Town’s U23s fell to their first defeat since mid-October as they were beaten 2-0 by Sheffield United at Portman Road in the Premier League Cup. Jordan Hallam and Tyler Smith netted the Blades goals in the first half.
Trialist Mohammed Sagaf, a 20-year old central midfielder currently with Waltham Forest started having come on as a sub in last week’s 3-0 victory over QPR.
Adam McDonnell, playing off main striker Aaron Drinan, struck the game’s first shot wide after three minutes.
The visitors went ahead in the 12th minute via their first effort of the match. Tyler Smith outmuscled Blues left-back Tristan Nydam on the Blades right and crossed low to Hallam, who swept a shot across Michael Crowe and beyond the diving keeper’s right hand.
Two minutes later, Sagaf played a ball into the area to Ben Folami, playing on the left with Ben Morris on the right. The Australian did well to take it down and shoot but his effort was too close to visitors keeper Marcus Dewhurst.
On 18 Luke Hyam was booked for a foul, then soon after Sagaf curled a shot from the edge of the box through to Dewhurst. In the 21st minute the trialist struck another effort high and wide.
Two minutes later, Drinan cleverly played Folami in on goal with a reverse pass from the left but a Sheffield United defender managed to get back to take the ball away from the U23s top scorer.
Town should have levelled on 29 from McDonnell’s right-sided corner but Chris Smith volleyed deep into the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand when he should have scored.
Almost immediately, Sheffield United should have doubled their lead, Hallam playing in Smith inside the area but he screwed wide when he ought to have done much
better.
And on 33, with Town having been on top for the preceding spell, the Blades did add to their lead.
Following a quickly taken freekick midway inside the Blues half and with the Town backline sleeping, Tyler Smith was played in on goal and this time he stabbed the ball under Crowe and into the net.
Almost immediately it was nearly 3-0. A cross from the right reached Stephen Mallon, who was wearing a protective mask, beyond far post and his shot was cleared off the line by Town skipper Chris Smith.
The Blades weren’t too far away again on 39, captain Regan Slater, who impressed as a sub in the recent FA Cup tie between the clubs, turned Hallam’s corner wide at the near post, the ball appearing to catch a Town player even if referee Will Finnie awarded a goalkick.
Ched Evans, who had had a quiet half as he made his comeback from ankle surgery, should have made it 3-0 just before the break but somehow diverted a corner from the left wide from a matter of feet.
In stoppage time, moments before the whistle, Blades defender Sam Graham was booked for a foul on McDonnell, who was less than impressed by the challenge.
The Blades could well have been more than just the two goals ahead at the break having had by far the better of the chances.
After going behind early on, the Blues had begun to get on top midway through the half when skipper Smith ought to have scored.
But the South Yorkshiremen quickly added their second goal and subsequently had plenty of opportunities to further increase their lead in the latter stages.
Four minutes after the restart, a flowing Town move ended with Nydam’s cross almost deflecting in at Dewhurst’s right post but the keeper managed to get down sharply to save.
The Blades had the better of the second half’s opening spell but on 55 McDonnell ran on to a ball on the left of the area, however, his shot flew into the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.
Tyler Smith had the ball in the net for the Blades on 61 but with the linesman’s flag raised, then as Town prepared to take the freekick they swapped Evans for Jack Wright.
Drinan headed over from a corner on 64, then a minute later shot not too far wide after being teed-up by Morris. From the corner, skipper Smith headed wide at the far post and will again feel he ought to have hit the target.
The Blues were beginning to get on top again and in the 68th minute Nydam crossed from the left and Drinan headed goalwards but without being able to find the direction or power to beat Dewhurst.
Trialist Sagaf was replaced by McKendry on 70 having shown confidence on the ball but looking a little lightweight. The Northern Irishman moved to the left of midfield with McDonnell joining Hyam in a central midfield pairing and Folami moving up alongside Drinan in a front two.
The Blues weren’t far away from pulling a goal back on 74 when Shane McLoughlin, playing at right-back, crossed and left-back Nydam slid in at the far post but sent it over the bar.
In the closing stages, Morris hit a 25-yard half-volley which Dewhurst claimed to his right, then with a minute left on the clock Hyam, who will have benefited from the run-out, was replaced by Bailey Clements and seconds before the whistle Drinan was swapped for Monty Patterson.
The young Blues, watched by manager Mick McCarthy and his assistant Terry Connor, had one or two chances in the second half but never really made a convincing case that they would be able to get back into the game.
Gerard Nash’s team remain second in their Premier League Cup group in front of the Blades on goal difference ahead of Thursday’s game against West Brom at St George’s Park in the same competition in which midfielder Tom Adeyemi may make his return from injury.
U23s: M Crowe, McLoughlin, Nydam, Hyam (Clements 89), C Smith (c), Webber, Morris, Sagaf (McKendry 70), Drinan (Patterson 90, McDonnell, Folami. Unused: H Wright, McKendry, Ndaba.
Sheffield United: Dewhurst, Deidrick-Roberts (Portman 69), Norrington-Davies, Doherty, Graham, Mallon (Broadbent 83), Gilmour, Slater (c), Evans (J Wright 61), Hallam, T Smith. Unused: Warhurst, Oure.