Under-18s Match Report: Swansea City 3 Leicester City 1

The young Foxes have been pitted against seven of their positional peers from both the North and South divisions within the Under-18s pyramid after finishing 12th in the latter of the two branches over the course of the last seven months under the guidance of Academy manager Trevor Peake.

Having reached the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup, where they defeated Leyton Orient, Carlisle United and Middlesbrough, Peake’s men have proven their potential this season but were unable to emerge from south Wales with all three points on the opening day of the group stage.

Goals from Sean Hanbury, Liam Cullen and Causso Darame were enough for the Swans to register their first victory in the merit league Group C at Beaufort Road after ending the regulation season just one place and one point above City in the South Division. 

Midway through the first half, the hosts took the lead as Hanbury ghosted in from the left wing before taking it around young City goalkeeper Adam Harrison and slotting it into an empty net. Leicester fought hard to level the scores but found themselves two down after the break. 

Darame slid it through to Cullen who, in turn, converted neatly before the Swansea duo swapped roles to give their side an unassailable lead. Templeton’s late strike, however, was not undeserved and will give City confidence ahead of facing Sunderland at Belvoir Drive next weekend. 

SWANSEA: Lang, Owen, Davies, Dulca, Lewis, Cooper, Darame (Roberts 85), Price (Hazell 81), Hanbury (Cullen 57), Evans, Cooper. 

UNUSED SUBS: Cabango, Shepperd. 

CITY: Harrison, Thandi, Ughelumba, Tee, Heaven, Templeton, Fielding, Leshabela, Myring, Bollard (Lewis 78), Thomas (Williams 67). 

UNUSED SUBS: Edwards-John.