Report | Cardiff City U23s 1 Swansea City U23s 1

Swansea City Under-23s picked up a point away at Professional Development League South table toppers Cardiff City with a 1-1 draw.

Jaden Forrester’s first-half penalty saw the Swans go into the break in the lead, but Keenan Patten’s second-half header ensured the Swans would leave with just a point.

The Swans took the lead after just nine minutes, as Joe Thomas put in a fantastic ball that found Lincoln Mcfayden at the back post and he pulled it back to Ben Lloyd but his effort was well saved by George Ratcliffe. However, Cameron Congreve picked up the ball on the rebound and was brought down in the box.

Jaden Forrester stepped up from the spot and buried his fifth goal in his last five games.

Max Watters had the chance to pull one back just three minutes later, as a long ball over the top found the forward but Nico Hansen made a good save from a tight angle.

Swansea remained on top throughout the rest of the half, with Lincoln Mcfayden and Ben Lloyd causing trouble down the left hand side.

Joel Cotterill tried his luck from distance with a powerful shot, but the goalkeeper held onto the strike.

The majority of Cardiff’s first half attacks came on the break and from set-pieces, but the hosts struggled to cause any real trouble for Nico Hansen as the Swans defence dealt well with balls into the box.

But it was the hosts who started the second half on top, Watters winning the ball from Hansen in the box but a last-ditch tackle from Cameron Evans ensured the Swans maintained their lead.

But the Bluebirds grabbed an equaliser after 60 minutes as a Kieron Evans delivery found Keenan Patten who powered a header into the back of the net.

The Swans came agonisingly close to regaining the lead just six minutes later as Ben Lloyd’s effort from a tight angle hit the post before Congreve’s shot was cleared off the line by Patten.

Swansea were handed a great chance to regain the lead with a second spot kick of the afternoon after Ibrahim Bakare handled Mcfayden’s cross, but this time Forrester’s penalty was saved after Ratcliffe guessed the right way to make the save.

Forrester had another chance to seal the points for the visitors with five minutes to go as Tarrelle Whittaker won the ball high up the pitch and played in the striker, but his chipped effort dropped agonisingly wide of the post.

Cardiff had the chance to snatch the points with the last attack of the game, but Rubin Colwill’s effort was cleared off the line by Tivonge Rushesha.

The result sees Swansea City's Under-23s extend their unbeaten run to four games, having drawn all three of their games so far in 2022.

Cardiff City U23s: George Ratcliffe, Jai Semenyo, Joel Bagan, Eli King, Ibrahim Bakare (Taylor Jones 69’), Ollie Denham (captain), Rubin Colwill, Sam Bowen, Max Watters (James Crole 69’), Keenan Patten, Kieron Evans.

Unused subs: Ryan Kavanagh, Matt Turner, Jack Leahy.

Swansea City U23s: Nico Hansen, Tivonge Rushesha, Joe Thomas, Joel Cotterill, Cameron Evans (captain), Trialist, Ben Lloyd, Sam Leverett, Jaden Forrester, Cameron Congreve (Tarrelle Whittaker 82’), Lincoln Mcfayden.

Unused subs: Harry Jones, Trialist, Jacob Jones, Ben Erickson.