Town’s FA Youth Cup run came to an end at the semi-final stage as Liverpool came from behind to beat the Blues’ U18s 2-1 at Portman Road. Town deservedly went ahead in first-half injury time when Edwin Agbaje headed home, but the visitors were on top for most of the second half and were seen into the final via goals from Mateusz Musialowski and Melkamu Frauendorf.

After both sides and the officials had taken a knee in support of Black Lives Matter, the game got under way with the early stages evenly balanced.

In the third minute Liam Gibbs sent over a cross from the left but just too high for Gerard Buabo.

Liverpool, third in Premier League U18 North and unbeaten in their last 10 in all competitions, began to dominate possession and in the 15th minute Dom Corness struck a shot which Blues keeper Lewis Ridd stopped but was unable to hold on to, however, he was able to claim the rebound ahead of the lurking Max Woltman.

Three minutes later, James Balagizi brought the ball in from the left before hitting a shot which deflected over. Ridd confidently punched away the resultant corner.

In the 23rd minute, Musialowski struck a low effort which Ridd, starting having been an early sub for the injured Antoni Bort in the 3-2 after-extra-time victory over Sheffield United in the quarter-final, pushed past his post.

The Blues began to play more of the game in the Liverpool half, Gibbs seeing a shot blocked on the edge of the box.

Town’s first real chance of the game came in the 32nd minute. The Blues played a corner on the left back to be delivered into the box and a Liverpool defender was only able to clear it to Nico Valentine in space on the left of the box but the schoolboy scuffed his effort.

The home side continued to see most of the ball and on 37 Gibbs struck a shot from distance through to Harvey Davies in the Liverpool goal.

Three minutes later, Musialowski twisted and turned on the edge of the box before hitting a shot which Ridd saved down to his right.

But it was the Blues who would take the lead in injury time. Gibbs brought the ball to the byline on the right and crossed for Irish right-back Edwin Agbaje, whose header just crossed the line having struck the keeper and woodwork.

After rapturous celebrations in the corner by the tunnel, there wasn’t time for any further action before the break.

The Blues had been far from overawed by their more illustrious opponents and had more than held their own. Liverpool had had spells on top but so had the Town youngsters who had appeared to grow in confidence the longer the half progressed.

Even before the late goal, the Blues had had the best chance when Valentine was unable to connect cleanly, and they went in at the break well worth their lead.

Liverpool number nine Woltman missed a golden chance to level two minutes after the restart when sent through on goal. As Ridd advanced from his line, the striker blazed over.

On 49 the visitors threatened again, James Norris crossing for Conor Bradley who turned his first time effort into the back of the stand.

The Merseysiders had started the second half on the front foot and were seeing most of the ball, albeit without adding to their early chances, but in the 59th minute the Blues were close to making it 2-0.

Cameron Humphreys was sent away down the left by Alfie Cutbush and his cross fell for Valentine beyond the far post from where he shot not too far over.

Three minutes later, Cutbush was shown the game’s first yellow card for a foul on Musialowski midway inside the Town half. And from the resultant free-kick the visitors levelled.

Centre-half Elkan Baggott headed the initial free-kick but Liverpool skipper Jarell Quansah nodded down to Musialowski, who worked himself space on the edge of the box before hitting a shot which deflected past the wrong-footed Ridd and into the net. The Reds deserved the leveller on the balance of the half.

As they prepared to restart, Town swapped Cutbush for striker Ola Bello, scorer of a hat-trick in the early stages of the competition at Chelmsford.

Having got on terms, a Liverpool onslaught might have been expected but none came and the Blues began to see more of the ball and began to threaten.

On 78, Gibbs tricked his way on from the left and sent over a powerful low cross which deflected off Quansah and away for a throw.

The visitors swapped goalscorer Musialowski for Frauendorf in the 79th minute and two minutes after coming on, the sub put his side in front.

Woltman had been dispossessed inside the area by Baggott but the ball fell to the German, who turned inside the Indonesian U19 international and shot across Ridd, who got a hand to it but couldn’t prevent it from arcing inside the post.

Town switched Agbaje and Buabo for Jack Manly and Tawanda Chirewa in the 83rd minute as they looked to get back on terms.

However, Liverpool were starting to dominate and create chances. On 85 Woltman shot wide, then a minute later Frauendorf was thwarted by Ridd when through on goal.

Town continued to look for a late leveller, something they managed earlier in the competition against Fulham and then Sheffield United, but they were unable to trouble Davies in the Liverpool goal and referee Craig Hicks’s whistle confirmed the Reds’ progress into the final.

