Darren Davies | The game should have been ours by half-time

Coach Darren Davies admitted his Swansea City Under-18s side had paid for a lack of game management at key moments in their 5-5 draw against Colchester United in the Professional Development League.

A quartet of first-half goals from Iwan Morgan should have had the visitors on their way to three points on Saturday.

However, an own goal and a brace from Uwandu Samson ensured the hosts were just a goal down at the interval.

The Swans extended their lead early in the second half through a strike from a trialist, but they would end up having to share the spoils as Colchester again hit back through two late goals.

And Davies acknowledged the outcome was a frustrating one given some of the excellent attacking football produced by the young Swans.

"We scored some real good goals, which was pleasing. But then we conceded five sloppy goals from our point of view,” he said.

"We conceded a couple of goals from trying to play out from the back, which we have to accept is part of the learning process of these young men. We accept that as that's what we tell them do.

"Some of those goals were definitely avoidable. Being in the professional development phase, they have to learn that when you score five goals you should be winning a game of football. 

"At half-time, we actually said we should have been out of sight, because we scored some very good goals ourselves and if we managed the game better, we could have killed it off by half-time."

The Swans fielded a young squad, as second-year scholars Josh Carey, Geoff Bony and Richard Faakye all featured in the under-21s’ Premier League Cup fixture against Arsenal.

That ensured opportunities for the likes of under-16 squad members Yori Griffith, Harvey Rees, Brogan Popham and Thomas Woodward against the U’s.

"There were a lot of young bodies on the pitch which is a positive in one way. But, the lack of experience and lack of game management experience cost us, but that's okay as it's part of their learning,” added Davies.

"We finished the game with a lot of schoolboys on the pitch and so we accept that, and as long as we learn from that, I'm happy."