right back. Otherwise, we fielded a strong starting XI with plenty of U-18s exposure.
Team (4-3-3): Xavvie McIntosh-Wells; Kamron Williams, Rio Hassan, Jack May, Dempsey Singer; Alffi Hughes (s – Llewellyn Gregson 65m), Sol Baker, Buster Morgan; Alex Godfrey (captain), Ifan Harding (s – Archie Devine 90+4m), Kaleab Meron (s – Andrew Griffiths 85m).
Unused subs: Carter Davies, Jacinto Merrony-Janota.
It was a competitive but fairly uneventful first half between 2 reasonably well-matched sides. Rovers had a couple of off-target shots from distance but there was very little in the way of penetrative play from either side.
Our youngsters were certainly the better side after the interval, Buster Morgan having a more prominent constructive role in midfield without quite finding a killer pass for our strikers. Meron sent a shot over on 58 minutes after careful set-up play by Godfrey and Harding. Kamron Williams sent a crisp shot from distance that the Rovers keeper was well positioned to hold and Harding flicked wide from a clever Meron cross. Further opportunities fell to Harding, Williams, Gregson and Morgan but the killer pass or shot wasn’t quite realised. We didn’t quite have the cutting edge this evening.
Rovers soaked up the pressure and mounted late efforts to sneak a late win.
Fortunately, the Swans defence – ably led by Rio Hassan and with Jack May playing a dogged role alongside him – was up to the challenge and we secured a draw after another chance for Williams at the last was scooped over.