A young Town U21 side surrendered a two-goal lead but still took a point from their Sunday lunchtime visit to league leaders Cardiff City. Amir Berkane (pictured) and Alan Lee put the Blues ahead but they were pegged back with the Bluebirds equalising in stoppage time.
Lee was the only senior Town player involved, while trialists Sam Westley, Roman Michael-Percil and Darren McQueen again featured in the starting line-up.
The Welsh side created the first opening after 10 minutes when Rhys Healey latched onto Thomas James’s long ball, but the striker dragged his shot wide under pressure from Matt Clarke.
Anthony Bell cut in from the left and flashed a shot across Michael Crowe’s goal and just wide, before Town came inches away from opening the scoring at the other end.
Byron Lawrence curled in a freekick from the right and a stretching Omar Sowunmi diverted the ball towards the net but it was hacked off the line by James.
As the half hour mark approached, Amir Berkane produced a fine block to prevent Healey’s goalbound shot testing Crowe or finding the net.
With five minutes of the half remaining Jack Willbye was dispossessed in central midfield and Tommy O’Sullivan released Healey, whose shot was pushed away to safety by Crowe.
Sowunmi then presented a gift to Healey with a short backpass that the striker intercepted, but after rounding Crowe the angle had tightened and the Town keeper got back to ensure a corner was all the home side gained.
Luke Coulson’s cross from the right found Jaye Bowen but his effort was blocked on the line by Town skipper Kyle Hammond to ensure the teams went into half-time level.
Town’s first chance of the second half came on 56 when Lawrence’s freekick should have been headed in by an unmarked Matt Clarke, but he failed to make contact with the ball.
The hosts broke up to the other end and Clarke came very close to putting Cardiff ahead when he inadvertently diverted Kane Owen’s low cross towards his own goal and was fortunate to see it strike Crowe before being cleared.
Town took an unexpected lead in the 61st minute when Hammond produced a driving run into the box before pulling the ball back for Berkane to slot home from close range.
Mark Kennedy’s side doubled their lead within a minute when Westley produced a fine cross from the left and former Cardiff striker Lee rose highest to head the ball back across goal and past Ben Wilson.
The hosts produced a quick response and pulled a goal back on 65 when Theo Wharton played a ball over the top that O’Sullivan took down well before touching it past the advancing Crowe and slotting into the unguarded net.
Darren McQueen hit a speculative volley from 25 yards out that dipped just wide of Wilson’s post before Lee was replaced by youngster George Clarke.
Moments later, Healey had the ball in the Town net but referee Russell had already blown for a foul on Crowe, who required some attention after landing awkwardly.
The Welsh side failed to clear Lawrence’s corner but Sowunmi could only fire over before the hosts completed the comeback and grabbed a point in stoppage time.
Coulson’s long ball into the box was knocked down by James and sub Dane Griffiths turned and hit a low shot past Crowe from 12 yards.
Although Town will feel disappointed to have lost their lead, a draw was probably a fair result with Cardiff generally having more of the play. Trialist McQueen impressed with some neat touches, while Hammond and Matt Clarke defended well at the back throughout.
U21s: Crowe, Hammond, Westley (Leddy 90), Berkane, Sowunmi, M Clarke, Michael-Percil (Galvin 87), Lawrence, Lee (G Clarke 73), Willbye, McQueen. Unused: McDermid.