Pablo Couñago scored the Town reserves' goal as they drew 1-1 with West Ham at Portman Road. The Spaniard netted just before the half-hour mark but young Hammers' frontman Hogan Emphraim equalised in the second period.
Town included James Scowcroft and Jimmy Juan in their line-up, although there was no place for Kevin Horlock who had been named in the squad earlier in the day.
The Blues weren't far from breaking the deadlock in the opening minutes. Scowcroft nodded a cross from the right down to Owen Garvan, the Irish youngster striking a shot which Jimmy Walker parried out to Pablo Couñago. The former Walsall man pushed the former Spanish U21's effort on to the bar, the ball falling to Dean McDonald who found the back of the net but was flagged offside.
McDonald threatened again in the 22nd minute, the former Arsenal man running on to a Couñago knockdown and shooting across the face of Walker's goal. The same combination created another opening four minutes later, McDonald threading the ball through to Couñago who managed to get a toe to the ball but couldn't make enough contact to divert it beyond Walker.
On 29 the Blues went deservedly in front. Garvan won the ball on the left, created space enough to find Couñago 20 yards out and the Spaniard hit a shot on the turn which curled into the corner of the net.
Couñago seemed more interested than in previous reserve fixtures and was combining well with Scowcroft. Soon after the goal the former Celta Vigo man laid the ball off to Scowcroft, the loanee from Leicester hitting a powerful drive which Walker did well to save.
In the 35th minute the same pair conjured another opportunity but this time Scowcroft, back in his old number 10 shirt, put his well-struck shot too close to the keeper.
The Blues had enjoyed the vast majority of the possession with Garvan and Manning particularly impressive in midfield. West Ham's only serious opportunity of the half came when Greg Pearson headed Hogan Ephraim's cross well over the bar.
Just before the break, Town ought to have gone two in front, Couñago choosing to lash wildly over the bar with Scowcroft well-placed inside the area to his right.
It had been a good half for Steve McCall's side, still with only two league wins to their name this season. They started the second half in a similar vein with Garvan playing the pass of the match with the outside of his right boot into the path of Couñago. The frontman cut in from the right but shot too close to Walker.
Juan hit a freekick into a West Ham wall and was then teed-up by a Scowcroft lay-back but fired the ball into an empty North Stand upper tier.
West Ham had improved after the break and got back on terms in the 65th minute, Aidan Collins failing to clear an awkwardly bouncing ball which eventually fell to Ephraim. The England U17 striker had his first shot saved by Shane Supple but made no mistake with the rebound.
On 71 Garvan played in Couñago but Walker was out to block and then claim the ball ahead of the Town number nine. Garvan himself wasted a good opportunity when he sent James Krause's cross from the left over the bar. The Irishman had another chance two minutes later, but his 25-yard freekick was saved by Walker.
Liam Craig, captain of Town's all-conquering U18 side, replaced Jimmy Juan in the 76th minute, the Frenchman having shown some good touches but having been largely outshone in midfield by Garvan in particular.
Craig almost created a winner for the Blues seven minutes after coming on. The Scotsman crossed low from the left but the sliding Scowcroft and Garvan both failed to get the vital touch on the ball. While Walker was preparing to take the goalkick Darryl Knights, an England team-mate of West Ham scorer Ephraim, replaced Dean McDonald.
Injury time saw a couple of yellow cards - Collins for Town and Trent McClenahan for the Hammers - adding to an unnecessarily high total, Scott Mitchell, Liam Manning and three other West Ham players all going into Mr Harris's book.
A decent performance from the Blues, particularly in the first half when Scowcroft and Couñago combined well. West Ham came into it far more in the second period but Town still had the chances to have won the game.
Owen Garvan was probably the pick of the Town players in the midfield passing intelligently throughout. Liam Manning was his usual solid self in the holding role, while Dean McDonald started well but drifted out of the game in the second half.
At the back Nash continues his comeback after his knee operation and was impressive alongside Aidan Collins, making a classy stroll out of defence during the second half.
Reserves: Supple. Mitchell, Krause, Juan (Craig 76), Collins, Nash, McDonald (Knights 83), Manning, Couñago, Scowcroft, Garvan. Unused: Moore, Lordan, Clarke.