Ben Folami scored twice and Jordan Roberts and Jack Lankester once each as Town’s U23s beat Coventry 4-1 at Portman Road to retain top spot in the Professional Development League Two South table.

The Blues started brightly and in the opening minute Andre Dozzell found Ben Folami on the left from where the Australian cut in before hitting a low shot which Coventry keeper Corey Addai saved down to his left.

Town kept up the early pressure and in the sixth minute lone striker Roberts cut in from the other flank and also shot straight at the keeper when the former Crawley man really ought to have played the ball across to a team-mate.

A minute later Jack Lankester, playing wide on the right, hit a shot from distance which Addai dealt with comfortably.

Lankester went closer with a 10th minute effort which took a deflection and Addai made a fine save down to his right. Folami reached the rebound first and hit a shot on the turn which a Sky Blues defender diverted over.

And from the corner the Blues scored the goal their start deserved. Coventry failed to deal with the ball into the box and U23s skipper Chris Smith, who has returned to Town with his loan at Aldershot having been cut short, did well to work himself space to chip back across from the right and Roberts headed home.

Harry Wright, a spectator up to this point, was forced into his first action on 13 but Jodi Jones’s shot from distance gave the Town keeper no problem.

But the game continued to be played almost entirely at the other end as the quarter-hour mark passed with Myles Kenlock hitting a low shot from a tight angle on the left which Addai claimed low, before Folami struck an effort from a similar position which deflected out for a corner.

Coventry were having trouble seeing any of the ball with the young Blues passing it around slickly and at pace, although at times a little too confidently around the edge of their own penalty area.

Idris El Mizouni, in a midfield trio with Dozzell and the deeper Flynn Downes, wasn’t too far away from the game’s second goal in the 25th minute after Lankester seized on Coventry defensive hesitancy. The ball eventually found its way to the Frenchman on the edge of the box but his shot was just too high.

Town went close again in the 29th minute when Lankester broke away down the right and curled in a low ball with the outside of his left boot but Folami could only slide it wide at the far post.

Coventry almost scored an equaliser in the 35th minute after some sloppy play by Kenlock but Jordy Hiwula’s shot was deflected wide.

Three minutes later, Town went close to their second, Roberts just heading wide from a Lankester corner on the right, then Downes’s shot looped up to Folami, who nodded into Addai’s hands.

But the Australian didn’t have to wait too long to double the Blues’ lead. On 40 he was fed by Kenlock as he broke into the area and deftly took the ball past a man before shooting low past Addai.

Town were well worth their two-goal lead, however, Coventry went straight up the end and pulled a goal back via their first serious shot on goal of the evening.

Reice Allassani was forced out wide on the left by Corrie Ndaba but somehow got in a cross and Jones forced the ball home off the inside of the post.

Having been allowed to regain a foothold in the game, the Sky Blues saw most of the ball during the remainder of the half albeit without threatening again.

Town were well worth their lead at the break having dominated the first period for the most part and will be frustrated that the lead was only one goal having looked shaky defensively on the rare occasions Coventry broke forward.

The Sky Blues were the first to go close in the second half in the 57th mark, Hiwula heading against the stanchion at the far post from a cross from the right.

Town, with Roberts now wide on the left and Folami down the middle, had been far less dominant during the opening third of the second period with Coventry seeing much more of the ball, while the Blues’ backline again showed a tendency to overplay themselves into potentially dangerous situations.

The game had been a much more even affair in the second half but in the 71st minute Town restored their two-goal lead.

Folami’s shot from inside the box was blocked and the ball ran loose to Lankester breaking in from the right behind him from where the 18-year-old struck a powerful low shot past Addai.

Coventry again looked to hit straight back but Jones’s curling shot arced just wide of Wright’s right post.

On 76 Kenlock was booked for pulling back Jones midway inside the Town half and from the resultant freekick Allassani hooked over the bar.

Two minutes later Zain Westbrooke volleyed over for the visitors following a corner, then on 80 Dylan Crowe was booked for a foul.

Six minutes from time Town made it 4-1. Dozzell and El Mizouni exchanged passes to reach the edge of the box before the England U19 international somehow squeezed the ball through a crowd of players to Folami to his right and the Australian hit a low shot across Addai and into the corner of the net for his second goal of the evening.

