Town’s U18s defeated their Colchester United counterparts 7-4 in a remarkable Professional Development League Two South match at Playford Road this morning, Shakil Nicolaou and Sid Eldred (pictured) netting two goals apiece and Afi Adebayo, Will Unadike, Jackson Nsofor once each.
It was the second meeting of the season for the sides, Town, who still have U21s coach David Wright in charge following Olly Lee’s departure for Norwich, having won the earlier encounter 3-2 at Florence Park back in September.
With most of the Colchester squad having been involved in Friday night's U21s home match with Bournemouth, which ended 4-0 to the Cherries, it was a very young U’s team, mainly U16s, taking on the Blues on a very cold Saturday morning.
The match was a lot closer than the final scoreline might suggest with the game swinging one way and then another with chances galore at both ends.
There was an early reprieve for the visitors as Town forward Adebayo looked to be knocked over in the box by Donte Frank but nothing was given. Then, Nsofor was in goal for the Blues but was well tackled by Herbie Shaw.
For the U’s, Dwayne Campino Do Vale got a cross in from the left which was blocked away for a corner.
On 10 minutes there was a good stop by Colchester keeper Jack Sexton, before, at the other end, Burak Sabah set up Campino Do Vale, whose attempt was blocked.
Colchester took the lead in the 20th minute when Burak Sabah was found on the left and shot through a crowd of players into the far corner of the net.
The away side kept giving the ball away and it needed Sexton to save on more than one occasion. Adebayo set up Nsofor but his shot was blocked by Shaw.
Sabah cutting in from the right saw his shot deflected over the bar for a corner, then Leo Makatta in behind the defence was denied by a Will Fletcher save, before Town equalised via Adebayo’s 33rd-minute cross-shot.
Blues left-back Lenny O'Connor was denied by Sexton, before the half ended with a flurry of goals.
First, on 41, Adebayo crossed from the right and the ball was hammered into the net by Will Unadike to give Town the lead.
Sabah shot just wide of the post for the U’s, then, for the Blues, a great run by Nsofor set up Nicolaou, who shot well wide after he was nudged off balance.
The U’s netted their second in the final scheduled minute. After good work by Owen Moore on the right, Campino Do Vale equalised from his cross.
Two minutes into injury time, Colchester scored again after the ball was played up to Leo Makakatta and he turned and fired home left-footed to give the visitors a 3-2 half-time lead.
At the break, Shaw, who is still gaining fitness after a long injury lay-off, was replaced by Nadeem Dagher.
Early in the second half, Moore, having got in on the right, was denied as Fletcher saved well at his near post.
Six minutes in, the Blues made it 3-3. Nsofor found Nicolaou and his shot went in off the keeper's right-hand post.
Town captain George Chenery was booked after holding Makatta, then Nsofor combined with Nicolaou again on 59, the summer signing from Spurs putting the Blues 4-3 ahead.
Campino Do Vale limped off and was replaced by a sub Neo Liu Smith, then Sabah’s shot was saved by Fletcher, before a triple Town change on 67 minutes saw Eldred, Nelson Eze and trialist Jayden Adetiba, who is set to be released by Arsenal and has recently had games with Bournemouth and Brentford, replace Charlie Compton, Unadike and Adebayo.
Caiden Lewis headed over the bar for the visitors prior to the Blues bringing on Archie Brown for Chenery.
Town extended their lead to 5-3 with six minutes left on the clock. Nsofor's shot took a deflection, Sexton got a hand to it but it was an easy close range tap in for sub Eldred.
Eze powered through and shot just wide, before Sabah set up Moore, whose attempt was superbly tipped away by Fletcher. A ball in eluded Sexton but Nicolaou hit the post when well placed.
Two minutes into stoppage time, Sabah pulled a goal back for the visitors, scoring with a fine left footer.
A ball ran out to Lenny O'Sullivan but Sexton saved well, before Brown was booked for taking out an opponent who was on a supporting run.
Five minutes into time added on, Ipswich cleared and broke from a U’s free-kick and former Northern Ireland U16 international Eldred got clear and scored with a cross-shot.
Just when it looked as if the match was to end 6-4, the same scoreline as last season’s corresponding fixture, Town scored a seventh in the 96th minute when Nsofor netted as Colchester lost the ball in the defence.
U18s: Fletcher, Brouwers, Chenery (Brown), O'Sullivan, Frith, Longwe, Adebayo (Adetzba 67), Compton (Eldred 67), Nsofor, Nicolaou, Unadike (Eze 67). Unused: Bentley.