Report | Swansea City U21s 3 Bristol City U21s 1
Goals from Josh Thomas, Joe Thomas and Joel Cotterill ensured Swansea City Under-21s claimed their third consecutive win with a dominant showing against Bristol City at Landore.
The Swans completely dominated the opening half and led at the break after Josh Thomas and Joe Thomas netted a goal apiece in the space of 10 minutes.
Ruben Davies proved to be a busy man as he saw numerous chances blocked either side of the interval, but Cotterill's spot-kick sealed the deserved three points with 20 minutes to go.
Seb-Palmer-Houlden pulled one back at the death, drilling home past the outstretched hand of Remy Mitchell, but it was only a consolation.
There were several changes to the side that beat Burnley at Turf Moor last time out. Sam Leverett and Filip Lissah missed out whilst Davies came into the side up front, with Corey Hurford and Kian Jenkins also on the list of starters.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Bates featured in the starting line up for the first time since arriving in February.
With just 10 seconds on the clock, the Swans had the first chance. Josh Thomas – who was playing out wide – connected with Davies’ cross, but the striker’s stretched effort didn’t find the net.
Josh Thomas kept delivering those threatening balls into the area, only for Robins’ keeper Josey Casa-Grande to get a hand to them twice in quick succession.
And, as had been the case against Burnley, the Swans built on a good start and took an early lead.
A sweeping move from the left had picked out Davies rampaging forward, and his strike rattled off the near post, but the rebound was headed home after Josh Thomas rose highest to bag yet another goal.
But the Robins – fresh off play-off qualification – began to threaten with Palmer-Houlden's curling shot just a whisker away from the top corner.
The Swans were firmly on top and they found a second goal just 10 minutes after the opener
Joe Thomas netted his sixth goal of the season. The corner-kick found the unmarked wing-back as he coolly tapped it in at the near post.
At the other end, Joe Thomas and Azeem Abdulai were quick to foil efforts from Ollie Thomas and Palmer-Holden respectively.
Swansea continued to put the visitors under pressure. Hurford dribbled forward and fended off a crowd of Bristol defenders before his delivery was volleyed over by Joe Thomas.
Hurford dragged an effort wide as the home side ended the half on top.
The home side had the better of the chances after the restart. The swift move started with Abdulai before Josh Thomas' lovely pass picked out Davies, but his shot was blocked by Casa-Grande.
A couple of chances fell to the visitors, the best of them seeing Ollie Thomas' driving run on the counter force a superb save from Swans stopper Mitchell.
It should have been 3-0 to the Swans after Davies' attempt to finish into an empty net was cleared away by a man in red, after Abdulai cleverly took the ball past the keeper.
However, the Swans would find their third goal in no time as the referee awarded the hosts a penalty for handball in the area. Skipper and newly named Academy Player of the Season Cotterill calmly slotted the ball into the left-hand corner.
There was still time for Palmer-Holden to head over and flash a shot across the face of goal at the other end before, at the third time of asking, the forward kept his footing to slot past Mitchell with just three minutes to go.
But it was too late to deny the in-form Swans another win.
Swansea City Under-21s: Remy Mitchell, Joe Thomas, Kian Jenkins, Azeem Abdulai, Harry Jones, Ben Blythe, Josh Thomas (Liam Smith 60'), Joel Cotterill (captain), Ruben Davies (Iwan Morgan 68'), Mitchell Bates (Ben Lloyd 60'), Corey Hurford (Tivonge Rushesha 60').
Unused subs: Evan Watts.
Bristol City Under-21s: Josey Casa-Grande, Zac Bell, Harry Leeson, Omar Taylor-Clarke, Duncan Idehen (captain), Callum Wood, Dylan Kadji (Marley Rose 62'), Tommy Blackwell, Seb Palmer-Houlden, Ollie Thomas, Ben Acey.
Unused subs: Callum Hewlett, Mac Boyd.