UNDER-21s: Swansea City v Blackburn Rovers
18th March
Marvin Emnes hit a hat-trick as the Under-21s produced a dominant performance to seal a 5-0 win over Blackburn at Landore.
The home side were on top throughout and Emnes got his first just before the break as he finished off a fine counter attack, before grabbing his second after the interval with a rasping drive.
Substitute Owain Jones helped himself to a quickfire double after coming off the bench at the break, while Emnes scored his third with the last kick off the game as a free-kick deflected past Ryan Crump.
Kyle Bartley and Marvin Emnes both started for the home side as the development squad made four changes to the side that drew with Wolves last Monday.
Also returning to the starting line-up were Raheem Hanley and Adnan Maric while Blackburn, who ran out 2-0 winners when the two sides met last month, sat just one place below Swansea in the league table prior to kick-off.
SWANS U21s: Josh Vickers, Joe Rodon, Raheem Hanley, Adnan Maric, Keston Davies (capt), Kyle Bartley, Kenji Gorre, Adam King (Josh Sheehan, 62), Botti Biabi (Owain Jones, ht), Daniel James (Alex Bray, 74), Marvin Emnes.
SUBS: Gregor Zabret, Alex Gogic.
BLACKBURN U21s: Ryan Crump, David Carson, Luke Wall, Hyuga Tanner, Charlie Doyle, Sam Lavelle (capt), Connor Mahoney, Stefan Mols (Mason Fanns, 74), Anton Forrester, Sam Joel (Alex Corran, 61), Devarn Green (Dean Rittenberg, 74).
SUBS: Tom Stewart.
Despite just one place separating the two sides, it was the Swans who made all the early running at Landore as they looked to return to winning ways.
Last season's top scorer Kenji Gorre was the first to go close, the winger linking up well with Marvin Emnes outside the box before he eventually saw a right-foot shot saved by Ryan Crump in the Blackburn goal.
Both Crump and Gorre were involved again on 21 minutes as the former Manchester United man surged into the box before seeing a powerful strike tipped away by the goalkeeper.
The hosts continued to make all the early running as Daniel James dragged an effort well wide, while Botti Biabi's right-foot volley from 20 yards was straight at Crump.
Blackburn offered very rare glimpses going forward, the closest chance coming when Sam Joel's 20-yard effort was easily held by Josh Vickers.
But after Gorre came close once more with a shot into the side-netting, the Swans deservedly broke the deadlock with the final action of the first half.
From a Blackburn corner, the ball broke into midfield and as Daniel James was set free down the right flank the winger surged forward before releasing Emnes and the forward took a touch before rifling a shot past Crump.
Half-time: Swans 1 Blackburn 0
The Swans made a change at the interval as Botti Biabi made way for Owain Jones - who scored the 1-1 draw against Wolves five days ago - and they came close within the first minute as Kenji Gorre saw a low shot tipped around the post by Ryan Crump.
But the home side didn't have to wait long for a second goal as they doubled the lead on 54 minutes.
Marvin Emnes - a constant threat going forward - created a yard of space just outside the penalty area before the Dutchman hit a rasping drive that served past Crump and into the roof of the net.
Just four minutes later and it was 3-0 as substitute Owain Jones beat the Blackburn defence for pace on the right flank before cutting in the box and curling a left-foot shot past the goalkeeper and into the far corner.
The hosts made a couple of changes with Josh Sheehan and Alex Bray coming on for Adam King and Daniel James, and it was the Swans who stretched their lead even further with just over 15 minutes to play.
From a corner on the right, Keston Davies rose highest to head towards goal and after Crump spilled the ball inside the six-yard box, Owain Jones was on hand to tap home his second of the afternoon.
Blackburn were struggling to deal with wave after wave of Swansea attacks, but the visitors did have a sight of goal when Anton Forrester had a free header in the box but his effort was blocked by Davies.
However, there was still time for the Swans to cap a fine performance as they grabbed a fifth goal with a minute to play.
After Alex Bray was fouled on the right edge of the box, Emnes stepped up to hit a free-kick that took a slight deflection on its way past Crump for the Dutchman to seal his hat-trick.
