Town's youngsters bowed out of the FA Youth Cup as they, like their first team counterparts on Saturday, were defeated 2-1 by Sunderland at Portman Road.

Snowy conditions meant that the game kicked off 15 minutes late and the proceedings suffered due to the slippery pitch, the orange ball rarely passed around with too much panache.

Dean Bowditch's England U16 compatriot Grant Leadbitter had the first serious chance of the half in the 17th minute, his 20-yard freekick landing on the roof of Shane Supple's net.

Six minutes later Leadbitter put the Black Cats ahead with a speculative effort from the edge of the area. Town had failed to clear and the ball fell loose to the Sunderland striker who looped it back over his head and beyond Supple, a few yards off his line, and into the net.

The visitors had been the better side up to then with the Blues finding it hard to keep possession.

Dean Bowditch had Town's first opportunity in the 26th minute, the striker taking the ball in from the right but seeing his effort blocked by the onrushing Ben Alnwick in the Sunderland goal.

The Black Cats' goal seemed to have stirred the Blues into action and just after the half hour Scott Barron came close after a strong run and shot which Alnwick tipped round his right post.

Bowditch had a header from a corner blocked on the line before Liam Craig put Town back on terms. Turkish U17 international Adem Atay crossed very deep from the right, keeper Alnwick failed to get anywhere near it and Craig headed back towards goal.

A Sunderland defender tried to clear but the referee's assistant indicated to Mr Brockwell that the ball had crossed the line and the Blues were back on terms.

Sunderland defender Ryan Bell headed wide from a freekick in the 36th minute but two minutes before the break he put his side in front with a similar effort.

Leadbitter, the undoubted star of the Sunderland side, sent over a corner from the left, the entire Town defence missed it and Bell headed home at the far post.

Chances were few and far between in the second period, but early on Dean Bowditch was prevented once more by an onrushing Alnwick.

Town felt they should have had a penalty in the 64th minute when Scott Barron was clearly brought down by Niall Flynn as he set himself to shoot just inside the area, however, referee Brockwell was unimpressed with the appeals.

Leadbitter headed the visitors' last serious chance over the bar before Bowditch nodded a Barron corner into the sidenetting as the Blues failed to make a serious push for the equaliser which would have taken the game into extra-time.

Town suffered throughout from having both their top under-18 centre-halves missing, Aidan Collins suspended and Gerard Nash on the sidelines until next season after a cruciate ligament injury.

Conditions were hardly conducive to silky football, despite fine work from groundsman Alan Ferguson and his staff, but the result will still come as a disappointment after the win at Leeds in the previous round.

Town: Supple, Atay (Beveridge 85), Krause, Manning, Synnott, Mitchell, Flack, Barron, Bowditch, Reid (Knights 58 (Hammond 79)), Craig.

Photo: Action Images

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