Northern Ireland U21 international Caolan Lavery did his hopes of winning a professional contract no harm by netting the first goal as Town’s U18s beat Leicester City 3-0 at Playford Road this afternoon. The Canadian-born frontman put the Blues ahead on the half hour, defender Callum Bennett scored the second six minutes later and midfielder Byron Lawrence added the third in the final moments.

Lavery, 18, had his academy scholarship extended until October after suffering a knee injury in last November’s FA Youth Cup defeat to Peterborough and missing a large part of the last campaign.

In the early weeks of this season the youngster from Red Deer, Alberta has been in a rich vein of goalscoring form for both the reserves and the U18s, netting after coming on as a sub for the second string in Tuesday’s 8-1 victory over Gillingham and notching his third league goal of 2011/12 for the senior academy side in this afternoon's game with a shot on the turn.

Manager Paul Jewell says he's been impressed with Lavery’s improved fitness and attitude and will be making a decision on the striker, who has previously been linked with Leicester and Spurs, in the weeks to come: “He was unlucky because he was injured last year. We gave him until October to prove his fitness and to see if he’s worth a pro contract.

“He’s done well and he’s one we have to make a decision on in the next week or two. Certainly, he’s got good desire.

“He’s come back a lot fitter and shown a good attitude, so we’ll be sitting down to discuss what we’re going to do with him.”

Callum Bennett's goal came from a cross by Carel Tiofack, while schoolboy Byron Lawrence, who was in the first team squad for the Carling Cup game against Northampton earlier in the season, beat four Foxes defenders before planting a shot past the visitors' keeper.

Meanwhile, Town's U16 side beat the same opposition 1-0.

U18s: O'Donnell, Jones, October, Maduako, Acott, Thorsteinsson, Meikle (Timlin 85), Bennett, Lavery (Simmons 60), Lawrence, Tiofack (Marriott 60). Unused: Scotcher, Winter.

Photo: Action Images

Garv added 18:30 - Sep 17 If we could have 7 bloody subs we could put him on the bench and give him a run out!
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ITFC4daprem added 18:39 - Sep 17 sounds promising give him a go pj
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SouperJim added 19:00 - Sep 17 Hello, I think Phil's snappy headline generator is on the fritz...
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TractorBeezer added 19:30 - Sep 17 Well done Caolan. You sound like a good'un! Canadians have left quite a legacy at PR including Frank Yallop, Craig Forrest, Jason Devos...and hopefully Jaime Peters.
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rikksow added 21:51 - Sep 17 Didn't Asmir Begovic also represent Canada at some level or other? we have a good history with Canadian players. Probably more than any other european club.
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Garv added 01:27 - Sep 18 Put Jamie on the wing and he'll shine. I think there comes a time when the manager has to maybe come round to a fan's way of thinking, a fan who has been supporting the club for years and years and take a chance. Peters in no defender, he attacks, let him do it as we have trouble in that position at present.
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DiamondGezzer added 07:39 - Sep 18 Garv :- Agree. Everybody keeps saying we need pace in the team [ can he be that bad in training ? ]
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ipswich_is_the_best added 08:03 - Sep 18 This bloke is gonna be big I hope it's with us and not some 1 else He scores a couple every game normally and he's got skills
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clive_baker added 09:57 - Sep 18 Since when has Peters had pace? He's not particularly quick at all. I'm looking forward to seeing how Lavery and in especially Byron Lawrence develop over then next 12 months.
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