A Jerome Passley-James brace helped our young Hatters overcome Swansea in an entertaining semi-final at The Brache to set up a PDL Cup final tie with AFC Wimbledon

It was a fast start for the impressive young side as Dawid Gawel was put through on goal by Kyron Roberts-Edema, unfortunately the otherwise prolific striker could only fire a low effort past the post.

It didn’t take long for the forward to rectify his miss, as midway through the first half Towns high press paid off, with Gawel winning the ball back from the Swansea backline before racing through on goal and applying a cool finish, netting his 40th of the season in the process.

In the first minute of stoppage time before the interval, a free kick on the far side of the penalty area provided the Hatters the chance to double their lead. Ty Lesser stood over the set-piece and delivered a beautiful cross which found Passley-James, the young midfielder getting enough on his header to put the side into a comfortable lead.

Football can be unpredictable though, and the visitors came out in the second half with a point to prove, getting the chance to halve the deficit when a penalty was awarded just eight minutes into the restart. With the spot-kick converted, Swansea had the momentum and in a matter of minutes, Towns two goal lead was wiped out when defender Kaven Bloniarczyk equalised from a corner.

Fortunately, that second goal prompted the side to act, with an almost immediate response courtesy of Passley-James, netting his second of the game by pouncing on a spilled cross from the Swans goalkeeper to make it 3-2 just before the hour mark.

This time Town did well to hang on, managing to score a fourth goal at the beginning of added-on time when Archie Shepherd did brilliantly to get around his full-back before standing the ball up perfectly to the back post, allowing Kyron Roberts-Edema to rise high and power his header into the back of the net.

TOWN: Thomas, Roberts-Edema, Chigozie, Barnes, Evans, Fox, Passley-James, El-Gourja (sub Frimpong-Kwakye 86), Lesser (sub Isufi 57), Shepherd (sub Tatenda Takawira 90+3), Gawel

Subs not used: Booth, Kwame Anson

Match Report: Liam Wilmot