Town's U18s were held to a disappointing 0-0 draw at Kirkley and Pakefield against the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side's first team in their opening pre-season friendly in front of new academy director Bryan Klug.

Byron Lawrence was left out of the squad in preparation for the first-team's trip to Holland, although the 16-year-old first-year scholar, who made his senior debut on the final day of last season at Doncaster, was watching from the sidelines.

The game got off to a bad start for Kirkley's Lee Hunter who was stretchered off after just ten minutes following an innocuous block.

The hosts' Scott Manning found the back of Town's net after 16 minutes but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Scott Woodcock blazed over from a good position five minutes later, prior to Russell Stock forcing Town’s Norwegian keeper Michael Crowe to parry his effort away for a corner soon after.

The Blues’ first opportunity came just after the half hour mark when Tom Winter hit an effort from just outside the box that Kirkley keeper Jordan Smith got down low to push round a post.

Skipper Gunnar Thorsteinsson dragged his shot wide before Kyle Baker hit the bar for the home side with a good shot from the left.

Both teams made a host of substitutions at half-time and throughout the second half, with a number of Town's new first-year scholars getting a run out.

The hosts were denied by a linesman's flag for the second time on the hour mark, before Mark Timlin crashed a freekick against a post on 66 minutes after Thorsteinsson had been fouled 20 yards out.

Winter was inches away from connecting with Timlin's left wing cross five minutes later. However, the hosts finished the stronger with Michael Tacon wasting their best chance on 73 when he pulled his shot wide.

In front of watching first team staff members Chris Hutchings and Sean McCarthy, none of the Town side really stood out, with the game having the feel of a typical first pre-season fixture being used as a fitness exercise for both sides.

U18s: Crowe (Tongue 60), Hammond, October, Sowunmi, Thorsteinsson, Leddy (Willbye 46), Acott (Robinson 46), Meikle (Berkane 46), Winter, Bishop (Clarke 60), Timlin.

Report: James Ager

Photo: Action Images

Sindre94 added 20:17 - Jul 14 Clean sheet, cant complain!
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zebra added 20:26 - Jul 14 K & P are not a poor team by any means. To draw with them - bearing in mind the pschycological boost of playing 'us' - I think we did well to draw. Let's encourage these lads - hopefully they're our future.
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Sindre94 added 21:06 - Jul 14 good comment zebra
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im_marcacus added 21:34 - Jul 14 Great to see the young'uns today, bit scrappy but tried to play a good passing game on the deck. Pleased to see so many of the coaching team made an appearance too.
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stoofer added 23:17 - Jul 14 one or two average showings but a pretty poor game in general,early games hopefully can only improve, too early to judge coyb.
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Sindre94 added 23:35 - Jul 14 how did my fellow norwegian boy do?
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countrygirl added 00:19 - Jul 15 was at the match.good performance by the lads. No 6 for us had a good 1st half and moved the ball well. Strange move to see him substituted in 2nd half.
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WaltownBlueNaze added 08:50 - Jul 15 I thought the lad 'Robinson' had a good second half - looked composed for a 16 year old - considering he is right footed and played as the left centre back - one for the future ?
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gixxeral added 13:35 - Jul 15 Kyle Baker was in the wrong shirt. Potentially a great player and at 18 he could make it at Ipswich.
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dirtyboy added 15:47 - Jul 15 Baker looked good, heard loads of people around the ground mentioning someone 'Crisp' for K&P and that he'd have been the best player on the park by a country mile. Never seen him myself.
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sudburyblue16 added 17:23 - Jul 15 gixxeral...are you Kyle Baker's mum/dad/girlfriend?!
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