Town’s U18s set up an FA Youth Cup fourth round tie away at Sunderland after beating Colchester United 4-2 on penalties following a 0-0 draw after extra-time at the Weston Homes Community Stadium. Danish midfielder Victor Guldbrandsen (pictured) netted the decisive spotkick.
The Blues, wearing orange, started the game strongly but didn’t threaten until the ninth minute when Cemal Ramadan, playing on the right of a front three, forced U’s keeper Callum Robinson to punch away from under the bar.
Town continued to take the game to the home side with the match being played almost entirely in the Colchester half in a swirling wind which at times hampered the players.
On 13 left-back Myles Kenlock headed Monty Patterson’s right-sided corner over the bar. Two minutes later, New Zealand U20 international Patterson shot well over.
In the 24th minute Ramadan was played in on the left of the area by central striker Sam Ford after a slip by Joe Tennent, but shot over.
Colchester, who had largely been happy to sit back and soak up Town’s pressure, struck their first effort on goal, but Tyler Brampton’s shot after cutting in from the left failed to test Blues keeper Sam McDermid.
Two minutes later, Tennent headed over from a right-sided corner with the U’s starting to come into the game as an attacking force for the first time.
But the game soon returned to the same pattern of the Blues probing for an opening in the massed ranks of the Colchester backline.
Five minutes before the break Ramadan almost latched onto a Kundai Benyu through ball but his first touch on the turn just took it away from him.
There was a scare for U’s centre-half Jamie Stephens in the 42nd minute when he diverted an Emmanuel cross towards his own goal but fortunately straight to keeper Robinson.
Kenlock did well down the left but saw his cross cut out before the referee’s whistle signalled the end of the half.
The Blues went close to going in front four minutes after the restart. Benyu curled a superb freekick towards the top corner but Robinson somehow got across to tip over and make a fantastic save.
Moments later, Ford diverted Guldbrandsen’s low shot from the right wide as the Blues started the second half as they had ended the first.
Callum Harrison hit a low effort through to McDermid on 53, then a minute later Ford struck a shot from the edge of the box through to U’s keeper Robinson.
The U’s started to threaten as the game reached the hour mark, twice sending dangerous balls across the Town six-yard box but without anyone getting a touch.
On 64, after Patterson had hit a shot into the side-netting, Ford and Ramadan were replaced by Andre Dozzell and James Blanchfield.
Four minutes later, Danish midfielder Guldbrandsen smashed a shot not far over from distance with the Blues continuing to look the more likely scorers.
As the game moved into its final six minutes, sub Blanchfield shot not too far over from 30 yards, then Patterson hit an effort from the left but also too high.
In the 88th minute Town probably should have been awarded a penalty when Tennent pulled back Shane McLoughlin as the Blues striker chased a ball into the area.
The linesman flagged for a foul which appeared to be inside the box but referee Thomas Hancock gave a freekick an inch or so outside the box and failed to issue either a red - it seemed an obvious goalscoring opportunity - or yellow card. Dozzell curled the freekick just wide.
Blanchfield scuffed a shot to Robinson moments before the referee’s whistle confirmed 30 minutes of additional time.
Eight minutes into extra-time Patterson made a strong run down the middle before finding McLoughlin in space to his left but the Irishman slipped as he hit his shot.
Just before half-time in extra-time the U’s felt they ought to have been awarded a penalty. George Brown crossed from the right, the ball diverted out to sub Khristopher Oti, whose shot struck Luke Woolfenden on the hand as he fell to ground. Although it was unintentional, plenty of referees would have given it.
On 108 McLoughlin flicked a header through to Robinson with neither side coming particularly close to finally breaking the deadlock.
With two minutes to go, Patterson forced a sharp save from Robinson with a well-struck volley from Dozzell’s cut-back from the right. After a couple of Colchester freekicks the final whistle confirmed a penalty shoot-out.
Tariq Issa took the first kick for the U’s and blazed the ball miles over the bar. Patterson sent Robinson the wrong way to put the Blues 1-0 in front.
Cameron James netted his spotkick for Colchester to equalise, then Benyu slipped his kick into the corner of the net to make it 2-1. Stephens made it 2-2.
Blanchfield’s low penalty to Robinson’s right went in off the inside off the post before Tyler Brampton saw his kick saved by McDermid, the ball bouncing down off the keeper and up over the bar.
Midfielder Guldbrandsen stepped up to hit the winning spotkick low to Robinson’s net to confirm Town’s 4-2 victory on penalties and a place in round four where they will face Sunderland - who coincidentally defeated them on penalties at the third round stage last season - away from home.
Overall, the Blues were the better team but failed to turn their dominance into chances with the final ball lacking all too often.
However, after a tired additional 30 minutes, the young Blues held their nerve in the shoot-out, netting all their penalties.
Blues boss Mick McCarthy, first-teamers Cole Skuse and Paul Anderson, and academy coaches Jason Dozzell and Titus Bramble were amongst a large Town contingent who made the trip to North Essex.
Colchester United U18s: Robinson, Andrews (Downey 102), Brampton, James, Tennent, Stephens, Brown, Harrison, Atkin (Oti 77), Issa, Dunne (Cosgrave 105). Unused: Syrett, Wilson.
Town U18s: McDermid, Emmanuel, Kenlock, Guldbrandsen, Woolfenden, Smith, Ramadan (Dozzell 64), Benyu, Ford (Blanchfield 64), McLoughlin (Jones 101), Patterson. Unused: Hayes, Ellis.