Town’s U18s won their annual friendly fixture at Southwold Town 3-1 on Friday evening. A brace from Tom Winter (pictured) and one from Matt Clarke sealed the win in a game which was stopped nine minutes early because of fading light, having previously been briefly halted due to a streaker.
Town's Norwegian keeper Michael Crowe was forced to push away Morgan Jones’s early effort, before Winter’s freekick was pushed round the post by home stopper Jimmy Bligh.
On 16, Winter’s cross was met by Ed Ellis, but Bligh blocked the young striker’s effort.
Bligh was called into action again just before the half hour mark when he brilliantly clawed Gunnar Thorsteinsson’s header away after a good cross from Mark Timlin.
However, the hosts took the lead on 37 when Matt Clarke was dispossessed in the middle of the field and Russell Palmer struck a low, left-foot shot past the despairing dive of Crowe.
Within a minute Town were level when a ball through the middle of the home defence was toe-poked home by Winter.
Clarke redeemed himself three minutes before the interval when he met Kyle Hammond’s cross from the right and headed past Bligh, who managed to get a strong hand to the ball but was unable to keep it out.
Town increased their lead on 49 when Hammond’s cross was stroked into the net by Winter.
Ellis cut through the home backline and was destined to find the net, but a great saving block from Gavin Palmer kept Town’s advantage down to two goals.
The game was then held up for a short period as a streaker entered the field of play, before leaving of his own accord.
On 73, Winter’s right-wing cross was met by Timlin, whose shot was somehow tipped over the bar by Bligh.
Two minutes later Hammond should have scored after being played in by Zodel Brown - a 16-year-old right winger from academy director Bryan Klug's former club Tottenham - but the right-back blazed his shot over.
The referee brought the game to an early end on 81 minutes due to the bad light.
Winter’s two goals and all-round performance will have impressed watching Town boss Paul Jewell and assistant Chris Hutchings, as will the composure of young centre-back Joe Robinson.
U18s: Crowe (Marsden 59), Hammond, October, Meikle, Thorsteinsson, Robinson (Cursons 59), Brown, Clarke, Winter, Ellis, Timlin.
Report: James Ager