Report | Heart of Midlothian 1 Swansea City 2

Goals from Jay Fulton and Joel Piroe saw Swansea City claim victory over Hearts in their behind-closed-doors friendly at Tynecastle.

The fixture, part of the Swans’ week-long training camp in Edinburgh, was a first outing since the Championship draw at Huddersfield as Russell Martin’s squad prepare for the upcoming return to competitive action against Norwich.

Two goals in the space of three first-half minutes rewarded a controlled and dominant display.

Fulton swept the ball into the far corner after neat build-up before Piroe produced a smart finish from just inside the area to double the lead.

There were further opportunities for the visitors against a Hearts side who enjoyed an excellent campaign and secured European qualification last term.

And, while Euan Henderson pulled one back for the home side, the Swans were good value for the win.

The Swans made a strong start against their Scottish hosts, dominating possession and getting into a number of promising positions.

One of those led to the opening goal in the 11th minute.

Ryan Manning worked hard to win possession and then showed lovely skill to get away from two defenders. He fed the ball on for Jamie Paterson to send Fulton through.

The midfielder made no mistake, finishing with aplomb against the club his father Stevie served with such distinction during his playing career.

Two minutes later and it was 2-0 to the Swans, with Piroe getting on the scoresheet.

A corner was half-cleared to the Dutchman, and he produced a lovely turn to beat his man before dispatching the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Hearts sought a response and a fine ball from former Swan Stephen Kingsley picked out striker Lawrence Shankland, but he could not control and the chance was lost.

Manning fired over the bar after a corner had been blocked out to him on the edge of the area, while the Swans produced a fantastic passage of play six minutes before the interval that ended with a header wide.

Shankland then produced a nice break just as the half ended, but Brandon Cooper covered well to close the space and block the forward’s attempted cross.

The hosts completed changed their XI for the second period but the pattern of the game remained.

The Swans linked neatly down the left for Piroe to header narrowly over from a Manning cross, before Luke Cundle had a shot blocked from the Dutchman’s lay-off a few moments later.

The visitors then changed their line-up on the hour, with a number of young players such as Harry Jones, Azeem Abdulai, Joel Cotterill and Ben Lloyd getting some minutes under their belts.

Lloyd was quickly involved, running onto a pass into the channel down the left and firing a rising strike just over the bar.

Henderson then finished well to pull a goal back but the majority of chances were coming at the other end.

Matty Sorinola helped set up another opportunity a few moments later, but Lloyd could not quite find Fin Stevens in support as the cover closed in.

Armstrong Oko-Flex then just failed to turn in Sorinola’s free-kick as he slid in on the edge of the six-yard box as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

The same combination came close again, with the latter’s cross chested into the grateful hands of the keeper by the former.

Lloyd then dragged an effort narrowly side after showing strength to hold off his marker, before lovely work from Congreve and Stevens teed up Oko-Flex, who dragged his final effort wide.

Swansea City: Steven Benda (Andy Fisher 60), Ryan Manning (Nathanael Obgeta 60), Jay Fulton (Joel Cotterill 60), Matt Grimes (captain) (Cameron Congreve 60), Jamie Paterson (Ben Lloyd 60), Brandon Cooper (Harry Jones 60), Joel Piroe (Liam Cullen 60), Luke Cundle (Matty Sorinola 60), Joel Latibeaudiere (Armstrong Oko-Flex 60), Nathan Wood (Azeem Abdulai 60), Kyle Naughton (Fin Stevens 60).

Heart of Midlothian: Zander Clark (Ross Stewart 46), Michael Smith (Aaron Darge 46), Stephen Kingsley (Adam Forrester 46), Craig Halkett (Lewis Neilson 46), Jorge Grant (Euan Henderson 46), Orestis Kiomourtzoglou (Bobby McLuckie 46), Lawrence Shankland Callum Sandilands 46), Alan Forrest (Connor Smith 46), Alex Cochrane (Aidan Denholm 46), Toby Sibbick (Finlay Pollock 46), Robert Snodgrass (Macaulay Tait 46).