The Blues swapped Lankester, who had more than played his part in the U23s’ fourth win of the season, for Kai Brown for the final four minutes.

Overall, Town were well worth their win having dominated a first half in which they had more than enough chances to have sealed the victory, with Coventry unable to get on top of midfield trio Downes, Dozzell and El Mizouni.

The Sky Blues were far more in it after the break but Town, watched by boss Paul Hurst and assistant Chris Doig, gradually restored their earlier dominance and Lankester and Folami took their chances clinically when they came.

Town: Wright, Crowe, Kenlock, Smith (c), Ndaba, Downes, Dozzell, Roberts, El Mizouni, Lankester (K Brown 86), Folami. Unused: Egan, Clements, Z Brown, Marshall.

Coventry: Addai, Green, Camwell, Ogogo, Davies, Williams, Jones (Bremang 85), Westbrooke, Bakayoko (Eccles 90), Hiwula (Stedman 88), Allassani. Unused: Bilson, Walters.

Photo: TWTD

MmForPm added 23:45 - Sep 24 No disrespect to Nolan but I don't think he is or will be the same level as Dozzell is and Dozzell has potential to be star but he needs the chance to gain experience even as a sub in last 15 mins how is he not worth that at least?!! And Downes could definitely be a star as well. West Ham friendly gave me massive confidence and why was that? Because Downes and Dozzell looked the part controlled the game at certain points, like tonight. But then Dozzell never seen and Downes rarely seen . But then Skuse , Chambers Shrewsbury boys and loans are a dead cert every week ,and wiill even change shape to accommodate them. But the brilliant home grown talent is snubbed and sticking with the same players like they have actually played well is pathetic. What sort of message are we sending down? That no matter how bad the first team play you will not get a chance !

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BlueArrow added 23:54 - Sep 24 @ Help also free if you are a silver club member and only one shiny pound if you're in the concessions bracket
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Henrietta_R_Hippo added 00:07 - Sep 25 Well done lads! Keep it up please, even though some of you might just get "rewarded" for your inspiring efforts with a lengthy loan spell at say... mighty Crewe Alexandra in the January Window! :-D :-D
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harlingblue added 02:55 - Sep 25 Well done lads, it was great to watch an Ipswich team containing players use to playing together and providing fine entertainment. Many should either be playing in, or be a part of the Ist team set up. At the moment our 1st team is Ipswich Town in name only. Downes and Dozzel complement each other in midfield, while Folami is class, while the whole side had a total understanding of each others play. Was Manager Hurst watching this side? I hope so, as I want him to do well, but I want him to embrace our Academy players, and that includes those that are out on loan.

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harlingblue added 03:08 - Sep 25 Went to the game, just watched the highlights on here, Smith certainly played his part in the game, always solid at the back with great distribution, including supplying the cross for the first goal.
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muccletonjoe added 05:34 - Sep 25 If Hurst and Doig were watching this , they ought to take note. Pass and move,pressurising the ball when not in procession, movement all over the pitch , some wonderful passes , work rate sky high , corners and free kicks which actually made defenders work instead of going straight to the goalkeeper. With Bart in goal and the addition of chambers , this is a better team than the first team.

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Butcherboy added 06:45 - Sep 25 Coventry has a strong team with many of their players having plenty of first team experience. Good performance from the 23s: a very entertaining watch. Downes stood out as did Chris Smith who was unlucky with injury and had to miss out on the whole of pre-season and is only just back fit He looked assured and put in some great passes. Dozzell is obviously fit and he is a class act. Shame Hurst doesn't appear to want to include any players rated by McCarthy (or Klug for that matter). There's a good crop all coming through together but if we are not careful they will disappear to other clubs through lack of opportunities. There's such a log jam ahead of them now with Hurst having brought in so many players who he has to play ahead of them although I would question whether many of them are better than the crop of young lads coming through. It's a problem with managers not trusting young players how will they ever get a chance.

