Report | Bristol City U18s 0 Swansea City U18s 4
Goals from Iwan Morgan, Geoff Bony and Zane Myers gave Swansea City Under-18s an emphatic victory over Bristol City in the Professional Development League.
The Swans dominated the game at the Robins High Performance Centre.
Morgan opened the scoring from Seb Dabrowski’s cross, Geoff Bony bagged a second-half brace with a penalty and powerful strike, and Myers rounded off the scoring.
The visitors handed opportunities to a number of players from younger age groups.
Under-15s’ players and Wales internationals Brogan Popham and Caio Ifans we’re on the bench, while under-16 forward Yori Griffith started, with Thomas Woodward among the substitutes.
Swansea were without Aimar Govea and Ewan Griffiths, who are currently on international duty.
Rohan Davies, David Roberts and Sam Parker missed out due to injury. Meanwhile, goalkeeper Evan Watts returned from injury to captain the side.
The visitors started smartly, Bony latching on to a loose ball in midfield to surge towards goal, with only a last-gasp challenge denying them.
Chances were few and far in the opening stages of the game, with neither goalkeeper being stretched. But that all changed with 20 minutes played as Morgan broke the deadlock for the visitors.
Dabrowski started the move and fed a great ball to Morgan, who raced clear to chip the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net.
The hosts sought a response and Ephraim Yeboah stepped up to take a free-kick, but his low strike through the Swans’ wall was comfortably held by Watts.
The young Swans were playing some fluent football in the centre, with Dan Watts, Dabrowski and Josh Carey prominent.
Bony did well to beat his marker down the left wing, but his low cross meant for Morgan was intercepted by a Bristol defender to cut out the danger.
Shortly before the interval there were appeals for a penalty from the Robins. However, they were rewarded another free-kick 25 yards out. Billy Phillips stepped up to take it, but his strike didn’t make it past the wall of white shirts.
The Swans remained ahead at the break and nearly extended their lead shortly after the restart as Griffith played a wonderful slide rule ball to Bony before receiving a pass back in return, but the youngster was denied by the keeper.
Morgan was then just inches away from bagging his second. Bony latched on to Watts’ goal-kick in midfield, cutting in on to his right foot to provide Morgan with space, but the forward fired wide of the target.
Just moments later, Morgan found himself through one-on-one with Mac Boyd once again, this time the keeper brought the Swansea man down in the area, and Bony doubled the lead from the spot.
At the other end, Watts prevented the home side pulling a goal back by denying Marley Rose’s shot.
Upon his introduction, debutant and substitute Woodward made an immediate impact. The youngster teed up Bony wonderfully, allowing the striker to fire the ball into the net for the Swans’ third.
It was to be 4-0 just minutes later, with Morgan turning provider for Myers, who produced a strong run down the left to drive a low shot into the bottom corner.
Bristol City Under-18s: Mac Boyd (captain), James Joseph, Taine Anderson, Jed Meerholz, Josh Campbell-Slowey, Zack Ali (Sam West 60), Raekwan Nelson, Marley Rose, Ephraim Yeboah (Callum Hutton 60), Billy Philips, Kai Churchley.
Unused subs: Romani Rowe, Jaden Brown, Ollie Thomas.
Swansea City Under-18s: Evan Watts (captain), Arthur Parker (Brogan Popham 84), Seb Dabrowski, Richard Faakye, Jada Mawongo, Josh Carey, Dan Watts, Yori Griffith (Thomas Woodward 74), Geoff Bony, Iwan Morgan (Cam Llewellyn 84), Zane Myers (Caio Ifans 86)
Unused subs: Kit Margetson.