Town U18s started their pre-season programme with a comfortable 3-0 victory at Southwold Town. Goals from Stuart Ainsley, Björn Orri Hermannsson and Charlie Sheringham sealed the win.
The Blues included young trialists Russell Shaw and Tommy Smith, who also played in the reserves friendly at Dereham, while Icelandic attacking midfielder Hermannsson was making his first appearance since joining the Town academy. The other new Icelander Ã"skar Pétursson, a goalkeeper, is currently out of action with an injury.
In the eighth minute Southwold had the first attack of the game with a shot that went wide of keeper Andy Reynolds's goal. Town then went up the other end and Danny Haynes put an effort wide.
Three minutes later, Liam Craig's corner for Town was only half-cleared. Charlie Sheringham collected the ball and forced the Southwold keeper into a fine reaction save.
The Blues took the lead in the 21st minute. The home side's defence failed to clear their lines and the ball broke to Stuart Ainsley who smashed the ball home from 20 yards.
A minute later, Southwold almost equalised. Trialist Tommy Smith, a New Zealander, was out-muscled by a Southwold attacker who set up a teammate but a deflection off a Town defender saw the ball go out for a corner.
In the 24th minute the Southwold keeper made another fine save. Ian Nimmo's freekick was heading for the top corner before the keeper got his hands to it. From the resulting corner Jack Haverson's header flew wide of the post.
Town were starting to carve their way through the Southwold defence and they had a penalty claim rejected after Ainsley crossed, only for the keeper to come sliding out and kick it at a defender's hand. Mr Harvey rejected Ainsley's strong appeals.
On 28 minutes trialist Russell Shaw burst forward from his right-back position to fire in a left-foot shot just wide.
Ian Nimmo looked in control in the middle of the park and the young Scotsman hit a shot from 25 yards out that flew just past the post.
Danny Haynes was looking lively for Town and on 35 he cut in from the left and hit a powerful shot that flew just over the bar.
A minute before the break Haynes had another chance to double Town's lead, but he headed just over from a Liam Craig cross.
In the one minute of stoppage time Charlie Sheringham also had a chance to increase Town's lead. Nimmo hit a superb ball into the path of the striker who side-footed the ball just wide of the far post.
At half-time, Town replaced Darryl Knights with Scott Barron and Liam Craig with Oliver Fenn. Craig handed the captain's armband over to Barron. Two minutes into the second half Nimmo hit another rasping shot that flew just over.
On 52 Barron took a left-footed corner that eluded everyone and the man on the Southwold post had to head the ball clear.
Three minutes later, Stuart Ainsley hit a freekick that the home keeper spilt but Sheringham couldn't convert the rebound.
Town introduced young Welshman David Kingdom in the 57th minute. He replaced Ian Nimmo who had a tight hamstring. Kingdom, who has previously been with the Swansea City youth set-up and has won Wales U15 caps, slotted in at right-back. Four minutes later young right-back Luke Webster replaced trialist Russell Shaw.
On 62 Town scored their second goal. Hermansson charged in to drill a cross past the stranded keeper. His celebration was the best of the night, after taking the congratulations from his teammates, he performed a forward flip on his way back to the Town half.
Haynes deserved a goal for all of his hard work during the night, and it almost came on 67, but his shot was parried away for a corner by the Southwold keeper. Before the corner could be taken, Town replaced Haynes with Tony Boto and Ainsley with FA Youth Cup-winning goalscorer Edward Upson.
Two minutes later, the Southwold faithful thought that their team had scored a goal. David Kingdom calmly headed the ball back to Andy Reynolds from a corner, but the ball was knocked out of his hands prior to Daniel McKernan heading the ball in.
With three minutes remaining, Town scored their third goal with a glancing header from Charlie Sheringham after good work on the left.
A good workout for the Town youngsters, who were obviously way ahead in their pre-season programme. Andy Reynolds in the Town goal commanded his area well and the two trialists, Tommy Smith and Russell Shaw, both had good games.
Smith looked composed on the ball and was doing the simple things right, whilst Shaw was bombing up and down the right flank until he was replaced.
Town U18s: 1 Andy Reynolds, 2 Russell Shaw (14 Luke Webster 61), 3 Stuart Ainsley (12 Edward Upson 67), 4 Tommy Smith, 5 Jack Haverson, 6 Björn Orri Hermannsson, 7 Ian Nimmo (16 David Kingdom 57), 8 Danny Haynes (13 Tony Boto 67), 9 Charlie Sheringham, 10 Darryl Knights (16 Scott Barron 45) and 11 Liam Craig (15 Oliver Fenn 45). Ref: Mr Norman Harvey. Att: 191.