Wes Burns played the first 45 minutes as Town U21s beat Leicester City 1-0 in the Premier League Cup at Portman Road, Luca Fletcher netting the goal in the first half.
Burns was back from the suffering a ACL rupture at Liverpool in January, his only previous match a behind-closed-doors fixture against Colchester during the international break. Also in the XI were Harry Clarke and Elkan Baggott.
The Wales international struck the first shot of the game in the 11th minute, hitting a powerful effort from just outside the box on the right which Leicester keeper Harry French batted away.
The ball cannoned out to skipper Ryan Carr, who smashed it beyond French high to his right but off the cross-bar.
Town had made the brighter start and went ahead in the 17th minute when visitors keeper French played a loose pass out to Blues forward Fletcher, who showed composure to take it past a defender before shooting into the empty goal.
Two minutes later, Burns broke away down the right and crossed low beyond the far post where Josh Pitts hit a shot from a tight angle which keeper French saved. Burns suffered what appeared to be a kick to the shin or ankle during the build-up and required treatment before continuing with blood later showing on through his sock.
When play resumed, Pitts was sent away on the left, the Malta U21 international cutting in and hitting a shot which French saved down to his left, pushing it past Nelson Eze as the striker ran in to pounce.
As the game reached the half-hour, Fletcher was sent away on goal but was denied by a last-ditch challenge.
On 35, Leicester broke and Bobby Amartey was fed in a promising position on the right of the box, but Baggott slid in superbly to block.
From the goal-kick, the Blues gifted possession to Brandon Cover on the edge of the area. His first shot struck Corbin Mthunzi and the second flew wide of Woody Williamson’s left post. It was a fortunate escape for Town.
In the 38th minute, Burns skipped past his man on the right and hit a shot which was going wide but hit a defender cannoned out for a corner on the other side. From the deep flag-kick, Baggott headed into the ground to French.
Soon after, Leicester striker Kirsten Otchere was shown the game’s first yellow card for a tussle with Clarke.
In injury time, Jake Evans shot across Williamson, the Blues’ keeper pushing away from goal to the right. Earlier in the move, Evans appeared to be tugged by Somto Boniface as he took the ball into the area from the Leicester right but stayed on his feet when he might have won a penalty.
Town had been the better side in a scrappy, stop-start first half. However, they might well have found themselves going in level after loose passing handed the visitors a gilt-edged opportunity and with the Foxes improving in the latter stages.
Burns made way at the break in what was probably a pre-planned change rather than as a result of the knock, the Welshman having had one or two promising moments on his return after his lengthy absence. Jamie Mauge took over.
Nine minutes after the break, Blues head coach John McGreal was booked, presumably for protests, Eze having been fouled soon after Boniface had been caught in the face by Amartey and both infractions having gone unpunished.
Leicester had been on top since the break but without threatening until the 58th minute when the ball was fed through to Otchere on the edge of the box but his effort was too close to Williamson. Moments later, Mirsad Ali was booked for a foul.
On 63, Boniface picked the ball up on the left and took it on for some time unchallenged, eventually hitting a shot from the edge of the area which flew not too far wide of French’s left post.
With the game continuing to be scruffy and full of stoppages, skipper Ryan Carr was swapped for Charlie Wood, who joined the Blues last season from Needham Market, having suffered a knock in a typically combative challenge.
In the 77th minute, Williamson was out quickly to slam the ball against Leicester sub Alfie Fisken, who otherwise would have been in on goal. Two minutes later, Logan Briggs was booked for pulling back Fletcher as Town counter-attacked.
A minute later, the Blues gave the ball away as they passed out from the back again. Cover worked himself space on the edge of the area but Williamson was out to block and divert wide of the post.
Town swapped Eze for Josh Lewis in the 82nd minute, then two minutes later Boniface showed his turn of pace to sprint back and block Evans’s cross from the right of the box.
The Foxes were finishing the stronger and on 85 Baggott made a vital block from Michael Golding on the edge of the box, deflecting the ball behind.
Golding shot wide as the game moved into its final scheduled minute, Abube Onuchukwu subsequently departing for Oliver Wilkinson, with the recent signing from Barnsley making his U21s debut.
Two minutes into six additional minutes, Blues sub Lewis inadvertently passed into the path of Otchere when playing back to Williamson, but the Leicester striker spurned the opportunity, shooting wide with the Town keeper having narrowed the angle.
Town held out for the remaining minutes to claim their second victory in the competition, moving them up to second in the table with leaders Charlton hosting Preston, who are third, tomorrow night.
The game was hardly a classic with the wet and windy conditions playing their part but with stoppages preventing the match from having much flow throughout.
U21s: Williamson, H Clarke, Boniface, Mthunzi, Baggott, Onuchukwu (Wilkinson 90), Burns (Mauge 46), Carr (c) (Wood 74), L Fletcher, Eze (Lewis 82), Pitts. Unused: Bentley. Att: 455.