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tractorboybig added 07:09 - Sep 25 sm00411 pointless having an academy its something a div one manager has no concept of...
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smurfsareblue added 07:16 - Sep 25 BIZARRE is the only word I can use. Yes its a totally different level than the championship but I would rather watch Kenlock, Emmanuel, Dozzell, Downes and Folami (perhaps upfront with Jackson) than Knudsen Donacian, Skuse and Nolan. We have not won a game and we have a bunch of talented kids doing the business and playing attractive attacking football. If Paul Hurst does not know how to train his players to play like this or set his team up to play like this tgen he should go. He should be thoroughly embarrassed by the fact that the 2 other teams at the club are BOTH top of the league. Its clear for all to see and has been for some time that we have teams that are coached the right way to play football and that we have the talent. PH wants the whole team from top to bottom to play the same way. Well the youngsters are doing it with no involvement from the first team manager but the first team are a shambles. Sort it out PH.

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ScottCandage added 07:22 - Sep 25 Jack Lankester absolutely BOSSED the right wing. He was my MoM. But you could have given it to a number of Town's players.
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smurfsareblue added 07:26 - Sep 25 I hate to write off a manager after 10 games and feel bad for doing so BUT looking at the way the U23 and U18s play, there is only one man who would be able to transfer the type of football they play to the first team. One George Burley. What Paul Jewell, Dick MCcarthy, Roy Keane and Paul Hurst do not understand is that at ITFC we want to be entertained. Similar to Man U. Even when they are top of the league (been a while) they expect to watch attractive passing and attaking football. No one who has watched the teams of Robson and Burley for that matter would ever be able to say truthfully that since Burley left the have been entertained (other than in short spells). I want to be able to watch football again. For that reason I will spend 3 quid rather than 30 from now on. Perhaps we should turn out in our thousands to watch the kids and stay away from tge first team for a bit to make a point to Marcus Evans an Paul Hurst??????

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Trigger67 added 08:01 - Sep 25 Well done lads, another entertaining evening spent watching an extremely talented group. In the past I have totally understood and agreed with most of the decisions made by MM and PH regardung youngsters going out on loan to gain valuable experience and/or not being ready to make the leap into the physicality of the Championship. HOWEVER, no one will now convince me that, for example, Harrison is currently worthy of a 1st team squad place ahead of Folami or, that Nolan is a better option than Dozzell based on current form. I could go on.... Downes should be a nailed on starter, Kenlock is the best wing back at the club yet PH named Donacien as the left wing back starter against Brentford!! - that decision alone beggars belief. Get rid of PH before it is too late to save ourselves and get in the Burley/Butcher combo. They understand this club and its' fantastuc fans. And they won't be afraid to blood some of these kids. Well done Klug, Nash at al - keep up the great work. You alone are giving me some glimmer of hope for the future.

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Help added 08:06 - Sep 25 @ Blue Arrow, thank you very much
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TraktorBoyz added 08:13 - Sep 25 These decisions he keeps making Trigger67 are.toting up and it doesn't bode well for the the foreseeable.
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TraktorBoyz added 08:21 - Sep 25 Lankester was good but for me Downes was my man of the match and the CB Smith was my 2nd made one error and then was really solid and calm passing out the back. The most impressive part was how they play together there's no reason the first team can't at least try and play football like that. If we had gone on 9 game winless streak against the likes of Rotherham Exeter Blackburn ten man Bolton, but we had tried to play decent football or used some youth that would be fair enough.

