Lewis leans on knockout experience

Aaron Lewis has called on Swansea City Under-23s to use their knockout experience when they face Bristol City in the Premier League Cup on Thursday (2pm).

The young Swans go head to head with the Robins in the last 16 at Landore as they resume the defence of the trophy they won last year.

A quarter-final tie at home against Brighton & Hove Albion is on offer should the Swans prevail in this tie.

Bristol City beat Liverpool on the way to topping Group G, and Lewis reckons the Swans' past cup successes can help them now.

“We’ve been in plenty of knockout games in the Checkatrade Trophy as well as in this competition last season, so we know how to deal with the situation,” the defender said.

“We’ve seen that every team can put up a fight. We just have to take each match as it comes and prepare in the same way as we would for a league game.

“Winning the tournament last year has put pressure on us to go and win again this year.”

Lewis was part of the squad that lifted the trophy as they clinched a league and cup double last season, though he was an unused substitute in the 2-0 victory over Reading in the final.

The full-back hopes the Swans can do something special once more this season as they are only two points off top spot in Premier League 2 and remain in the cup.

And from a personal point of view, Lewis will hope to feature should the Swans reach the cup final again this year. 

“We have a chance of winning another double this year, so we just need to keep working hard in training and performing on a matchday,” he added.

“It was disappointing not to play in last year’s final having played most of the games, so it would be great to play should we get there again this year.

"But no matter what the starting line-up is, everybody is a part of this and we’ve just got to keep working hard together.”