FULL-TIME: Swans Academy 6 TNS 1
16th April
Swansea City Academy were crowned winners of the FAW Youth Cup for a fifth successive year after a seven-goal thriller at the Liberty.
The young Swans ran out 6-1 victors against The New Saints, courtesy of a brace from Ryan Hedges, plus goals from Adam King, Josh Sheehan, Connor Roberts and Kyle Copp.
Hedges got the Swans off to a positive start when he slotted past goalkeeper Stewart Evans in the 14th minute.
Then, in the space of two minutes, a quick-fire double saw the Swans extend their lead to three goals as King finished superbly before Hedges notched his second of the game.
Just before the hour mark, Connor Roberts made it four for the Swans before Ryan Kershaw clawed one back for TNS from a 20-yard free-kick.
But the Swans quickly restored their four-goal margin when Sheehan struck a a fierce shot past Evans from 35-yards.
And with ten minutes left on the clock, substitute Copp rounded off the scoring, hitting a low shot past Evans.
SWANS: Oliver Davies, Liam Shephard, Thomas Atyeo, Joseph Jones, Connor Roberts, Sam Evans, Adam King, Josh Sheehan (C), Kris Scott, Kenji Gorré, Ryan Hedges.
SUBS: Lewis Thomas, Kyle Copp, Jordan Sherman, Alex Samuel, Corey Francis.
TNS: Stewart Evans, Luke Douglas, Adam Davies, Aaron Simms, Jordan Davies, Ryan Kershaw (C), Rhys Cooper, Fisnik Hadjari, Taylor James, Ryan Pryce, Dylan Jones.
SUBS: Greg Fletcher, Oliver Beaman, James Jones, Mark Murch, Liam Walker.
The Swans started brightly, dominating possession in the early moments of the first period.
Kris Scott went close from range before TNS goalkeeper Stewart Evans was forced into making a fine double save to deny Kenji Gorré and Ryan Hedges from opening the scoring.
But, only moments later, Evans was helpless to prevent Hedges' second attempt.
Hedges did well to find himself some space inside the box before firing a shot across goal and past the 'keeper to make it 1-0 after 14 minutes.
Just before the half-hour mark, a quick-fire double saw the Swans extend their lead to three goals.
In the 27th minute, Adam King did well to latch onto a squared ball by Hedges before the Scotman finished superbly past Evans, firing into the left-hand corner of the goal.
And, only a minute later, Hedges turned provider into scorer to grab his second of the game after his shot from 20-yards took a wicked deflection before nestling in the left-hand bottom corner of the goal.
HALF-TIME: Swans 3-0 The New Saints
The Swans began the second period as they had ended the first, and extended their advantage when Connor Roberts hit home their forth of the evening.
The left-back burst into the opposition penalty area to latch onto Josh Sheehan's cut back, giving goalkeeper Evans no chance as he hammered in from close range.
But TNS hit back two minutes later as captain Ryan Kershaw fired in a free-kick from 20-yards to claw the scores back to 4-1.
However, it didn't take long for the Swans to restore their four-goal advantage when Josh Sheehan made it 5-1, rifling a shot past Evans from 35-yards.
With ten minutes left on the clock, substitute Kyle Copp made it 6-1 to the Swans with his first touch of the ball since joining the action.
The young attacker picked up the ball on the edge of the area before firing a low shot past Evans from 20-yards.
