Town's U21 side came from behind to beat Barnet 3-2 at Playford Road on Sunday morning. A hat-trick from academy striker Jack Marriott sealed the win for Mark Kennedy's young side.

Town didn't field a single overage outfield player with Cheick Kourouma and Byron Lawrence the two most well-known players on show. Trialist keeper Rhys Taylor, who was released by Chelsea in the summer, was in goal.

The visitors came close to opening the scoring after eight minutes but Taylor produced a fine reflex save to push George Sykes's header onto the bar before Kyle Hammond cleared the danger.

As the first half progressed, few chances were created until Barnet took the lead on 34 minutes. Andy Yiadom's header back across the area found former Charlton defender Jon Fortune who prodded the ball in from close range.

Soon after, Blues skipper Joe Whight volleyed Lawrence's corner over when he should have hit the target, before Town did equalise on 39.

David October's long ball was inadvertently headed into the path of Marriott by Jamal Hachet and the young striker confidently slotted the ball past keeper Matt Gill.

Taylor comfortably saved Jamal Lowe's weak effort before Marriott could have given Town an unlikely half-time lead, but his touch was too heavy and the ball ran through to the grateful Gill.

Marriott had another chance to put Town ahead on 53 after a good ball from Tom Winter, but this time Gill stood up well and saved.

The visitors regained the lead a minute later when Lowe cut the ball back to Iffy Allen who placed his shot just inside the post from the edge of the box.

However, Marriott equalised for the second time shortly after the hour mark when he fired home from six yards after the visitors failed to deal with a corner.

Taylor then fumbled the impressive Luke Gambin's shot from the edge of the area, but the keeper gathered before Lowe could pounce.

The Blues came close to taking the lead with nine minutes remaining when Lawrence's corner caused a goalmouth scramble. Hammond's header was blocked on the line before Amir Berkane's strike was somehow kept out by Gill.

Taylor blocked well from Yiadom after Gambin's pull back, before Marriott claimed his hat-trick as the final whistle approached. He burst past Fortune before setting up Lawrence, whose shot was blocked, but the ball fell kindly to Marriott who slammed in the winner.

It was a fairly unconvincing display from Town's youngsters, although Whight looked solid at centre-half. Kourouma still seemed a little off the pace, while trialist Taylor made a few good stops and wasn't at fault for either Barnet goal.

U21s: Taylor, Hammond, October, Berkane (Willbye 88), Thorsteinsson, Whight, Winter, Kourouma (Leddy 76), Marriott, Lawrence, Timlin. Unused: Crowe, Robinson, Thompson.

Report: James Ager

Photo: Action Images

kozmik added 13:20 - Sep 30 give him a go v Brighton
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irishtim added 15:15 - Sep 30 Yep lets unleash this kid. Might get more than our overpaid underachievers.
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JS14 added 15:18 - Sep 30 I am getting excited by the prospect of Mr Marriott
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Jon_456 added 15:18 - Sep 30 Why has he not been given a chance in the first team yet?!
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Tractamatt added 15:21 - Sep 30 I know Mr Jewell lets do something different and use striker who knows how to hit the back of the net instead of letting him move on to another club and watching as they sell him for ooo..lets say £8million
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BirdMan added 15:50 - Sep 30 Well played boys.... Any one know how the U18's got on?
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Wickets added 16:02 - Sep 30 Never seen him probley not ready yet but how much worse can it get?? we are second from bottom with the worst goal differance in the league.
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CornardBlue added 16:56 - Sep 30 Start putting him on bench, lets face it he cannot do any worse than our present forwards.
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muccletonjoe added 17:52 - Sep 30 Not much point in mentioning this with the manager we have got at the moment , but if we put marriott , lawrence and october in the side WHAT EXACTLY WOULD WE HAVE TO LOSE ?????
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PhilTWTD added 18:08 - Sep 30 U18s lost 2-1, not sure of the scorer at the moment.
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Edmunds5 added 18:34 - Sep 30 We should be giving these younger lads at least a run out but Jewell most probably say that he needs experience at a time like this and younger players should come in when the teams doing well. The one thing Roy Keane should be given credit for is how he wasnt afraid to give Wickham a go and he done well for us and would have liked him to develop at us but at least we made a decent investement. We cant do any worse and he might even give the team a bit of energy like Sterling has done at Liverpool.

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oscarwhiting added 20:10 - Sep 30 Put Marriott in the first teem for god sake he scores week in week out for the u 21 but yet again jewell only thinks about the oldies
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ericclacton added 20:19 - Sep 30 I can understand the comments, but to put a young player in a team without confidence can be counterproductive, you can imagine PJ and his coaching staff shouting at him to do things differently.
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Garv added 20:43 - Sep 30 Some of these comments are hilarious.
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hairbear added 20:52 - Sep 30 JEWEL OUT!!!
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petermorris added 20:55 - Sep 30 Anon Comb Over n Clegg will be rubbing their hands. Comb Over (Hidden bunker somewhere in Ireland. Scrabbled phone line.): ‘Major Clegg!! - Sell Marriott to Huddersfield ….. 200K cash — no dithering for once…'.
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ericclacton added 21:22 - Sep 30 I can vaguely remember John Wark made his debut at centre back aged 17, to his right was Allan Hunter, at left back Mick Mills. Robson knew he would perform, the team oozed confidence. Plese tell me if ive got that wrong. really good site well done philTWTD.
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algarvefan added 00:12 - Oct 1 ericclacton....now those were the days. Players are protected too much these days, especially young 'uns. Blood the youth and be damned I say, cause our current first team are poor!!!
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hulltractor added 06:05 - Oct 1 Surely can't hurt to at least put this Marriott kid on the bench Tuesday? He's the only striker at the club scoring at the minute. If your good enough your old enough. Give the lad a chance I say.
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ericclacton added 09:07 - Oct 1 Good point algarvefan good point.
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