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U18s Beat Bristol City in Eight-Goal Thriller - Ipswich Town News

Town's U18s fought back from going behind twice in the first half to beat Bristol City 5-3 at Playford Road on Saturday morning.

Harley Curtis cut the ball back to Allan Viral (pictured) on 14 but he somehow lifted the ball over the bar from close range, and the Blues then fell behind five minutes later when Robins' right-back Mark Thuo hit a low shot from the edge of the box that nestled in the bottom corner.

Town equalised on the half-hour mark when a fine ball from Tawanda Chirewa found Viral just outside the City box and a neat touch from the Frenchman released Curtis, who broke into the area and fired past keeper Luca Smith.

However on 37 the visitors retook the lead when a crossfield pass was neatly set up for the City number nine to hit a first-time left-foot effort which beat Antoni Bort in the Town goal.

Seven minutes later the scores were levelled at 2-2 when another defence-splitting pass from Chirewa released Curtis, and the striker took the ball forward before squaring it to Michael Bareck, who side-footed home for his third goal in two games following a brace at Coventry last week.

Just before the half-time whistle, Bareck played a ball into Chirewa from the right and the youngster slotted home near the penalty slot, but he was flagged offside.

However, with the hour-mark approaching, Viral won possession on the Town left and burst forward before toe-poking past Smith to put Town ahead for the first time.

The lead only lasted a few minutes though because Thierry Swaby slid in to convert a low cross from the visiting left-back to make it 3-3.

Adem Atay's young side hit back again and regained the lead on 67 when Alfie Cutbush hit a low effort into the bottom corner from the edge of the box, and a late penalty from sub Colin Oppong sealed the 5-3 win in stoppage time.

U18s: Bort, Wyss (Bello 75), Baggott, Alexander, Stewart, Armin, Chirewa, Cutbush, Curtis, Viral (Oppong 63), Bareck (Corrigan 85). Unused: Alley, Kabongolo.

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