Town’s U21s lost their opening Professional Development League game of the season 2-0 to Cardiff City in front of a crowd of more than 900 at Portman Road. The visitors netted twice in the first half via Etien Velikonja and Rhys Healey.

Town included trialists Jordan Adekunle, a winger who faced the Blues for Crawley in pre-season, and central midfielder Luke Dobie, who left Bristol City in the summer.

Kadeem Harris struck the game’s first shot straight at Blues keeper Michael Crowe in the fourth minute, moments later Crowe held on to another effort from distance from Filip Kiss.

On 11, Paul Taylor almost played in strike partner Jack Marriott but just over-hit his pass in an early phase of few chances.

The Blues went behind in the 18th minute via a freak goal. Schoolboy defender George Fowler - making his U21s debut - tried to clear around eight yards from goal but the ball cannoned into the net off Velikonja, off a hand, according to Freddie Veseli but not the referee.

A minute after the goal, Velikonja volleyed over from Harris’s cross from the left, then soon after Cardiff left-back Kane Owen lashed over with the visitors well on top.

Cardiff probably should have found themselves down to 10 men in the 24th minute when trialist Adekunle dispossessed Brad Williams five yards outside the area. The defender tripped the striker when he looked to have a free run in on goal but surprisingly referee Alexander Guy showed only a yellow card.

Paul Taylor forced Cardiff keeper Simon Moore — formerly of Brentford - to save impressively down to his left from the freekick.

The Blues came close again on the half hour when Jack Marriott ran on to Anthony Wordsworth’s pass, cut in from the left and hit a shot which beat Moore but struck the bar.

Two minutes later, the first-year pro shot over from just inside the box. On 36, Moore was out quickly to block from Adekunle.

Town should have been level within a minute, David October bringing the ball down the left completely unchallenged before cutting it back to Wordsworth, who turned his shot over the bar from 15 yards when he ought to have scored.

Cardiff came close to adding to their lead in the 38th minute when Velikonja exchanged passes on the edge of the box but was thwarted by an advancing Crowe.

The Town keeper tipped Owen’s 25-yard shot over in the 43rd minute after Taylor had failed to clear after a Cardiff freekick had hit a Town wall.

In the final scheduled minute of the first half, the Welshmen went further in front when Theo Wharton crossed from the right and Healey headed home at the far post. The half-time scoreline was harsh on the Blues, who had had chances of their own.

Trialist Adekunle curled a cross-shot not far over the bar from the left three minutes into the second half.

On 55, Wordsworth curled a shot over, then three minutes later Harris forced Crowe into a save with his feet. The visitors were comfortably holding on to their lead at this stage but without looking like they might add to it.

Good work from Taylor almost played in Marriott in the 59th minute but the youngster’s touch let him down as he tried to take the ball down and turn into the box.

In the 61st minute trialist Dobie, who was tidy but didn’t particularly stand out, and schoolboy Fowler were replaced by Amir Berkane and Kyle Hammond, Veseli moving to centre-half.

Adekunle forced Moore into a save with a low shot on 77 before Tom Winter hit an effort across the face of goal from the right. A minute later, Christophe Berra headed Taylor’s cross straight at Moore.

The Blues continued to push for a goal and on 81 October crossed from the left but Marriott failed to connect cleanly. The loose ball fell to Adekunle, but he was unable to get over his shot and the ball flew over. At the other end, Harris stabbed the ball wide after running in on the left.

Marriott’s 89th minute shot from the edge of the box which was deflected over was the final chance of the game.

The result was a touch harsh on the Blues after what had been a fairly even game overall. However, Cardiff took their chances when they came, while Town wasted their better opportunities, most notably Wordsworth’s miss in the first half, while Marriott was unfortunate with his effort against the bar and kept pushing right until the end.

Trialist Adekunle was less of a threat than he was against the Irish development side last week, although the pacey winger still had his moments, as did Taylor as he continues to work towards full fitness.

U21s: Crowe, Veseli, October, Dobie (Berkane 61), Fowler (Hammond 61), Berra, Winter, Wordsworth, Marriott, Taylor, Adekunle. Unused: Marsden, Leddy, M Clarke. Att: 926.

Photo: Action Images

jonwillpott added 21:33 - Aug 19 Considering we were playing four players from the first team squad, plus Marriott who had a chance at that level at the end of last season, this was a pretty abject performance. The only player who really came out with any credit was Wordsworth who was here there and everywhere and put in a good shift. Taylor was woeful and seemed disinterested at playing at that level. Marriott tried his best but had little service or support from Taylor. The two triallists were average - the winger was the better of the two. Don't think MM will have seen much to enthuse him tonight. Where were the team sheets tonight??? With two unknown trial players plus several young players who some supporters would not have seen it would have been helpful to have a team sheet for ease of identification!!! If they are to compete at PD Level 1 next year there is a lot of hard work needed I'd say!!!

