First-half goals from Idris El Mizouni and Barry Cotter saw Town's U23s defeat Burnley 2-0 at Playford Road to extend their lead at the top of Professional Development League Two South table to seven points.

Ipswich had first-team experience in their side with Andre Dozzell, Josh Emmanuel and Kayden Jackson all starting at a very windy Playford Road.

The visitors came into the match on a seven-game unbeaten run in all competitions and had the chance to close the gap on Leeds at the top of the northern section.

However, after securing their place in the last 16 of the Premier League Cup on Friday night manager Steve Stone decided to make changes to his side to manage the two-day gap between games.

The Clarets started the more threatening of the two teams with Rob Harker’s header forcing Harry Wright into an early save at his near post following George Wilson’s corner.

Ipswich started to look livelier and use the pace of Jackson up front, but after holding off his man and taking a good first touch towards goal the striker was brought down by Teddy Perkins, who was promptly booked.

A series of half chances followed for Ipswich with Dozzell having a volley blocked on the edge of the area in the 10th minute before Armando Dobra drove towards the edge of the box to shoot, but his effort was also blocked.

The visitors didn’t trouble the Ipswich defence for a majority of the first half but the Blues were caught trying to play out from the back and it took good judgement from Wright to get a touch on the ball to take it away from Mitch George who otherwise would have had an open goal to aim for.

Burnley’s five-minute spell of pressure continued and a well-flighted cross from George was almost just missed by Lewis Richardson at the back post.

Shortly after that a fantastic sliding tackle from Emmanuel prevented Tinashe Chakwana from crossing from a dangerous position in the 27th minute.

Ipswich absorbed the Burnley pressure and quickly got back on track. Jackson surged down the right wing and into the box where he hit a solid low pass towards El Mizouni who calmly guided it into the goal just before the half-hour mark.

Five minutes later the lead was doubled in contentious circumstances. Dozzell’s high freekick from the right wing was caught by the wind as it travelled towards the far post. Burnley goalkeeper Aiden Stone appeared to have claimed but Cotter jumped with him, knocking it from his grasp and down onto the goal-line fand the Irishman back-heeled in.

Burnley should have pulled a goal back before the break when George’s scuffed effort fell to Richardson, but his volley from six-yards out rattled against the crossbar.

The second half offered far less goalmouth action but Wright was needed early on to stop a potential Clarets comeback. Will Harris curled a shot towards goal with his left foot that forced the Town keeper to get down low to his right to parry away. The ball went into the path of Chakwana whose efforts from yards out was saved by Wright who did very well to get up quickly and block.

Ipswich’s goal seemed to be living a charmed life at times and George’s freekick from just outside the box hit the crossbar and went over as Burnley looked for a way back into the game on the hour mark.

The next significant moment of the match didn’t come until the 94th minute when Simon Dawkins skilfully took the ball into the box and fired a high shot at the near post, but Clarets keeper, Stone, stretched a hand out to push it over the bar.

U23s: Wright, Emmanuel, Cotter (Clements 70), Ndaba, Webber, McGavin, Dozzell, Dobra (Brown 67), Dawkins, El Mizouni, Jackson (Hughes 75). Unused Subs: Egan, Crowe.

Photo: TWTD

algarvefan added 17:11 - Mar 4 I know this isn't the championship but can't help thinking we should play at least some of these lads in the first team, when all the loanees have gone at the end of the season lets hope some of our own get a chance in Division One. It is honestly an opportunity to rebuild with a few experienced players and a young team to build upon. Well done today lads, you are doing the club proud.

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therein61 added 17:48 - Mar 4 Got to be some of these lads in contention next season, well done Mr Nash thanks to you and Mr Klug youth wise we are looking very good.
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BlueArrow added 18:30 - Mar 4 Well done lads wish I could have been there.
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MisterBlue added 18:45 - Mar 4 This maybe explained elsewhere, but how are playing Burnley in the Southern section? Thanks.
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muhrensleftfoot added 18:48 - Mar 4 Is Nydam injured?
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BigscarfAl added 18:59 - Mar 4 Does anyone know how this "league" works as we now seem to be playing some teams from the North but getting league points for it ! ?
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PhilTWTD added 19:46 - Mar 4 We play everyone in our league twice and everyone in the northern section once.
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BigscarfAl added 20:56 - Mar 4 Thank you Phil
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Linkboy13 added 22:07 - Mar 4 Luv watching the under 23s they play entertaining football the problem is the standard is probably vauxhall conference south at best so the step up to the first team is too great as much as i hate it the loan system is the best way to develop young players Luke wolfenden seems to have done very well at Swindon and with Evan's cash strapping again will be a vital player for us that's the reality I'm afraid.

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Saxonblue74 added 23:07 - Mar 4 Good to see another win for the lads. No goals for Jackson in the u23's though? He's 1 of 2 senior strikers fit at the moment.....little wonder there's a goal drought in the 1st team!
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harlingblue added 06:12 - Mar 5 Under the cosh in the first part of the first half, but wayward shooting by our Burnley counterparts proved costly as our U23 team grew into the game, and scored two well worked goals. Two brilliant saves by keeper Wright in an otherwise half dominated by our U23 pressing for a 3rd goal. Players ready for 1st duty IMHO Emmanuel, Trotter. Dozzell, Jackson and Dawkins did not do enough to stake a claim.

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Desertion_ added 09:49 - Mar 5 I think it's best to introduce them to the first team slowly, once we are mathematically down I think we should include some of them in the matchday squad for the remaining championship games. This could be at the expense of some of our loans we have in. See how they get on, maybe introduce 1 or 2 in each game no more at one time. The experience can only help them so if needed they can feel more ready to play their part in league 1 however small this may be. I'd like to see us sign Will Keane once his contract runs out too.

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WeWereZombies added 13:13 - Mar 5 harlingblue, I think you mean Cotter, not Trotter.
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PortmanTerrorist added 14:54 - Mar 5 Lots of comments about building a team full of young starlets. Most will not have a professional career in them, and those that do will require guidance. Will Skuse and Chambers still be with us next year and/or have the legs and appetite ? Not so big an issue for the forwards where hopefully Judge can act as a guiding light, but have to wonder if Tommy Smith would come back, captain the team and guide us back to (at least) where we belong. Am sure the lads out there today would benefit from having the last genuine defender we had at the Club guiding them.....James Collins qualifies if he can stay fit of course.

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Edmundo added 21:49 - Mar 5 El Mizouni has a bright future. Some real momentum in this team if nothing else, which means a lot in football. Confidence can take a fairly good team a long way (see also Narwich).
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runningout added 11:50 - Mar 6 Think we know, just ignoring it at the mo
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BlueBlood90 added 13:28 - Mar 6 Something isn't right that we have such a promising U23 side but virtually none of them get a look in for the first team. El Mizouni for one always seems to grab the headlines but I'm not sure he's even made the bench for us yet. There really is no harm in throwing a few of them in now, we lose every week with our senior side anyway so no blame could be attached to them and it will give them vital experience.

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Linkboy13 added 21:27 - Mar 6 You can't just chuck young players into the first team when they are not physically ready Mick McCarthy was reluctant to play Andre Dozzell because of this and looked what happened don't think the lad has recovered yet Paul Lambert is also holding him back because he's just not ready yet.
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