Charlie Compton celebrated signing his first pro deal by scoring twice as Town’s U21s beat QPR 3-2 at Playford Road this afternoon, Sid Eldred netting the other goal.
On a sunny and very warm afternoon at the Rushmere training ground, Town controlled most of the game until a late flurry by the visitors.
John McGreal’s Blues gave a start to 17-year-old trialist Corbin Mthunzi, a centre-half currently a second-year scholar with Brighton & Hove Albion and who won England caps at U15 and U16 levels. Born of an English mother and Zimbabwean father, Mthunzi also qualifies to play for the southern African nation.
On the bench was another trialist, Faruq Smith, an 18-year-old midfielder, who is with Nottingham Forest at the present time.
The first decent play came on nine minutes when trialist Mthunzi fed the ball forward for Rio Morgan who was unable to capitalise.
For the away side, Emerson Sutton combined down the left with Joao Henrique Mendes but the cross flashed across the box with nobody able to get onto it.
Then, from a cross from the right, Sutton on the turn tested Blues keeper Woody Williamson, who had to stretch back to grab the ball.
Seconds later, in the 12th minute, Ipswich took the lead after great work by Morgan. His shot was saved by R's keeper Joel Halliday and Compton, who signed his first pro deal with the club last week, put the rebound away.
After a flick on by Compton, a handball was given but the free-kick by Matty Roberts was just over the bar.
On 23 minutes, Jamie Mauge was just wide with a cross shot, then after a foul on the right, the Rangers free-kick by Lorent Talla was tipped away by Wiliamson.
After a Luke Towler foul on Sutton, the free-kick by Harry Murphy was headed cleared by Somto Boniface, who joined Town from Chelsea on deadline day.
From a Roberts free-kick, the ball was headed back across goal but wide of the far post. When Morgan worked the ball out to the left via a teammate, Boniface was onto it and he smacked his shot goalwards which the keeper did well to hold.
However, two minutes before half-time after more great work by Morgan down the right, the Northern Irish U19 international’s cut-back came off an R's defender, looped up in the air and Compton netted his second of the afternoon.
At the interval Steven Turner was replaced by Abu Onuchukwu, the former Aston Villa midfielder returning from injury.
On 47 minutes a long ball from the back saw Mauge onto it but his lob over the retreating keeper was too high.
Roberts seemed to be caught off the ball and in a lot of pain needed lengthy treatment. The former Wales U17s international continued for a while but on 62 minutes was replaced by Eldred, who recently won Northern Ireland caps at U17 level, finding the net from the spot in a 1-1 friendly draw with Poland.
The R's in on the left saw Williamson tip the shot away, before the Blues increased their lead in the 72nd minute.
A superb cross-field ball by Morgan put Boniface in on the left, the full-back fired goalwards but when keeper Halliday was unable to hold on, Eldred put away the rebound.
This led to a double R's change and on came Philip Sanyapou and Gabriel Cuthbert for Sutton and Mendes.
Archie O'Brien was then booked, before, with the keeper struggling to get back, Mauge was in on the left but put his shot wide of the near post.
A double home change on 77 minutes saw Compton and Daniel Babb replaced by Leon Elliot and trialist Smith.
After a knock Towler needed treatment before a shirt pull by Murphy on Eldred saw him booked.
The away side got a goal back on 85 as a shot by Cion Dillon from the left appeared to go in with a bit of a defection off a Town defender.
Onuchukwu stood the ball up for Mauge but the striker, who is currently on loan at Bury Town, headed wide.
Two more away subs, Rico Kennedy and Fraser Neill, came on and it was from Kennedy's cross that Dillon made it 3-2 in the fourth minute of time added on.
As Rangers looked to attack again, a foul was conceded but luckily the free-kick hit Towler and went out of play and with that the referee blew for full-time.
U21s: Williamson, Babb (Elliot 77), Mthunzi, Heard, Boniface, Morgan, Turner (Onuchukwu 46), Towler, Compton (Smith 77), Roberts (Eldred 62), Mauge. Unused: Binns.