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ManningtreeBlue99 added 21:40 - Aug 19 was a fairly poor performance. Wordsworth shone in second half, Amir Berkane excellent, Berra suprisingly good. Marriot tried so hard for the team but had no service really.
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village_blue added 21:58 - Aug 19 Agree it would have been good to have a team sheet as a lot of people around me only knew Taylor, Wordsworth and Berra but we were let in for free so suppose there had to be a price to pay they could not afford to print team sheets! Only one who looked as though they had a chance of first team football was Wordsworth Marriot ran his socks off but Taylor was poor.
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budgieplucker added 22:04 - Aug 19 Cardiff were far more purposeful going forward than Town and I think deserved their victory. Wordsworth was by far the outstanding player for Town, very classy but not much movement from others for him to make openings or unlock the defence. Having said that he did miss the best opportunity for Town in the first half and should have really done better. Apart from one break in the first half I actually thought Jordan Adekunle looked very poor. Dobie for me was the better of the two and showed a lot of nice neat and tidy touches. Again having said that most of Ipswich's play was very speculative and one has to ask how much does playing two newcomers in your side cause dis-orientation. I wouldn't say Taylor was disinterested as per previous post, I think he just tried too hard and tried to beat everybody - just like the greedy kid at the park, he kept coming deep back into midfield to collect the ball and then often tried to beat 3 or 4 players before being disposessed and also often left Marriott on his own and isolated up front. Berkane did well when he came on. Unfortunately Fowler the schoolboy centre half looked just like that and the defence looked far more assured when Veselli moved to centre half and then he and Berra looked much more comfortable as a pairing. So at the moment there looks very little competition for the first team from the development squad. It was great to get the opportunity to watch an evening match under floodlights for free so all credit to the Club, hopefully they will put on more evening games at Portman Road, and it has to be said over all it wasn't a bad game of football at all.

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SuperTommySmith added 22:11 - Aug 19 Town were pretty poor but Cardiff's #2 was very interesting and I enjoyed watching him. Although it could have been our left back was pretty poor and made him look good
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ChrisMakin2012 added 22:15 - Aug 19 Looked uncomfortable at portman road.
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RossHolmes added 22:37 - Aug 19 Town were piss poor, Berra offered nothing and you could barely tell the difference between him and the rest of the u21 players. Wordsworth was average and looked uninterested all game and just strolled around the park. However the only positives to take were the decent games that Marriott and Taylor had feeding off scraps. Crowd made a decent few saves as well
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meekreech added 00:12 - Aug 20 Taylor needed to have other players on his wavelength as he tried to make things happen but those around him did not react to his passes and prompting . Woody tried to make things happen and put in a good shift . Need less anxiety in front of goal as with a bit more composure could have won by three or four . On this showing some of the U-21 ' s need to relax , play their normal game and not try too hard to make an impression as some appeared to be doing tonight .

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Fatboy added 07:20 - Aug 20 Schoolboy error for the first goal? @budgieplucker: Interesting comments about Taylor dropping deep to pick the ball up, as he did exactly the same thing at Stevenage. Could just be a sign of overeagerness for a "new" club/manager but I'd prefer to see him playing in and around the penalty area. At least it sounds like we're getting some decent opposition at this level now, rather than beating local teams by 5 or 6 as we were a few seasons back.

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greenkingtone added 07:54 - Aug 20 I saw little to impress me. Cardiff had pace and kept the ball. Their passing was quick and accurate and they were not afraid to shoot at goal. Jack Marriott was largely isolated when Town went to a four five one as Taylor dropped back to play in mid field. MM has along wait until anyone is ready for first team service. God crowd tonight.
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KellysBlues added 09:31 - Aug 20 according to my brothers eldest son, the young lad fowler was playing, he is only 15, was he any good?
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runningout added 11:15 - Aug 20 looks like a few players need to learn at any a sense of work ethic and team play is required.. Not impressed, or was I expecting too much
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runningout added 11:17 - Aug 20 meant 'any level'
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BrettenhamBlue added 12:49 - Aug 20 Dobie played as a trialist for the Norwich U21's last year, but wasn't given a contract. http://www.ex-canaries.co.uk/players/dobie.htm Some of the Cardiff players looked good. That number 2 in particular was really strong and good on the ball. Looks a very promising player and certainly tore our defence apart at times.
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ChappersITFC added 14:38 - Aug 20 Very disappointed with Taylor, consistently lost the ball and tried to do too much by himself. Don't feel that any of the senior players on show would be challenging for the first team any time soon. Marriott tried hard but didn't get the service he needed.
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