Swansea City Newcastle United Under-21s Premier League Division Two

Swansea City Under-21s strengthened their Premier League Division Two play-off hopes with a 5-3 win over Newcastle at the Liberty Stadium.

Two goals each from winger Kenji Gorre and striker Owain Jones alongside a first-half strike from Jay Fulton cancelled out goals from Luke Charman, Dan Barlaser and Callum Roberts.

The win sees the development squad remain sixth in the league - two points behind West Ham, with three games to play.

The young Swans made five changes to the side that beat Blackburn.

Gary Richards and Cameron Toshack named a strong squad with first team squad members Modou Barrow, Stephen Kingsley and Jay Fulton all included in the starting XI.

Striker Owain Jones - who netted two goals against Blackburn - started up front with Kenji Gorre on the wing.

U18s defender Aaron Lewis returned from tournament action in South Africa to make his first start for the development squad this season. 

SWANS U21s: Josh Vickers, Aaron Lewis, Stephen Kingsley, Jay Fulton, Keston Davies, Joe Rodon, Modou Barrow (Daniel James, 46), Adam King, Owain Jones, Adnan Maric (Lee Lucas, 85), Kenji Gorre (Alex Bray, 68).

SUBS NOT USED: Oliver Davies, Alex Gogic.

NEWCASTLE U21s: Nathan Harker, Jamie Sterry, Liam Gibson, Dan Ward, Callum Williams, Curtis Good (Gideon Adu-Peprah, 46), Callum Roberts, Sean Longstaff, Luke Charman, Dan Barlaser, Owen Gallacher (Callum Smith, 55).

SUBS NOT USED: Owen Bailey, Ben Kitchen.

Newcastle started brightly at the Liberty Stadium with the first chance on goal, but midfielder Callum Roberts saw his shot well saved at the near post by keeper Josh Vickers.

Soon after, Magpies striker Luke Charman's effort outside the area clipped the crossbar before Swans midfielder Adam King saw his effort blocked at the other end.

The game exploded into life on 18 minutes when the young Swans broke the deadlock through a well-worked move by Kenji Gorre. He found captain Jay Fulton in the box, and the Scottish midfielder fired home from six yards.

The hosts' lead was short lived, though, as Charman got on the end of a Jamie Sterry cross to head home an equaliser just two minutes later.

But Swansea retook the lead almost straight from the kick-off when Modou Barrow's cross into the area found striker Owain Jones, and he fired home his fourth goal in three games for the development squad.

Jones and Stephen Kingsley went close to doubling the lead, but it was Gorre who would add his name to the Swans scoresheet minutes before half-time after Jones was fouled in the box. The winger stepped up to make it 3-1 from the penalty spot.

Buoyed by his goal, Gorre bagged his second minutes later when he latched onto a pass inside the area before beat the defence and Magpies keeper Nathan Harker at the near post.

HALF TIME: Swans U21s 4 Newcastle U21s 1

The Swans started the second half brightly and could have extended the lead only for young defender Aaron Lewis to strike the post two minutes after the restart.

The Swans were awarded a second penalty on the hour mark when substitute Daniel James was fouled by Callum Williams, but Gorre was denied his hat-trick with a superb double save from Harker.

Two minutes later Newcastle forward Dan Barlaser netted a lifeline for the visitors, only for his strike to be cancelled out four minutes later by a superb solo effort from Jones - the striker's fifth goal in three games.

But Newcastle kept plugging away, and Vickers had to be alert to deny the visitors from reducing the deficit.

The visitors did pull a goal back through Callum Roberts in the 78th minute to make it 5-3, but Swansea controlled the rest of the half to take a deserved win.