Report | Swansea City 2 U21s Watford U21s 2
Swansea City Under-21s had to settle for a point against Watford in their final Professional Development League fixture on home turf for the 2025-26 campaign.
In-form Thomas Woodward's fine finish opened the scoring before the Hornets' Conrad Hunt brought the game level before the break.
Josh Pescatore's strike in the 82nd minute looked to have claimed the three points for the Swans, but a thunderous strike from Nikoloz Chikovani salvaged a point for the Hornets.
The Swans had made changes from the side that suffered defeat against Peterborough United last time out. Dan Watts, Woodward and Blair McKenzie came in for Aimar Govea, Carter Heywood and Billy Clarke, while Thomas Searle returned to the starting 11 for the first time in over six months following an ACL injury.
The opening 10 minutes were all Swansea with Watford barely having possession in the Swans' half.
But the visitors served notice of their threat with quick attack from a Swans corner forcing McKenzie and Iestyn Jones in to important blocks from a pair of Jonathan Lawson shots.
However, the deadlock was soon broken when Woodward met a cross from Jones and smashed the ball home from close range in a crowded six-yard box.
The attacking midfielder almost had a second immediately from the restart; a lovely through ball from the skipper Watts rolled into the path of Woodward, but Hornets' stopper Gabriel Ortelli tipped his low strike out for a corner.
Watford then had themselves level on the half-hour mark when a half-cross, half-shot from Hunt landed in the top right-hand corner, with Swansea keeper Joe Collins just unable to get his fingertips to the strike.
The Swans started brightly in the second period, and went close to restoring their lead when Yori Griffith's strike forced a smart save from Ortelli. Woodward attempted to get on the rebound but it went out for a goal-kick.
Shortly after, Woodward and Bates linked up inside the penalty area, only for Bates' strike to soar high and wide.
Straight down the other end, the woodwork denied Chikovani, before a big block from Searle stopped a powerful effort from Josh Keyes.
Swansea substitute Caleb Demery soon latched on a blocked strike from Woodward, but sent his strike narrowly wide.
However, the Swans put themselves back in front eight minutes from time. Woodward found Pescatore in space, and the winger finished calmly to take his number of goal involvements to 39 for the season.
But Watford would hit back then Chikovani struck from distance late on to level the scores deep into stoppage time.
Swansea City Under-21s: Joe Collins, Thomas Searle (Caleb Demery 61), Caio Ifans, Milo Robinson (Aimar Govea 61), Blair McKenzie, Iestyn Jones, Josh Pescatore, Dan Watts (captain), Morgan Bates (Josiah Kallicharan 75), Yori Griffith, Thomas Woodward.
Substitutes: Jakub Nowak, Bobo Evans.