Report | Carmarthen Town 0 Swansea City Under-21s 4
Swansea City Under-21s progressed to the second round of the Nathaniel MG Cup after goals from Iwan Morgan (2), Ben Lloyd and Glory Nzingo sealed a dominant win over JD Cymru South outfit Carmarthen Town.
The Swans received a wildcard entry to this season's competition, and this first-round tie marked the first time the Swans had featured in the tournament.
And they thoroughly enjoyed their cup bow with all the goals coming in the first half, with the hosts subsequently being reduced to 10 men when Greg Walters saw red at their Richmond Park home.
From the off there was an intensity and pace about how the Swans moved the ball, with some clever footwork from Liam Smith in the box setting skipper Joel Cotterill through on goal, but the midfielder's effort was blocked.
The game had little flow and became something of a stop-start affair after several niggly fouls, but the Swans adapted best and took control.
Lloyd and Nzingo began to link up productively down the left, and the Welshman's ball over the top ball found the Irishman in stride only for him to be brought down on the edge of the area. However, the referee awarded the hom side the free-kick.
The Swans had to be patient as they moved the ball around looking for any opening in a deep and packed Carmarthen defence, and a few half-chances followed, the best of which saw Lloyd pick out Morgan in the box but Liam Thomas did well to take the ball off the striker's feet.
There were soon further chances at both ends. Smith sought space in the area, firing a curled effort over the crossbar, while Thomas hit the side-netting for the hosts.
But it was the Swans who broke the deadlock on the half-hour mark via a powerful header from Morgan. Joe Thomas and Smith’s one-two had set the Welsh striker up in front of goal and he made no mistake from close range.
The young Swans were firmly on top, and they doubled their lead just two minutes later. This time Morgan turned provider with a driving run down the right, whipping in a cross for Lloyd to tap in calmly.
The Swans made it three a handful of minutes before the break. Nzingo netting his fifth goal in pre-season games as he drilled home from the edge of the area after Sam Parker had won possession in the middle of the field.
But the visitors were not done, and a fourth arrived before the half-time whistle as Morgan smashed home from distance for his second of the afternoon as he reached quickest to a loose ball.
There was still further drama to come before the interval as a small altercation between the respective centre-halves ended in Walters seeing red for the home side, with bookings for Swansea's Filip Lissah and Ben Blythe.
The second half started in favour of the visitors, with the Swans calmly keeping possession in the Carmarthen half, with Parker's curling strike the closest the Swansea youngsters came to adding a fifth during this period.
In-form Nzingo looked to bag a brace of his own after Smith's delivery in from the right had found the forward, but he sent his final effort wide of the target.
Two chances in quick succession came for the Swans, with Parker and Morgan's curled strikes a whisper away from finding the top corner.
But it made no difference to the final outcome as the young Swans advanced to the second round in impressive fashion.
Swansea City Under-21s: Ben Hughes, Sam Parker, Dan Watts, Joel Cotrerill (Captain) (Zane Myers 60), Ben Blythe, Filip Lissah (Arthur Parker 60), Joe Thomas (Aimar Govea 73), Glory Nzingo (Jacob Cook 73), Iwan Morgan, Ben Lloyd, Liam Smith.
Unused Substitutes: Remy Mitchell.