With the game switched back to the Landore centre during the day, the Swans U21s delivered another commanding performance and secured a well-deserved victory.
Line-up (4-2-3-1): Evan Watts; Billy Clarke, Arthur Parker (s – Staitham Bowen 61m), Jack Fanning (s – Greg Asemokhai 73m), Seb Dabrowski; Milo Robinson, Ben Lloyd (s – Josiah Kallicharan 73m), Tom Woodward (s – Bobo Evans 81m); Kai Rhodes (s – Alfie Jones 73m), Joe Davies, Yori Griffith (captain).
Unused substitutes: Joe Collins (g/k), Kaven Bloniarczyk.
Although we were missing Ramon Rees-Siso, we had a luxury of attacking players to work with this evening and it was a case of finding the right roles for talent such as Rhodes, Lloyd, Woodward and Griffith. Ben Lloyd and Kai Rhodes started on the right with Yori Griffith on the opposite flank, Milo Robinson taking the deeper midfield role.
Lloyd went close on a couple of occasions before Kai Rhodes made headway through retreating defenders to create shooting opportunities that Bristol City blocked but could not clear, Yori Griffith snapping up the rebound.
The lead lasted just 3 minutes before 3 of our players bunched in the Bristol half and the loose ball found Morrison in space to break away down our right. A whipped cross allowed centre forward Yeboah to beat keeper Evan Watts to get the Robins level.
Despite that setback, we resumed control of play and it was Rhodes again opening up the visitors’ defence with a disguised pass behind the retreating defenders to find Griffith in space to strike home with the benefit of a slight deflection. Ben Lloyd had played a major role by winning the ball in the lead-up to the goal.
Arthur Parker prevented an instant reply by scrambling the ball off the Swans’ line and we completed the half 2-1 ahead, a further strike home from Lloyd being ruled out for offside after Godden failed to deal with Dabrowski’s cross.
We were well worth the lead and this was extended shortly after the interval when Hogg made a needless challenge on Joe Davies inside the Bristol City area. Tom Woodward stepped up to send Godden the wrong way to put the Swans 3-1 up.
We had further chances through Davies and Fanning as the clever linkup play, particularly by Dabrowski, Lloyd and Griffith opened up the visitors’ backline.
The Robins were reduced to one-off breaks, fortunately Evan Watts was on top form and repelled everything that came his way.
The Swans’ 4th goal arrived after Dabrowski’s run had once again opened up the Robins’ back line, Rhodes and Clarke having shots blocked before the ball came to Griffith to score from the right.
Woodward had another chance cleared off the line and Watts was called into action to deal with further City retorts, otherwise it was a case of gametime being given to the ex-Brentford centre half duo of Bowen and Asemokhai and U18s Alfie Jones and Bobo Evans. Josiah Kallicharan had a neat cameo up front, holding up and using the ball well to keep Bristol City’s harried defence under the cosh.
A very convincing victory and a thoroughly welcome hat-trick for skipper Yori Griffith. Really creditable performances by Ben Lloyd, Tom Woodward and Seb Dabrowski. Bristol City simply couldn’t cope with our creative play. Goalkeeper Evan Watts had no chance with the single goal but was otherwise ultra reliable when called on.
Goalscoring: Griffith 1-0 (18m); Yeboah 1-1 (21m); Griffith 2-1 (29m); Woodward (pen) 3-1 (51m); Griffith 4-1 (71m).