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Town XI Draw at Hampton and Richmond - Ipswich Town News

A young Town development side drew 3-3 with Hampton and Richmond in an entertaining friendly at their Beveree Stadium on Tuesday evening with Darren McQueen netting a brace and Monty Patterson once.

The Blues started well and Patterson opened the scoring after seven minutes when he latched onto a long ball, looped it over keeper Jack Norton and rolled into an empty net.

Luis Morrison headed a corner just over Michael Crowe's bar, before Brendan Kiernan - a former AFC Wimbledon winger on trial with the Ryman Premier League side - broke on the left and crossed for Tashan Adeyinko to equalise from six yards, with the ball deflecting off Joe Robinson before crossing the line.

Mark Kennedy's side regained the lead shortly after the half-hour mark when Darren McQueen cut in from the left and hit a weak right-footed effort under Norton, who should really have kept it out.

Hampton's wide men Luke Wanadio and Kiernan were causing all sorts of problems with their pace and after Kundai Benyu conceded possession, Wanadio's cross from the right was met by Kieran who slid the ball inside the far post to equalise for a second time.

Skipper Matt Clarke did well to recover and prevent Kiernan having another clear sight of goal, before Patterson curled an effort inches wide of the far post at the other end before the half-time whistle.

Various substitutions disrupted the flow of the second half, and Adam McDonnell was given a five minute 'sin-bin' midway through the half, presumably for something he'd said to referee Thomas Harkin.

McQueen capitalised on a poor back header on 72 and nipped in to produce a good finish over sub keeper Dylan Barnes.

The home side continued to press and were rewarded with another equaliser with six minutes remaining - sub Charlie Moone finishing well after a mix-up at the back.

A draw was probably a fair result, although it was a pretty average performance from Town but with McQueen again demonstrating his fine finishing.

George Wells, who was recently on trial with the Blues, had a solid game skippering the hosts from left-back, but the pace and trickery of their wide men Wanadio and Kiernan really caught the eye.

Town XI: Crowe, Emmanuel, Wyatt (Kenlock 62), McDonnell, Robinson, Clarke, Galvin, Benyu (Gulbrandson 55), McQueen, Patterson (Ramadan 75), McLoughlin. Unused: Marsden, Ellis.

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