Report | Watford U21s 1 Swansea City 3

Swansea City Under-21s claimed a dominant 3-1 victory over Watford in their Professional Development League encounter on Monday afternoon.

Morgan Bates opened the scoring with a diving header on the half-hour mark, but the hosts levelled following the restart after Tobi Adeyemo smashed home following a quick counter-attack.

The visitors dug deep and created plenty more chances, and were rewarded with two goals in the final quarter of the game. 

Josh Pescatore struck well from the edge of the box after Ramon Rees-Siso's lovely ball into the area fell to the feet of the youngster.

Entering stoppage time, the Swans had a third. Thomas Woodward was sent through one-on-one on goal, and the attacking midfielder made no mistake to slice the ball down the middle.

The Swans started well, and created some promising openings early on. Woodward was the first to test the Hornets' backline as he cut inside the area, only to chip the ball wide following some neat play from Arthur Parker and Pescatore.

Watford had a dominant spell around the 20-minute mark, with Jack Fanning and Bates rising highest to clear any danger from their corner-kicks, before Kit Margetson was called into action producing a diving save to push away a powerful Aidan Coyne header from another corner.

Bates was next to go close for the visitors, directing his header over the crossbar from a deep Pescatore cross.

But just one minute later, Bates found the net with yet another diving header inside the six-yard box to deservedly put his side in the lead going into the break.

It was an end-to-end contest in the opening of the second period, with either side exchanging half chances. Pescatore looked to set up an opening again teeing up Woodward, but the Welsh youth international saw his low effort blocked.

And the Hornets levelled the scoreline not long after. Zavier Massiah-Edwards' long-range delivery found teammate Adeyemo unmarked, smashing the ball into the back of the net.

Swansea produced a strong response, this time Rees-Siso looked to get involved but his shot flashed across the face of goal. But he would play a vital role in the Swans' second goal.

A smooth over-the-top ball from Rees-Siso from the left found Pescatore advancing down the opposite flank, the 18-year-old cut inside and struck true to regain the visitor's lead.

The Swans defended well to deny an experienced Watford side in the closing stages, but they would put the game to bed in the 90th minute.

And it was Woodward who netted his 14th of the season, outrunning two Watford defenders and slicing the ball down the middle to seal the three points.

Swansea City Under-21s: Kit Margetson, Zac Jeanes, Caio Ifans, Callum Deacon, Jack Fanning, Arthur Parker (captain), Josh Pescatore, Ramon Rees-Siso, Sammy Henia-Kamau, Thomas Woodward, Morgan Bates.

Substitutes: Aidan Higgins, Kiel Higginson, Wahab Ojetoro.