Anthony Wright | I couldn't be prouder of the boys

Coach Anthony Wright expressed his pride in Swansea City Under-21s' display after they claimed a point against Professional Development League winners Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday.

There were two goals in the opening 10 minutes in west London. Ethan Laidlaw broke the deadlock with just four minutes on the clock from a Brentford corner, before striker Morgan Bates levelled shortly after with his 20th league goal of the season.

The same pattern followed in the first five minutes of the second half. Bates headed in from a corner before Romelle Donovan found the target from a free-kick for the hosts in the 50th minute.

The point ensured Brentford won the regular-season title in the PDL, while both sides will have play-off fixtures to look forward to in the coming weeks.

"I’m incredibly proud of the lads, they left everything out there," said Wright.

"Days like this show we’re on the right track, with this young group of players. I’ve challenged them a lot in recent weeks. Performances haven’t quite been where we want, but we’ve pushed this group hard—physically and mentally—with games coming thick and fast.

"Coming up against Brentford B, a side full of experience and quality, I thought we were outstanding. 

"Tactically, we were disciplined. We limited them, stayed compact, and looked dangerous when we turned the ball over. There were also moments where we showed real quality, playing through them and opening them up the way we want to.

"Massive credit to Morgan Bates - that's 20 league goals now, which is outstanding. The first goal was exactly what we’re about—building from the goalkeeper, working it through the thirds, and finishing it off with real quality. The second, a brilliant header, put us ahead and gave us real momentum.

"Defensively, I can’t speak highly enough of them. Iestyn Jones was throwing himself at everything putting his body on the line for the team.

"The last 15–20 minutes were tough. We had to dig in, stay together, and show resilience. To come through that and take a point, it’s a fair result, and one the lads can be happy with..

"We’ve got one more league game on Tuesday up in Sheffield, likely with a younger group coming in, and we’re looking forward to it."