Report | Colchester United U18s 5 Swansea City U18s 5
Four first-half goals from Iwan Morgan were not enough to secure three points as Swansea City Under-18s were held to a draw in a 10-goal thriller against Colchester United in the Professional Development League.
The Swans trailed in the early stages from an own goal. But Morgan's quartet of strikes put the visitors 4-3 ahead at the interval, with Colchester adding to their tally via a brace from Uwandu Samson.
The visitors extended their lead early in the second half through a strike from a trialist, but they would end up having to share the spoils at the end of a remarkable encounter at Florence Park.
There had been two changes to the Swansea side that had drawn with Watford last time out. Rohan Davies dropped to the bench and Geoff Bony remained in SA1 to feature for the Under-21s against Arsenal in their Premier League Cup fixture.
Sam Parker slotted into the starting line-up for the first time since picking up an injury against Cardiff City in September.
The Swans started well in possession, but it was the young U’s who found the breakthrough after capitalising on a Swans mistake which sparked a goalmouth melee that ended with the visitors turning the ball into their own net.
It wasn’t long before the Swans levelled. Morgan had already twice gone close before he was in the perfect position to tap in from close range after Jaime Tedaldi's parry had fallen at his feet.
The striker's second goal was not long in arriving, with Morgan decisively drilling a low shot past the keeper to give the Swans the lead.
Swansea were playing with real confidence, and fine work by Arthur Parker and Aimar Govea teed up Yori Griffith, but Tedaldi was out quickly to smother.
But Samson brought the scores level again with a fine header from a cross that beat Ewan Griffiths in the Swansea goal.
Griffiths kept out another Samson header and the save allowed his side to sweep up the other end of the pitch for Morgan to complete his hat-trick with a sharp finish from the left.
And he added his and Swansea's fourth goal just seconds later with a powerful close-range effort.
Samson found the net again to keep the hosts in touch, but the Swans got off to the perfect start following the half-time interval. A trialist extending their advantage with a wonderful curling strike from outside the box, which found the net via the underside of the crossbar.
Morgan and Griffith had further chances for the Swans but could not finish, and the missed chances would end up proving costly.
The U’s kept pressing and managed to pull one back through Freddie Price in what was the ninth goal of the afternoon.
And, 10 minutes from time, Colchester struck an equaliser following a goalmouth scramble to cap off an incredible contest.
Colchester United Under-18s: Jaime Tedaldi, Brandon Bryan-Waugh, Andrew Palmer-Brown, Man Jolliffe, Bradley Chakawa, Bayan Atman, T'aizo Marcel-Dilaver, Bradley Ismali (Milton One 60), Jamie Arnold, Samson Uwandu, Freddie Price.
Unused Subs: Alfie Newby, Ollie Pipa, Rashaad Drysdale, Ewan Gordon-Clement.
Swansea City Under-18s: Ewan Griffiths, Sam Parker (Rohan Davies 62), Zane Myers, Arthur Parker (Cam Llewellyn 75), Jada Mawongo, Jacob Cook, Trialist, Dan Watts, Iwan Morgan, Yori Griffith (Thomas Woodward 68), Aimar Govea (Brogan Popham 75)
Unused subs: Harvey Rees.