Town's U18s produced an impressive display to beat third-placed Millwall 5-3 at Playford Road on Saturday morning in their first game back after the Christmas break. Tyreece Simpson (2), Idris El Mizouni, Dylan Crowe and Lounes Foudil netted the goals for the Blues who remain second in the Professional Development League Two South table.
Armando Dobra stung Millwall keeper Joe Wright's palms with a fierce strike early on, shortly before Jay Barton cut in from the left at the other end and fired a shot that clipped the bar on its way over.
Simpson then burst through on goal but somehow clipped the ball over Wright, and also the target.
But he made amends on 13 by firing the loose ball into the roof of the net from the edge of the box following a good run into the box by El Mizouni.
The French youngster caused the visiting defence more problems three minutes later and was brought down in the box after another impressive burst forward. El Mizouni took the spot-kick himself but Wright guessed correctly and dived to his right to push the ball away.
Within a minute though, the keeper spilled an effort from Kai Brown and El Mizouni reacted quickest to tuck the rebound into the net and deservedly double the Blues' lead following a blistering start.
On 36 the visitors pulled a goal back on a rare foray forward when a ball in from the left wasn't cleared and Sam Skeffington beat Jake Alley from the edge of the box.
As the half-time whistle approached, Zak Brown was fouled 25 yards from goal and right-back Crowe stepped up to curl the resultant freekick into the net, despite Wright getting a hand to the ball.
Five minutes after the restart the Lions hit back again when George Alexander was played through on goal, and he confidently found the bottom corner.
On the hour mark Millwall pulled themselves back level following a fine 30-yard free-kick from Reuben Duncan, which cleared the Town wall and dipped just under the bar.
Seven minutes later sub Foudil crashed a shot against the woodwork after Matt Healy's corner wasn't cleared by the visitors.
On 72 Lions keeper Wright was shown a red card after catching a bouncing ball about a yard outside his area. Millwall introduced their sub keeper but he wasn't tested as Dobra's freekick was well blocked by the defensive wall.
However, the young Blues did make the most of having an extra man as Foudil restored the lead on 81 and Simpson added a fifth late on to confirm the win and send Adem Atay and Kieron Dyer's side into Friday night's FA Youth Cup fixture at Gillingham full of confidence.
U18s: Alley, Crowe (O'Reilly 66), Smith, Healy (Baker), Fehrenbach, Henderson, Z Brown (Foudil 61), El Mizouni, Simpson, Dobra, K Brown. Unused: Bort, Ruffles.