Report | Swansea City U18s 2 Watford U18s 1
Swansea City Under-18s secured back-to-back home league wins after coming from behind to beat Watford 2–1 at the Joma High Performance Centre.
Conceding after just two minutes put the Swans on the back foot, but they responded with a superb goal from Kai Rhodes before Brogan Popham gave the hosts the lead from a corner with ten minutes remaining.
Watford were the stronger side in the first half and might have extended their lead early on if not for several important saves from goalkeeper Tom Wright.
Swansea finished the stronger side, creating several chances to extend their lead, but were repeatedly denied by some outstanding saves from Watford goalkeeper Sebastian Thrussel.
The Swans paid the price after a slow start, falling behind after just two minutes. A pass from the Watford midfield sent Jael Norville through on goal, and the forward rounded Wright before tapping into an empty net.
The Swans looked to respond, with their first chance falling to Rhodes. He found space on the edge of the box and fired a shot that goalkeeper Thrussel initially fumbled, but the keeper recovered quickly and smothered the loose ball.
At the other end, a superb sequence from Wright kept the deficit at one. A loose pass at the back gifted Watford’s Kiefer Gorman a chance, forcing Wright into a brilliant fingertip save. Norville reacted quickest to the rebound, but Wright denied him again from close range before diving on the loose ball.
Rhodes found the equaliser in the 20th minute with a superb solo run, driving forward 35 yards before curling a shot into the bottom-right corner.
Chances were few and far between in the opening 20 minutes of the second half, with the only real opportunity falling to Bobo Evans. He received the ball from Harvey Gray 20 yards out, but his effort flashed wide of the left-hand post.
Swansea looked the more positive side going forward, with substitute Gray pressing high to win the ball in midfield. He fed Callum Jones, who curled an effort from 20 yards, but the shot deflected off Hornets defender Raphael London and lifted over the bar.
The hosts took a well-deserved lead with ten minutes remaining when a corner into the area was met by substitute Brogan Popham, who rose highest to guide his header past Thrussel and put Swansea in front for the first time.
Another excellent chance came on the break for the Swans when Robinson won the ball in his own half and sent C. Jones down the left flank. The winger squared for Gray, whose powerful close-range strike was superbly tipped over by Thrussel.
The Watford goalkeeper was called into action again moments later, when a scramble in the box left Bobo Evans with a clear sight of goal from 12 yards, but his fierce effort was once more turned over by Thrussel with the last action of the game.
Swansea City Under-18s: Tom Wright, Kaven Bloniarczyk, Wahab Ojetoro (Billy Clarke 46’), Milo Robinson, Jack May, Archie Quick (Brogan Popham 69’), Kai Rhodes (Bobby Lewis 61’), Alfie Jones, Lukas Murphy (Harvey Gray 61’), Bobo Evans, Callum Jones.
Substitutes not used: Jakub Nowak.
Watford Under-18s: Sebastian Thrussel, Marley Clarke, Oluwatomiwa Akinyimika, Jonny Scriven, Raphael London, Charlie McLoughin, Horacio Sticca (Tony Cowie 68’), Kiefer Gorman, Jael Norville, Oluwatobi Akinyimika, Cayden Lamothe (Jamael John-Baptiste 55’).
Substitutes not used: Albert Stevens, Finlay Murray, Oghoghosasere Ogieva-Okunbor.