Report | Swansea City U18s 0 Cardiff City U18s 2
Swansea City Under-18s fell to defeat in their final home game of the season against Cardiff City at Landore.
Second-half goals from Cody Twose and Lennon Talbot saw the Bluebirds emerge victorious in the age-grade south Wales derby.
The Swans had their chances, with Sammy Henia-Kamau and Josh Pescatore going closest, but it wasn’t to be for the hosts.
Coach Jarred Harvey had made three changes from Saturday’s defeat at Colchester with Teo Minchev, Callum Deacon and Sebastian Dabrowski all returning to the side.
The Swans began brightly with Henia-Kamau unable to convert Cameron Llewellyn’s dangerous ball into the box early on.
The hosts were enjoying the majority of the ball and Henia-Kamau had an effort blocked by a Cardiff defender from a corner, before the forward sent a header wide of the target after a fine run and cross from Pescatore.
The Bluebirds responded, Josh Beecher’s low cross being cleared by Brogan Popham, before Twose drove into the box only to be denied by Seager, who got down well at his near post.
Seager was soon brought into action once more, parrying away Jake Davies’ shot from close range, before Henia-Kamau flashed a rising, swerving strike over the bar at the other end as the half ended goalless.
Henia-Kamau was involved again early in the second half, his powerful shot being tipped away to safety by Cardiff keeper and captain Luke Armstrong.
Talbot was denied by a late block which deflected his strike wide as Cardiff responded, while Armstrong saved well from Pescatore.
But it was the visitors who opened the scoring 10 minutes after the restart. Dakari Mafico picked out Twose’s late run into the box, and the midfielder advanced to slide the ball under the advancing Seager.
The visitors added a second five minutes later when Beechers’ initial shot was saved by Seagers, but the rebound fell for Talbot, who tapped into an empty net.
The Bluebirds managed the game well, sitting deep and limiting the Swans to few clear-cut chances, with the best opportunity falling to Henia-Kamau when his diving header dipped over the bar following a Pescatore cross.
Pescatore himself then came the closest to halving the deficit late on as his clever free-kick beat Armstrong but flew agonisingly wide and into the side-netting.
Swansea City U18s: Sam Seager, Brogan Popham, Teo Minchev, Jacob Cook, Callum Deacon (Carter Heywood 67), Harlan Perry (captain), Cameron Llewellyn (Milo Robinson 87), Josh Pescatore (Bobo Evans 87), Sammy Henia-Kamau, Tom Woodward, Sebastian Dabrowski (Billy Clarke 46).
Unused substitutes: Tom Wright.
Cardiff City U18s: Luke Armstrong (captain), Ronan Kpakio (Will Spiers 59), Jac Thomas, Alyas Debono, Joseff Edwards, Dakari Mafico, Lennon Talbot, Cody Twose (Cody Williams 67), Jake Davies (Osian Rees 96), Troy Perrott (Daniel Ola 46), Josh Beecher.
Unused substitutes: Corey Foggarty.