Swans 2 – Tiverton 0

“This was excellent. I’m very impressed with the way we played. We got about them in the opening 20 minutes and I felt we had more chances than them in the first half. “We put together some really good moves and it was possibly the best of the pre-season games. “It was really good for the young kids. They stood up well to the men of Tiverton, who had just beaten Plymouth Argyle 2-0. “Jason Price and Martin Thomas are the eldest. The rest are under 21. “It was very, very pleasing. Our YTS are good, that’s why we played them. And we kept a clean sheet.” Certainly Swansea kept Tiverton on their toes. Their fast wing play created numerous dead-ball situations as the home defence found their professional counterparts too hot to handle at times, conceding free kicks in dangerous situations. But while Swansea created the chances, it was often the final touch that was lacking in front of goal. That, combined with the alertness of home keeper Paul Edwards, kept the score down. Most home eyes were on Tiverton’s leading scorer from last season, midfielder Kevin Nancekivell, who had played 45 minutes for Plymouth Argyle against Everton the previous night. After 12 minutes he should have given the Dr Martens Western Division side the lead when he was clean through. But Jason Jones, who commanded his area throughout, smothered the shot and Phil Everett’s follow-up hit Steve Ovens before bouncing out for a throw. Midway through the half Swansea came close twice. The first was when James Berry was denied by a fingertip save from Edwards, and then Chris Todd’s overhead kick flashed across the face of goal but was wide. The game flowed from end to end and a Tiverton corner nearly reaped dividends, Nancekivell seeing a shot headed off the line. But the breakthrough came in the 35th minute. Jones launched the ball forward, Tiverton’s central defender Paul Tatterton backheaded the ball towards Edwards but only succeeded in leaving his keeper stranded as the ball looped over his head for a bizarre own goal. After the break there were plenty of thrills and spills, with Tiverton’s pace up front threatening to reap dividends. But despite the pressure, the nearest they came was on the hour when Nancekivell outstripped the Swansea defence and quick, one-touch passing saw the ball at Scott Rogers’s feet. He turned and lofted the ball over Jones but the ball hit the underside of the bar and was quickly tidied up to Jones. A double substitution after 64 minutes saw Dean Jenkins and Craig Draper replace Berry and Jason Price, and it was the nippy Jenkins who was fouled in the box four minutes later as Tiverton conceded a penalty. Michael Keegan made no mistake from the spot to secure victory. It was left to Tiverton manager Martyn Rogers to wrap things up. “I thought the youngsters in the Swansea side looked really sharp and they gave us a good game. I felt the goals were slightly fortuitous but they thoroughly deserved the win.” Swansea City: Jason Jones, Leigh De-Vulgt, Chris James (repl Tino di Batista, 82 mins), Gareth Phillips, Chris Todd, Andrew Mumfold, Michael Keegan, Martin Thomas (repl Chris Sulley, h/t), James Berry (repl Dean Jenkins, 64 mins), Jason Price (repl Craig Draper, 64 mins), Stuart Roberts