Town’s U21s lost their opening Professional Development League game of the season 2-0 to Cardiff City in front of a crowd of more than 900 at Portman Road. The visitors netted twice in the first half via Etien Velikonja and Rhys Healey.
Town included trialists Jordan Adekunle, a winger who faced the Blues for Crawley in pre-season, and central midfielder Luke Dobie, who left Bristol City in the summer.
Kadeem Harris struck the game’s first shot straight at Blues keeper Michael Crowe in the fourth minute, moments later Crowe held on to another effort from distance from Filip Kiss.
On 11, Paul Taylor almost played in strike partner Jack Marriott but just over-hit his pass in an early phase of few chances.
The Blues went behind in the 18th minute via a freak goal. Schoolboy defender George Fowler - making his U21s debut - tried to clear around eight yards from goal but the ball cannoned into the net off Velikonja, off a hand, according to Freddie Veseli but not the referee.
A minute after the goal, Velikonja volleyed over from Harris’s cross from the left, then soon after Cardiff left-back Kane Owen lashed over with the visitors well on top.
Cardiff probably should have found themselves down to 10 men in the 24th minute when trialist Adekunle dispossessed Brad Williams five yards outside the area. The defender tripped the striker when he looked to have a free run in on goal but surprisingly referee Alexander Guy showed only a yellow card.
Paul Taylor forced Cardiff keeper Simon Moore — formerly of Brentford - to save impressively down to his left from the freekick.
The Blues came close again on the half hour when Jack Marriott ran on to Anthony Wordsworth’s pass, cut in from the left and hit a shot which beat Moore but struck the bar.
Two minutes later, the first-year pro shot over from just inside the box. On 36, Moore was out quickly to block from Adekunle.
Town should have been level within a minute, David October bringing the ball down the left completely unchallenged before cutting it back to Wordsworth, who turned his shot over the bar from 15 yards when he ought to have scored.
Cardiff came close to adding to their lead in the 38th minute when Velikonja exchanged passes on the edge of the box but was thwarted by an advancing Crowe.
The Town keeper tipped Owen’s 25-yard shot over in the 43rd minute after Taylor had failed to clear after a Cardiff freekick had hit a Town wall.
In the final scheduled minute of the first half, the Welshmen went further in front when Theo Wharton crossed from the right and Healey headed home at the far post. The half-time scoreline was harsh on the Blues, who had had chances of their own.
Trialist Adekunle curled a cross-shot not far over the bar from the left three minutes into the second half.
On 55, Wordsworth curled a shot over, then three minutes later Harris forced Crowe into a save with his feet. The visitors were comfortably holding on to their lead at this stage but without looking like they might add to it.
Good work from Taylor almost played in Marriott in the 59th minute but the youngster’s touch let him down as he tried to take the ball down and turn into the box.
In the 61st minute trialist Dobie, who was tidy but didn’t particularly stand out, and schoolboy Fowler were replaced by Amir Berkane and Kyle Hammond, Veseli moving to centre-half.
Adekunle forced Moore into a save with a low shot on 77 before Tom Winter hit an effort across the face of goal from the right. A minute later, Christophe Berra headed Taylor’s cross straight at Moore.
The Blues continued to push for a goal and on 81 October crossed from the left but Marriott failed to connect cleanly. The loose ball fell to Adekunle, but he was unable to get over his shot and the ball flew over. At the other end, Harris stabbed the ball wide after running in on the left.
Marriott’s 89th minute shot from the edge of the box which was deflected over was the final chance of the game.
The result was a touch harsh on the Blues after what had been a fairly even game overall. However, Cardiff took their chances when they came, while Town wasted their better opportunities, most notably Wordsworth’s miss in the first half, while Marriott was unfortunate with his effort against the bar and kept pushing right until the end.
Trialist Adekunle was less of a threat than he was against the Irish development side last week, although the pacey winger still had his moments, as did Taylor as he continues to work towards full fitness.
U21s: Crowe, Veseli, October, Dobie (Berkane 61), Fowler (Hammond 61), Berra, Winter, Wordsworth, Marriott, Taylor, Adekunle. Unused: Marsden, Leddy, M Clarke. Att: 926.