Report | Brentford U21s 2 Swansea City U21s 2
Swansea City Under-21s claimed a point against Professional Development League winners, Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Two goals came in the opening 10 minutes. 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-kickfor 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.
There were two changes to the Swansea side that won at Fleetwood in midweek. Thomas Searle and Caio Ifans coming in for Dan Watts and Carter Heywood respectively.
But it was the Bees who got their final game of the campaign off to a flying start. A corner conceded by the Swans early on led to the opener as Laidlaw found space to strike from distance, and he made no mistake to find the net.
However, just four minutes later, a well-worked team move had the Swans back on level terms. In-form duo Josh Pescatore and Bates linked up once again, and the striker tucked the ball home from the edge of the area from an astute pass from the winger.
The game became an end-to-end affair with the Bees seeing the better of the chances. A big tackle from Searle in the box denied Laidlaw a second, before Joe Collins made his first save of note by gathering a Donovan strike.
Pescatore looked to get on the scoresheet on the half-hour mark, striking low from a tight angle only for his shot to be comfortably gathered by Julian Eyestone.
Yori Griffith was next to create a chance for the visitors. Milo Robinson pulled the ball back for Griffith outside the box, but the midfielder curled an effort over the crossbar.
The Swans were putting on a big defensive display as the Bees kept pushing to re-establish their lead. Iestyn Jones was next to make a crucial block to keep out a Donovan chance from close range and ensure the scores remained level at the break.
The second-half started off exactly like the first with a quick-fire goal, and it went the way of the Swans.
Pescatore's corner-kick perfectly landed on the head of Bates, and he made no mistake to guide it in for his second of the afternoon.
But Brentford would bring themselves back level four minutes later through another set-piece, Donovan finally getting his goal from a low, direct free-kick.
A point for Brentford would be enough to claim the league title, but they didn't give up twice being denied by the woodwork in the closing stages as the Swans claimed a good point on their travels.
Swansea City Under-21s: Joe Collins, Thomas Searle, Caio Ifans (Callum Deacon 61), Milo Robinson, Blair McKenzie, Iestyn Jones (captain), Josh Pescatore, Yori Griffith, Harlan Perry (Billy Clarke 74), Aimar Govea (Caleb Demery 86).
Substitutes: Jakub Nowak, Josiah Kallicharan.