Shane McLoughlin’s goal just before the break saw Town’s U21s - who included Teddy Bishop - to a 1-0 victory over Sheffield Wednesday at Portman Road.
Bishop continued his comeback from injury playing in a deep-lying central midfield in an U21s side featuring no other first-team regulars aside from keeper Dean Gerken. For the Owls, former Town academy striker Caolan Lavery skippered, while ex-Town keeper Lewis Price was on their bench.
Blues frontman Shane McLoughlin was unable to gain control of a bouncing ball when running on goal early on, then on eight Wednesday’s Matt Penney curled a freekick well wide from 25 yards.
With rain falling heavily, the visitors went close on 17 when Ryan Meadows headed wide at the far post, then a minute later the midfielder flicked just wide after a freekick was sent in from deep.
The Owls continued to have the better of the few chances in an evenly-balanced game and just after the half hour Jack Stobbs curled a freekick which struck the outside of Dean Gerken’s left post.
On 39 Northern Ireland international Lavery turned a Stobbs cross from the right well over from the edge of the area.
A minute later, McLoughlin was flagged offside having won a header from a goalkick. Blues U21s coach Mark Kennedy’s explanation to the linesman that a player can’t be offside from a goalkick was audible from the other side of the ground.
Town went ahead in the 42nd minute with their first serious chance of the game. James Blanchfield played a superbly weighted low pass across to McLoughlin in space breaking into the area and the Irish U18 international took a touch before confidently slipping the ball past Owls keeper Cameron Dawson and into the corner of the net.
Four minutes after the break, Monty Patterson cut in from the right and hit a low shot which the keeper saved comfortably.
On 57 goalscorer McLoughlin was forced off injured having undergone treatment for an injury on a couple of occasions. Ben Morris took over.
Good 1-0 win vs Sheffield Wednesday ⚽︖ James Blanchfield (@JamesBlanchy) April 11, 2016
Sub Morris scraped a shot wide three minutes after coming on, then Lavery dragged a good chance wide on the half-turn having been played in on the right of the area after Bishop had lost possession midway inside the Blues half.
The returning Bishop made way after 69 minutes in what looked like a pre-planned substitution after a quiet game.
Two minutes later, Wednesday sub Warren Clarke was found in space at a tight angle on the left and hit a low shot across Gerken, which the keeper did well to block.
Blanchfield shot wide from distance, then in the 75th minute Patterson broke forward before smashing a powerful effort which keeper Dawson pawed away for a corner.
Shane McLoughlin's first-half strike was enough for #itfc's U21 side to defeat #SWFC 1-0 at Portman Road on Monday.https://t.co/m4Z6LN5LiO– Ipswich Town FC (@Official_ITFC) April 13, 2016
From Andre Dozzell’s flag-kick Blanchfield headed goalwards at the far post but the ball was forced away from the line.
As the game moved into its final 10 minutes Owls sub George Hirst, son of former Wednesday striker David Hirst, burst away on the left but hit his shot well wide.
In injury time Gerken saved a header from a corner from Connor O’Grady, then the keeper was off his line to claim at Hirst’s feet but the young Blues weren’t U21s weren’t to be denied their victory.
After an even first half, the Blues were the better team after the break, keeping the ball well but, perhaps understandably with no out-and-out striker up front until Morris’s introduction, creating few clear-cut chances.
In front of the watching Mick McCarthy and Terry Connor, Bishop still looked some way off full fitness but will have benefited from getting most of another game under his belt, while keeper Gerken handled confidently throughout.
The U21s have hit a rich vein of form in the latter stages of the season, having won their last three games.
U21s: Gerken, Emmanuel, Kenlock, McDonnell, Digby, Robinson (c), Blanchfield, Bishop (McKendry 69), Patterson, McLoughlin (Morris 57), Dozzell. Unused: C Smith, Crowe, Benyu.
Sheffield Wednesday: Dawson, Tingey (Hirst 76), Penney, Lowe, O’Grady, Lee, Stobbs (Centeno 85), Croasdale, Lavery, Clare, Meadows (Clarke 70). Unused: Wallis, Price.