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Northstandveteran added 10:38 - Sep 25 Two excellent posts smurfsareblue. Couldn't agree more.
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roytheboy added 10:46 - Sep 25 Under 23's and under 18's both top of their respective leagues whilst the first team are lurking around the bottom of the Championship, food for thought I feel !
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wherescounago added 11:19 - Sep 25 I know you mustn't listen to rumours but two people have said to me in the past few days that Hurst doesn't speak to Klug and is not interested in the "younger teams." I just hope this isn't true as we need to get some of the Under 23 in ASAP along with Freddie Sears
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littlestoneblue added 11:46 - Sep 25 I'll tell you now, if Hurst & Doig haven't got at least 2 or 3 wins on the board by Christmas, they will be gone, Klug & Nash to take over the 1st team
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itfckal added 11:51 - Sep 25 We need to start playing these players in the first team, look at the West Ham game... Much better football and attacking football. Wake up Paul Hurst, you said we will be looking at the younger squad for new talent not signing a whole new team, they have had their chance and some need to be dropped and our boys need a chance.
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BathwickBlue added 12:33 - Sep 25 Interesting point, when we were on our winning run at the beginning of last season we were playing Nydam and Downes. Once they were ejected to make way to the returning senior players our form transferred into the usual dross. Again, these two played pre season against West Ham and we looked awesome. Since then...
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midastouch added 13:18 - Sep 25 I'm disgusted how Hurst has virtually totally overlooked our younger players. I wasn't sure about him from day one but gave him the benefit of the doubt but my doubts are now turning into despair. Remember when we beat Reading by 4 goals away last season under Klug. Look how far we've fallen from level of performance since. The only thing I would advise caution on is that the gap between the U23 and Championship is a big one but even so, I honestly can't see how any of new lower league recruits (aside from Edwards) are any better (they worse in my opinion) than the U23s. Klug said he didn't want to become manager but I'm sure he'd step up if need be to be caretaker again if called upon and then we could look to recruit somebody that actually wants to try and play some attacking football. I'd be happy with anybody from, Klug, Nash, Burely or Magilton. They get the ethos of the club and what the fans want far better than outsiders. Look at the picture gallery from the match report on Saturday, see George's face, that said it all to me! You can see he's finding just as hard to watch as us fans. George would bleed blue if you cut him. Anybody that isn't sure on George please go back and read this and perhaps reconsider: http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/george-burley-wants-to-be-new-ipswich-town-boss-1-55 In that interview he makes it clear he would embrace the academy. Burley asks in the interview that unless we show some ambition what is the point? I see no ambition with our current playing style so I am left asking what is the point of going to watch these matches! I was going to go to the Bolton game and decided against it last minute, call it a 6th sense but I just had a feeling it might turn into a stinker! And I like how Burley describes the Ipswich way in the EADT article which was probably covered by TWTD (TWTD always being my 1st choice for all things ITFC) I've partially pasted here courtesy of this link again: http://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/george-burley-wants-to-be-new-ipswich-town-boss-1-55 (PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN FULL, WELL WORTH IT FOR ANYBODY WHO MISSED IT AT THE TIME). Asked how he would describe ‘the Ipswich way', Burley said: “For players to express themselves and enjoy themselves on the pitch and be a positive, passing team. Bobby Ferguson, who sadly passed away recently, drilled that passing ethos into us every single day. “I don't think the basics of passing have been pushed into the players enough. You've got to set a standard. I look at some players and think ‘son, you can't pass the ball, you need to work on the basics'.” He continued: “Chris Hogg (his son-in-law) is working in the academy. I would say that around 50% of the academy staff have worked under myself at some stage actually — from Bryan Klug and George Williams to ex-players like Titus Bramble, Kieron Dyer and James Scowcroft and various other behind-the-scenes staff. I know the club inside out.” Burley added: “For me, it's important to try and build something at this club again because, for a while now, there hasn't been that sense. “I hate always hearing that Ipswich have been ‘over-achieving'. This is a club that was in Europe virtually every year when I was a player. When I came back as a manager everyone laughed when I said that the goal was to get back there — but we did. “Why can't we get in the play-offs? Why can't we get back in the Premier League? You've got to have ambition otherwise what's the point?” I said back at the time of reading that article (when we were still all in the dark about who the new manager was going to be) that George totally gets it and we could do a lot worse. I've also said before that we need a Plan B, and that Plan B should be Plan Burley, if not Klug and Nash if interested or even the return of Jim "Magic" Magilton. The honeymoon is well and truly over for Hurst, time for a quick divorce with the minimum of fuss!

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martin587 added 13:22 - Sep 25 Paul,will Dozzell be playing this Saturday.If not,WHY.!
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ipswichfann679 added 16:12 - Sep 25 at least some Ipswich team can win
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blueboy1981 added 16:58 - Sep 25 ....... like I've said previously, PH has unfortunately some of the MM traits i.e. playing favourites irrespective of ability, and in so doing not giving our youngsters, who continue to impress at their level, a chance. Seems we've been here before, if I'm not mistaken....... !!!
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