Premier Reserve League

Swansea 0 Arsenal 2 (Ansah, Gnabry)

A young Arsenal Reserves side returned to winning ways this evening with a 2-0 victory away to Swansea. Zak Ansah and Serge Gnabry scored their first goals at this level, but the headlines will be dominated by Thomas Eisfeld, who impressed in midfield just a day after joining the club from Borussia Dortmund. First-year Zach Fagan, meanwhile, earned his first call-up at this level.

Martinez

Yennaris-Angha-Monteiro-Meade

Eastmond-Ozyakup

Ebecilio-Eisfeld-Gnabry

Ansah

subs: Shea, Fagan, Wynter, Rees, Roberts.

Arsenal dominated much of the early exchanges without creating too many clear-cut chances before Eisfeld saw an effort well saved by Jose Moreira after being slotted in by Gnabry. Ansah was on hand to tap home the re-bound to open the scoring with his first goal at this level.

Scott Dobbie, who scored a late equaliser with a free-kick when these sides met at Underhill earlier in the season, teed up Kurtis March from a similar set-piece, but the latter could only succeed in diverting the ball wide.

At the other end, Eisfeld was beginning to become more heavily involved, and threaded the ball through to Craig Eastmond, who saw his effort saved before Oguzhan Ozyakup was also denied by Moreira.

Arsenal would make it 2-0 before the break, though, when Gnabry headed home after Kyle Ebecilio’s initial effort was parried.

Eisfeld, as had been pre-planned, was withdrawn at half-time and replaced by Josh Rees, with the young German having acquitted himself well in the opening period.

Ansah found Rees, but the midfielder could only divert his effort straight at Moreira. Ozyakup, who was perhaps Arsenal’s outstanding player on the night, threaded in Ebecilio with an instinctive ball, but his compatriot shot wide.

Ozyakup then went close himself from distance, and had another opportunity before the final whistle, but, in the end, two goals were enough to secure Arsenal’s first win at this level in 2012.

The performances of Ozyakup and Eisfeld offered encouragement, whilst coach Neil Banfield will also be pleased with his side’s defensive solidity.