Substitute Zak Brown scored a hat-trick and Brett McGavin two penalties as Town’s U23s staged a remarkable comeback to beat Birmingham City 5-4 at their Trillion Trophy Training Centre this afternoon and go top of their league having been 3-0 behind.
The Blues were two behind at the break and the home side added a third three minutes after the restart, Josh Andrews completing the first of the game's two hat-tricks with a penalty, before the Town youngsters staged an extraordinary fightback.
The first of McGavin’s two spot-kicks pulled a goal back on 52, then Brown, who had come on at the break, added a second 10 minutes later.
McGavin's second penalty three minutes later levelled the scores, before Andrews netted his and Birmingham's fourth in the 75th minute to it 4-3.
But Brown headed his second to equalise on 83 and in the 88th minute rounded the keeper to claim all three points for Town.
A third win on the trot puts Gerard Nash’s Blues top of Professional Development League Two South but having played two games more than second-placed Bristol City, who are a point behind with a 100 per cent record from their three games.
Meanwhile, Town’s U18s are in action at home to Barnsley in a behind-closed-doors game at Playford Road on Saturday morning.
U23s: White, Crowe, Stewart, Ndaba, Smith (c), McGavin, Crane, Healy (Chiwera 79), Viral (Brown 46), Gibbs, Dobra. Unused: Ridd, Armin.