Town's U18s exited the Suffolk FA Premier Cup after a 6-2 defeat to Leiston at Victory Road on Wednesday evening. Goals from Kieron Cathline (pictured) and Sam Ford weren't enough for the Blues, who were up against an almost full-strength Leiston side.
Blues keeper Jacob Marsden made his first start for 18 months following a serious injury, while Leiston, who are second in the Ryman League Premier Division, fielded ex-Blues youngsters Seb Dunbar, Stuart Boardley and Tom Winter, with Billy Clark on the bench. One-time trialist Joe Francis played on the left wing.
The hosts enjoyed plenty of possession early on and John Sands fired a volley inches over before Dunbar broke forward and hit a shot across Marsden which cannoned off the inside of the far post midway through the first half.
With the half-time whistle approaching, Gareth Heath gave Leiston the lead when his deflected shot from 12 yards beat Marsden after a good move on the left.
The same two players were involved in at he home side's second goal 10 minutes after the break. Marsden failed to collect a low cross from the right and then hauled down Heath in the box. Francis stepped up and confidently put the penalty into the bottom left corner of the net.
Town pulled a goal back on 63 when Ross Meldrum's freekick was headed in by Cathline at the far post, but within a minute Heath's corner was powered home by Leon Ottley-Gooch at the other end.
Marsden then did well to tip Christy Finch's deflected effort wide but he was beaten again on 73 when Town failed to clear their lines from a corner and the ball rebounded into the net off the back of an unfortunate Town defender.
To their credit Town's youngsters kept battling and they were rewarded two minutes later when Conor McKendry's chipped ball over the defence was controlled and slotted past the advancing Jones by Ford.
Although they continued to press to reduce the deficit, Town conceded a fifth on the break in the final minute when Winter skipped away from Maynard's challenge and squared the ball to Finch, who finished with ease.
In stoppage time Leiston scored their sixth goal when Finch's near-post flick from a corner was helped over the line by Boardley.
The final scoreline somewhat flattered the home team after a competitive and entertaining game in which Town's youngsters had matched the Ryman Premier League side for most of the second round tie, the Blues first game in the competition since 2012/13.
McKendry was undoubtedly the stand-out performer for Town with the Northern Irish U17 international producing a number of fine touches and dangerous runs through the home side's defence.
U18s: Marsden, Fowler (Woolfenden 74), Daly, Maynard, Salaudeen, Cathline, Jones, Meldrum (Muamba 74), Ford, Ingram (Downes 60), McKendry. Unused: Wright, Fullwood. Att: 156.