U18 Report: Swansea 2-3 Saints

The visitors were twice behind in the first period, but rallied well, with additional goals from Jonathan Afolabi and Enzo Robise completing a second half revival.

The result cemented Saints' position in third, and concluded a successful season with a positive result, as Craig Fleming's youngsters celebrate their highest league finish in seven years.

But it didn't all fall the way of Saints, who were made to work hard for the points. A first half of mixed fortunes, with bright spells of play interspersed with lapses in concentration - two of which that were punished.

Swansea struck early. Thomas Owen Price headed home from a corner, out jumping a crowded box, and found the far corner of the net in the twelfth minute.

Afolabi hit back just before the half hour mark, dispossessing his opposition defender, before gliding past another, rounding the keeper and cooly rolling the ball into an empty net.

But again, Saints were to be pegged back. Parity had been restored for a mere four minutes, before Kees De Boer had the chance to edge Swansea back in front from the penalty spot.

Picking his corner, the midfielder sent Saints' stopper Jack Bycroft the wrong way, and gave the home side a slender advantage entering the break.

Swansea's threat was too frequently coming from goalscorer De Boer in the second period - who rushed a volleyed effort from distance in the 50th minute, before feeding striker Josh Thomas moments later, forcing an astute save from Bycroft.

Largely contained, Saints were becoming frustrated by the home side's harrying off the ball, but did continue to press for an equaliser in spells, and surprisingly managed to find it - rather fortuitously - on the hour mark.

Vokins drove forward in typical fashion, pulled the ball back towards the run of Robise, and capitalising on a defensive mix up, the winger slammed the ball home to draw level.

The visitors had found some renewed impetus, and with ten minutes left to play, had snuck ahead.

Smallbone's corner wasn't cleared, as Hamblin crept in at the back post to head past a helpless Nathan Sheppard. The goal proved decisive, as Saints ended their Under-18s Premier League campaign with a hard-fought victory - further strengthening their position in third.