Planet Swans ArchivesFrom www.swanseacity.net
The young Swans picked up their first point in the Puma Youth Alliance Cup after being held at home to Barnet on Saturday, writes Owain Johns.
But David Moss’s youngsters staged a remarkable late fightback to overturn a two-goal deficit to lead 3-2, only for the Bees to snatch a point with a last gasp equaliser.
Daniel Sheehan, Matthew Wright and Oliver Hewitt-Fisher all returned to action after missing the previous weekend’s defeat at Brighton. And it was Hewitt-Fisher who had the Swans’ first chance on three minutes when he rounded the ‘keeper only for his shot to be blocked by Seb West.
Efforts on goal by Chris Jones and Keiron Howard both went inches over the bar before the visitors took a 25th minute lead through Jackson Fossi who struck the ball underneath David Cornell from close-range.
The Swans pressed for an equaliser and as the half drew to a close Chris Jones’ fierce strike clipped the top of crossbar; Oliver Hewitt-Fisher’s shot ricocheted off the legs of ‘keeper Robbie Cook, while down at the other end David Cornell was forced into making a fine save to keep out Marcus Rose’s header.
The home side struggled to create chances with Hewitt-Fisher’s 72nd minute free-kick the best opportunity which was comfortably dealt with by Cook.
It looked to have been all over as a contest with 15 minutes left on the clock as Bees’ substitute Gary Wharton slipped in between the defence to slot past Cornell to make it 2-0.
But barely 60 seconds later and the Swans were right back in it when Casey Thomas, who had just replaced captain Dion Chambers, saw his saved shot followed up by Matthew Wright for his fourth goal in as many games.
Five minutes later and it was 2-2 as Oliver Hewitt-Fisher’s header from Daniel Sheehan’s long free-kick left the ‘keeper with no chance.
Then on 84 minutes the match had been completely turned on its head as James Burgin crossed for Chris Jones to stab the ball home from 12-yards to cap off an incredible fightback.
But it just wasn’t Swansea’s afternoon as Barnet conjured up an equaliser of their own three minutes from time as Wharton drilled the ball past Cornell from the edge of the area to make it 3-3.
There is Puma Youth Alliance Cup action at St. Helens on Saturday as the Swans take on Plymouth Argyle (11am).
Swans: David Cornell; Daniel Sheehan, Karl Keogh (David Kingdom, 46′), Keiron Howard (Ben Addlesbury, 62′), James Burgin, Jaz Richards, Jamie Grimes, Dion Chambers (Casey Thomas, 76’), Chris Jones, Oliver Hewitt-Fisher, Matthew Wright. Unused subs: Callum Hawthorne (GK), Joe Harris.
