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U21s Beat Barnet - Ipswich Town News

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

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