Leiston striker Darren Mills netted an early winner in a game of many more substitutions than genuine scoring opportunities. Mills, 26, pounced in the fourth minute to secure victory as Mark Kennedy’s Town U21 side opened their pre-season campaign with a defeat at Victory Road.

Kennedy used all 23 players available to him, including senior squad member Cameron Stewart (pictured), who was excluded from manager Mick McCarthy’s Ireland-bound party and has been made available for transfer by the Blues boss.

By far the most experienced player on the pitch, Stewart produced only occasional glimpses of his undoubted ability and failed to stand out from the rest.

Town also included left-back Steph Bombelenga, a London-based trialist, who is spending a couple of weeks at Playford Road and the fact he was withdrawn at the break was no reflection on his performance.

Ipswich-born Mills, whose six-year Army stint is due to end in three weeks, connected with a long clearance from defender Leon Ottley-Gooch before looping the ball over Town captain Joe Robinson and keeper Michael Crowe then using his chest to provide the finishing touch.

Town had plenty of possession in the first half, with central midfield players Andre Dozzell and Kundai Benyu in impressive form, but they lacked a cutting edge up front.

Approaching the half-hour mark they threatened an equaliser but left-winger Cemal Ramadan, who earlier blasted high over the top, headed over from Stewart’s cross and then blazed high and wide.

Benyu, who earned favourable mentions from McCarthy towards the end of last season, came close within three minutes of the restart. However, having shrugged off a couple of challenges, he sliced wide.

The industrious Mills caused the Town defence several anxious moments with his pace and linked up effectively with co-striker Christy Finch, making his first appearance for the Ryman Premier side after his recent move from Wroxham.

But when his chance came to add a second goal he fluffed it, failing to make clean contact from substitute Josh Merritt’s low cross, and when he did well to get in a looping header Crowe was at full stretch to keep the ball out at the expense of a corner.

Stewart was withdrawn after 65 minutes and within seconds Town substitute Ross Meldrum, a Scottish first-year scholar, let rip with a shot from outside the box that flew just inches over the bar.

When keeper Michael Crowe was taken off in the 68th minute it meant the entire Town starting line-up had been replaced and one of the many academy scholars who were introduced, Nick Ingram, forced Leiston’s substitute goalkeeper Jack Spurling into a smart save.

Leiston: Jones, Saker, Jefford, Ottley-Gooch, Dunbar, Winter, Heath, Cunningham, Brothers, Finch, Mills.

Town U21s: Crowe, Woolfenden, Smith, Robinson, Bombelenga, Stewart, Benyu, Dozzell, Ramadan, McLoughlin, Ford. Subs: Hayes, Jones, Daly, McKendry, Blanchfield, Folami, Cole, Muamba, Cathline, Meldrum, Ingram, Morris.

Photo: Action Images

pastystringbean added 23:00 - Jul 11 I actually watched the game and am totally amazed Stewart was playing, I'm sorry but until reading this at 22:58 I didn't realise he was playing! It did look like men against boys for most of the match imo.
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KiwiTractor added 23:52 - Jul 11 Bye bye Cameron
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BrettenhamBlue added 03:37 - Jul 12 First u21 game I've got to see in 3 years and it was a sobering experience. Thought Dozzell looked good at times but Leiston really outplayed us for long periods of the match. As Pastrysstringbean said, men against boys. I didn't even know Stewart was playing either. Mills, Jefford, Ottley-Gooch and Finch looked very solid for Leiston. Dunbar also played a blinder. A thoroughly deserved win for Leiston who could have (and should have) won by more.

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jas0999 added 08:38 - Jul 12 Not good if we can't beat Leiston. Confirms suspicions that the younger reserve players are generally not ready for a first team promotion challenge. Time to sign some championship ready players. We look very light of numbers at the back and could still do with a regular goal scorer in that midfield. Two or three still required.
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GiveusaWave added 11:01 - Jul 12 Agree fully with Jas0999. Would say we still need 5 more first team players to be ready for the season. 1 goalkeeper, 2 defenders and 2 midfielders. We need to compensate for potential injuries rather than getting in emergency loan players in January. Strikers wise, we seem good. Murphy, McDonnell, Mcgoldrick, Pittman and Sears is a good combination. Sounds like most of these players here (including Stewart) are not ready for first team football.

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Seasider added 14:47 - Jul 12 Was disappointed with this under 21's display especially as I understood Leiston were without 5 first team players and their Manager Richard Wilkins I believe was still on holiday.Realise that 3 or 4 of our boys were also in Eire. Looked toothless up front and despite having majority of midfield, play broke down in last third,also played to narrow. Didn't notice Kennedy;but during interval saw Brian Klug talking at some length with Cameron Stewart,clearly didn't have any effect as he was useless.Didn't take players on,played easy sideways or back passes and hardly got a cross in.No wonder he was substituted.Whether this display was last straw,or whether he already knew he was transfer listed I don't know;but Town looked better after he went off.Perhaps the £800,000 he received,being the difference between his Leeds wages and money he is currently receiving,has made him complacent;but if he puts in performances like that wont be getting mega bucks in the future;so suggest he save some as a football career is relatively short .

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blueboy1981 added 20:33 - Jul 12 ........ only a nothing game - but one we should have been out of sight in. Bit of a sobering experience for some who think we have such good youngsters 'coming through', and ready for Championship action. Clock is ticking down - and we need a few additions, with quality and experience, added to the squad. Can't see any spending as yet of any of the 'Mings' money, as some expected and predicted. Absolutely as I expected - no more, no less - so not at all surprised.

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itfcjoe added 11:34 - Jul 13 Incredible to think that people assume that players who are so far down the pecking order due to age or ability should turnover a good Leiston side. There are 22 players in Ireland, Berra, Murphy and McG unavailable, clearly a bit more business needing to be done so this wasn't even our 3rd XI - especially with likes of Patterson and Guldbrandsen not back either Most of the players on display were U17s and U18s, it wasn't really a reserve side

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blueboy1981 added 19:19 - Jul 13 .......... and still excuses roll off the keyboard from some - as they always and forever will.
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