Sport · Swindon
Swindon Town suffer home defeat against Crystal Palace Under-21s
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
Swindon Town fell to a 2-1 defeat in their EFL Trophy opener despite taking an early lead, with the match marking a historic milestone for academy talent Freddie Hoare.
Swindon Town experienced a disappointing start to their EFL Trophy campaign as they let an early lead slip to lose 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace Under-21s. Despite an encouraging opening, the Robins were unable to maintain their advantage, marking their first home defeat of the season.
The match saw manager Ian Holloway rotate his squad significantly, with nine changes made from the side that faced York City. This included the return of Danny Butterworth, who made his first start in 354 days following two surgeries, and a first senior start for Lucas Griffiths-Brown.
Swindon took the lead through Antwoine Hackford, who capitalised on a defensive error by Palace defender Shaun Whyte. Hackford showed composure to streak clear and whip a calm finish into the corner for his first goal in a Town shirt. However, the lead was short-lived, with Caleb Kporha drawing the visitors level in the final moments of the first half after a low shot squeezed past goalkeeper Lewis Ward.
The second half saw Palace improve, eventually securing the win when Sebastian Williams struck a precise side-footed effort into the bottom corner from 25 yards out. Although Swindon attempted to rally in the final stages, they struggled to break down the resilient, albeit inexperienced, visitors.
The evening provided a notable milestone for the club as 16-year-old Freddie Hoare was introduced as a substitute. At 16 years and seven days old, he became the youngest-ever player to represent Swindon Town in a competitive fixture.
Reflecting on the performance, the result leaves Swindon searching for improvements in the competition, with a reported crowd of 1,433 in attendance at the County Ground. The team will look to regroup following a display that offered some promise from individual academy prospects but lacked the clinical edge required to overcome a technically disciplined youth side.
Source: Wiltshire Times — Football · View original