Town's U18s came back from behind to defeat Professional Development League Two South table-toppers Cardiff City 2-1 at Playford Road on Saturday morning with Lounes Foudil and Zak Brown (pictured) netting the goals, Brown having seen a first-half penalty saved before being sent off moments before the final whistle.

The young Blues started well and Tyreece Simpson toe-poked the ball wide of the target early on, before visiting keeper George Ratcliffe just got enough on Brown's near-post strike to divert the ball away for a corner.

Ratcliffe then got down well to parry Alex Henderson's header away following a corner from youngster Liam Gibbs, before Town were given a golden chance to take the lead on 17.

Brown burst into the box from the left and was brought down by Ryan Reynolds, with referee Adrian George left with no option but to point to the spot. Brown stepped up and took the spot-kick himself but Ratcliffe guessed correctly and dived to his left to keep the ball out.

Cardiff started to come more into the game and Town keeper Toby Egan made some good saves to deny the visitors' attack, but moments after Fraser Alexander had cleared an effort off the line, Bluebirds' winger Sam Bowen fired a fierce volley back through the crowd of players and into the net.

Town started the second half well but they were nearly caught on the counter-attack on the hour mark when the visitors broke forward and Bowen struck the foot of Egan's near post.

However, five minutes later the Blues deservedly levelled the scores when sub Ben Wyss's cross from the right was headed back across goal and over Ratcliffe by skipper Foudil.

Adem Atay and Kieron Dyer's side kept the pressure up and Brown scored what turned out to be the match-winner on 70 when he ran onto Lewis Reed's headed flick and rounded Ratcliffe before finding the unguarded net from a tight angle.

While the young Blues held on to take all three points, Brown was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card. The first had been given for a push with five minutes remaining and then the striker needlessly dived in and fouled an opponent. Neither he nor the Town coaching staff had any complaints about the decision.

Atay and Dyer will have been impressed with the willingness of their team to keep pushing to get back into the game, and to get what they ultimately deserved against the league leaders.

It was an even more impressive result given the two central midfielders for the Blues - Gibbs and Alexander - are both U16s and have only made a handful of U18s appearances between them, while the more experienced Brown was a constant threat to the visitors' defence but could easily have avoided getting his red card towards the end.

Town’s table-topping U23s are next in action at Playford Road on Monday afternoon when they face Burnley (KO 1pm).

U18s: Egan, Viral (Wyss 52), Vega, Alexander (Baker 65), Fehrenbach, Henderson, Ruffles, Gibbs, Z Brown, Foudil, Simpson (Reed 59). Unused: Alley, Clifford.

Photo: TWTD

FAcup78 added 08:32 - Mar 3 Well done another fantastic performance from the young Blues. Gibbs and Alexander amazing for players so young. Gibbs passing is simply brilliant. Young Wyss when he came on made an instant impact and Brown was a constant threat up top. I'm hear Gibbs is getting interest off some big clubs and I can see why. Think a Man Utd scout was talking with his parents last weekend. Hope the lad stays he is a real talent. Well done to the u18's and u23's your showing us what we have got to come and it looks amazing. The future is YOUTH!!!!.

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algarvefan added 12:16 - Mar 3 I only hope that we can afford to maintain our wonderful academy. It will remain the lifeblood of the first team in the future and maybe provide future managers too. Life in Division One will be tough and some of the current youngsters will not doubt have to grow up really quickly. I know it's a big step up but when they are ready, they are ready, I wish we had promoted Nash to the first team, he knew these players and what they were capable of, I know one thing for sure, he couldn't have done worse than Hurst or Lambert. Please can we have many fewer loans and build our own squad, just look up the A12 to see how effective that has been for a certain team.

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Upthetown1970 added 12:55 - Mar 3 Great game yesterday from the whole u18 team. Cardiff came to win that's for sure. Two u16 lads in midfield were outstanding. Fingers crossed Gibbs stays because this club has been craving for a player of his ability for a long time. This lad can create chances out of nothing. We have talent in abundance in our academy we must use them. Henderson was a rock at the back again this week. Let's hope the first team can mirror what our academy are doing.

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Linkboy13 added 15:43 - Mar 3 What is the point in having an academy when the big clubs just come and take our best players next one to go will be Dylan Crowe who's hardly played because the club don't want their prize asset injured surely the FA have got to act on this and bring in a ruling that players cant be lured away until they are a certain age say 21yrs like to hear other people's opinions on this.

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RACKOONA added 17:09 - Mar 3 Totally agree needs to be rules around youngsters being snapped up by the big clubs and then leaving them to rot in their vast ranks of players. Hopefully dyer will help educate the young ones to stay and learn their trade within this great club that has seen many great young players fulfill their dreams. As for Gibbs I have said before he is one for the future and he has a fantastic grounding. He is a fantastic prospect as is the young man beside him Alexander who have come through the age groups together. Mr Evans forget taking the pennies and let these lads be our future.

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Ericgates12 added 07:58 - Mar 4 Well done again u18's another assured performance. Unity throughout the team. Ipswich to be honest could have one the match more comfortably. I think the rumours surrounding Gibbs future with club are just those rumours and perhaps we all should just calm down about big clubs taking our better young players. I believe we have only lost 3 or 4 youth players to so called big clubs over the past 6 years or so. It's not like it's common practice for ipswich to have our youth players move year after year. Our current crop of young players are undoubtedly the club's future and I'm sure keeping them all will be the club's priority.

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