Report | Swansea City U23s 4 Colchester United U23s 2

Swansea City Under-23s extended their unbeaten run to four games with a fine win over Colchester United in the Professional Development League at Landore.

The Swans, playing their first game in 21 days, notched three first-half goals, with Cameron Evans, Joel Cotterill and Tarrelle Whittaker all scoring before the break, with Chay Cooper picking one up for the visitors.

Colchester put on the pressure in the second half, Bradley Ihionvein capitalising on a mistake to narrow the deficit to one, but a second Swansea City goal for Joe Thomas confirmed all three points for the hosts.

The hosts had come roaring out of the traps, with Cotterill immediately setting the tempo for the Swans. His effort from the edge of the box after just 16 seconds forcing the goalkeeper to push behind for a corner.

The Swans would take full advantage of the resulting set-piece; Cotterill’s delivery finding the head of Evans, who glanced an effort into the back of the net.

But the visitors were level just three minutes later, Cooper cutting inside onto his right foot before slotting into the bottom right corner.

Evans came close to his second of the afternoon, firing a volley just wide of the post from the edge of the box.

Whittaker then almost restored the lead for the Swans, doing well to find himself space in the box for a shot, but his tame effort was held.

But the Swans would soon be back in the lead. A fantastic ball from Jacob Jones found Lincoln Mcfayden in the box, with the wing-back pulling the ball back to Cotterill who calmly took the ball around the goalkeeper and tapped in.

The visitors looked to level once again, Harvey Sayer trying his luck from the edge of the box and forcing a good save from the trialist goalkeeper.

On the brink of half-time, the Swans would make it 3-1, Kyrell Wilson setting up Whittaker for a close-range finish to give the home side a two-goal lead at the interval.

However, the visitors reduced the deficit just after the break, Ihionvein closing down the trialist goalkeeper as he cleared, with the ball coming off the Colchester player to hit the back of the net.

Colchester came close to levelling through Cooper, with substitute Kaan Bennett finding him at the back post, but the forward was denied a second as he struck the post.

But the home side would soon restore their two-goal lead, substitute Corey Hurford sliding Thomas through to find the bottom left corner.

The win sees the Swans go four games unbeaten following their final home game of the season, having lost just one home fixture in 2022.

Swansea City: Trialist, Joe Thomas, Cameron Evans, Kai Ludvigsen, Jacob Jones, Lincoln Mcfayden (Sam Leverett 62), Azeem Abdulai (captain), Joel Cotterill, Ben Lloyd (Corey Hurford 75), Tarrelle Whittaker, Kyrell Wilson (Dylan Morgan 63).

Unused subs: Filip Lissah, Nico Hansen.

Colchester United: Ted Collins, Lordon Akobire, Geniero Maragh (Samson Tovide 45), Sam Cornish, Harry Beadle, Frankie Terry (captain), Kai Redgrave (Kaan Bennett 45), Ryan Lowe (Kacy Parish 83), Bradley Ihionvein, Chay Cooper, Harvey Sayer.

Unused subs: Endurance Jonson, Alex Wynter.