Report | Luton Town U18s 4 Swansea City U18s 2
Swansea City Under-18s were knocked out of the Professional Development League Cup at the semi-final stage following a 4-2 defeat to Luton Town.
The young Swans produced a spirited fightback from two goals down to level the score through a Harlan Perry penalty and a Kaven Bloniarczyk finish.
However, a brace from Jerome Passley-James, along with goals from Dawid Gawel and Kyron Roberts-Edema, secured the Hatters’ place in the final.
It proved to be a difficult first half for Jon Beale’s side, who struggled to match the intensity of the hosts and fell behind when Gawel found the net before Passley-James added a second from a set-piece.
Swansea came out with renewed energy after the break, scoring twice in quick succession through Perry and Bloniarczyk to wipe out the deficit. But Luton quickly regained the advantage minutes later as Passley-James grabbed his second of the afternoon before Roberts-Edema ultimately sealed victory for the Hatters.
In a meeting of two teams who had contested the final of this competition as under-16s last term, the hosts made the stronger start and had the first effort on goal, with Archie Shepherd showing some trickery down the left flank before cutting inside onto his left foot and sending an effort over the bar.
The Swans also had positive moments going forward, with Alex Godfrey delivering a ball into the box towards Harvey Gray, but the forward’s header was straight at Lucas Thomas in the Luton goal.
Gawel went close for the hosts just past the 20-minute mark, finding space on the left-hand side of the box, only to drag his low strike wide of the post.
Down the other end, Perry tried his luck from just outside the area with an effort that would have troubled Thomas had it not been blocked away by Hatters defender Rufus Barnes for a corner.
However, the lively Gawel would not have to wait much longer for his goal. A flick-on into the area fell kindly for the forward, who calmly slotted past Tom Wright to give the hosts the lead.
Luton looked to quuckly add to their tally, and Swans keeper Wright would be called into action with a superb save from a first-time effort from Gawel.
But the hosts would add their second goal just before half-time after a set-piece delivery from Ty Lesser was met by Passley-James, who guided his header past Wright.
It left Swansea facing a mountain to climn, but the game would be turned on its head in a frantic opening 15 minutes to the second half, with three goals arriving in the space of just five minutes.
Swansea halved their deficit from the penalty spot after Christian Chigozie was guilty of a foul, and captain Perry stepped up and sent Thomas the wrong way to bring the Swans back into the contest.
Bloniarczyk then drew Swansea level just two minutes later. A corner from Caio Ifans was met by the defender, who rose highest to guide a header into the corner of the net.
However, parity did not last long as Luton restored their lead moments later when a ball into the area was spilled by Wright, allowing Passley-James to react quickest and convert from close range for the Hatters.
After that hectic spell, the game began to settle down again, al though Perry forced Thomas into a good save after drilling a low free-kick towards the bottom corner, which the Luton goalkeeper did well to turn away.
Substitute Ifan Harding went close to levelling matters again inside the final 10 minutes after Luton failed to clear their lines, with the ball falling kindly to the forward inside the area, but his first-time effort drifted narrowly wide of the post.
Instead Luton sealed the victory in the final minute of the 90 when Shepherd beat his man before delivering a cross to the far post, where Roberts-Edema rose to head home and confirm their place in the final.
Luton Town Under-18s: Lucas Thomas, Kyron Roberts-Edema, Harry Fox, Christian Chigozie, Rufus Barnes, Finley Evans (captain), Jerome Passley-James, Nassim El Gourja (Darren Frimpong-Kwakye 86), Dawid Gawel, Ty Lesser (Alvin Isufi 57), Archie Shepherd (Tatenda Takawira 93).
Substitutes not used: Charlie Booth, Enoch Kwame Anson,
Swansea City Under-18s: Tom Wright, Billy Clarke, Kaven Bloniarczyk (Archie Quick 77), Milo Robinson, Carter Heywood, Ben Phillips (Bobby Lewis 46), Alex Godfrey, Harlan Perry, Harvey Gray (Ifan Harding 77), Alfie Jones (Bobo Evans 77), Caio Ifans.
Substitutes not used: Elis Thomas.