Despite the defeat and missing out on what would have been the club’s fourth appearance in the final, the young Blues can hold their heads up high not just for tonight’s performance, having matched Liverpool for long spells, but for the cup run and their season as a whole.

The youngsters’ season is still not over with a Professional Development League Two play-off semi-final at Wigan on Saturday.

U18s: Ridd, Agbaje (Manly 83), Alexander (c), Stewart, Baggott, Armin, Valentine, Cutbush (Bello 64), Buabo (Chirewa 83), Gibbs, Humphreys. Unused: Catley, Bradshaw, Nwabueze, Boatswain.

Liverpool: Davies, Bradley, Norris, Quansah (c), Koumetio, Stephenson, Corness, Morton, Woltman, Balagizi, Musialowski (Frauendorf 79). Unused: Mrozek, Jonas, Wilson, Chambers, Mabaya, Bajcetic. Referee: Craig Hicks.

Photo: Matchday Images

blueboy1981 added 21:40 - May 12 As a Club at whatever level, lets get out of having respect for the opposition, a name is a name, a match is a match - it's 11 v 11 whoever they are and wherever they come from. Make me down a thousand times, but tonight we failed, and all we have on here is ‘praise for failure' which has become a habit over recent years for ITFC. Truth is - tonight the game was there for the taking, we were 1-0 up and should have pushed on. Both Liverpool goals were gifts, the winning goal in particular. Defending has to be better than what we saw tonight to reach Finals and Win - the lads will know that chance was there tonight, and it wasn't taken. Forget it was Liverpool - it's a name, and in Football, as we should all know it invariably means nothing, and shouldn't either when you cross that line. Being overawed is a goal against immediately, and second half it began to show. Most of the Lads would agree - I'm sure. They learn and move on - opportunity haven gone.

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PinstripeBlue added 22:00 - May 12 Great game, great performance. Just like the old days, quality footy, confident play, let's get forward approach. Just a little disappointed that TWTD didn't get more involved. Why no chat room?
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DifferentGravy added 22:26 - May 12 You did brilliantly lads. Give it a couple of days to get over the disappointment and realise how well you have done.....given us fans something to be proud of this season. Hopefully all of you will go onto better things and some of you even into our first team in years to come COYB
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FromIpswichToPhoenix added 22:28 - May 12 Well done, lads. We're proud of you.
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Upthetown1970 added 04:29 - May 13 Be very proud of what you have achieved and putting a smile back on our faces as Ipswich Town fans. Some very good performances but most of all a team performance. Very well drilled and very disciplined for such young players. Gibbs again the creative midfielder something we have lacked all season. Please Ipswich get his contract sorted or lose him to the vultures. Well done to our academy staff they also can be proud of the work they are doing.

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trncbluearmy added 10:14 - May 13 Brightened up a crap season,well done lads you lost a game but are still winners COYB
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trncbluearmy added 10:37 - May 13 Blueboy1981 We were against a cat 1 academy,who play against top oppo. every game, there natural game is at a much higher level the ours simply because of habit. Our lads had to raise their game to a much higher level the fact they were able to do so and on another day could have won is cause for celebration.
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Razor added 11:55 - May 13 Very unlucky lads----great first half and defending well until that flukey deflection gave them the equalizer----typical!! Then we lost our best player and a soft keeper error for their winner------where was the Polish guy, thought he was supposed to be playing and not wishing to be cruel but reckon he would have done better with the winning goal TV coverage good and I think club came out of it very well----think Spackman may be a secret tractor boy!!

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blueboy1981 added 13:36 - May 13 Typical of so many ITFC Supporters - happy with failure. Just ask the Players if they were happy with the way they lost ? - they know they had an incredible opportunity to beat, yes beat, a top Club in this Competition. Simples are - we gave them two goals, and the Coaches and Players know it ... !! A WIN was there for the taking. If YOU as a Supporter want this Club to get back some pride in performance and status level - then get a WINNING mentality back at ALL levels. Otherwise we will stay ‘as we are' - and it will be no good moaning and continuously changing Managers - as has been the case for far too long.

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happybeingblue added 17:23 - May 13 pretty harsh blueboy,did you watch the sheff utd game and last nights game? surely you must have been a little excited at what you saw on display,i know i was,its not a case of being happy with failure at all,its the realisation that the coaches at u18 and u23 level seem to actually have an idea of what they are doing compared to the first team,at the end of the day itfc fans want to be entertained. we have had so much negativety over the last so many years,that was finally an ipswich team to be proud of,do you not think? people actually enjoyed watching them! got excited,celebrated a goal,sat on the edge of their seat...all these things have been missing for years for me anyway.

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