Town's U18s progressed to the second round of this season's Turners Hyundai Suffolk FA Premier Cup with a comfortable 4-1 victory at Whitton United on Tuesday evening.

The young Blues - who conceded home advantage in the tie - were ahead at the break thanks to strikes from Ben Haddoch (pictured) and Jack Manly. Ash Boatswain added a third and although Jayden Cohen pulled one back for the hosts, Jesse Nwabueze scored Town's fourth soon after.

Boatswain was first to test Whitton keeper Billy Bailey early on but his shot from a narrow angle was gathered with ease, shortly before Manly curled a free-kick just wide of the far post from the corner of the box.

Manly then saw another effort well blocked and from the home side's clearance, Cohen latched on to the loose ball and rounded Town stopper Danny Cullum. The pacy wideman slid the ball towards the net and must have thought he had opened the scoring, only for Dan Cousens to produce a fine sliding clearance and just prevent the ball from crossing the line.

On 17, the influential Manly drove forward and struck a fierce shot from 25 yards which the diving Bailey pushed into the ground with the keeper relieved to see the ball bounce up and off the crossbar before being cleared.

Nwabueze then stood up a lovely ball to the back post but Harry Barbrook's header fell wide of the target, moments before Bailey did well to smother an effort from Oli Davis after the number seven had got through on goal.

Davis turned provider for Town's opener on 26 though after some neat build-up play on the left side led to him cutting the ball back for Haddoch, with his goalbound strike taking a deflection on its way past Bailey.

The marauding Barbrook should have doubled Town's advantage almost immediately but blazed high and wide after a fine through ball from Manly.

Just after the half-hour mark Cutbush teed-up Haddoch who saw his effort deflect just wide of the target, before Nwabueze shot into the side-netting.

Davis claimed his second assist ten minutes before the break when he played a low ball into the danger area from the right. Boatswain eased defender George Tuck aside at the near post which allowed the on-rushing Manly to calmly slot the ball past Bailey from close range. Manly was then withdrawn after picking up an ankle injury earlier in the half.

Sam Darlow's youngsters continued to push forward and Bailey was soon called into action again to deny Boatswain, while Cullum did well at the other end to keep out Cohen's angled shot moments before referee Emily Heaslip signalled for the end of the first half.

Seconds after the restart, Nwabueze struck a fierce shot which Bailey palmed over the bar but the keeper was powerless to prevent Boatswain netting a third five minutes into the second period. The ball fell to the striker on the edge of the box and his powerful effort found the net via another deflection which wrong-footed Bailey.

Just after the hour mark, the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side pulled a goal back when Cullum could only push out an initial effort which left Cohen with a tap-in at the near post from close range.

Sub Fin Corrigan then twice had good chances to find the net in as many minutes, first heading Haddoch's cross over and then firing well over the bar after being played through by Davis.

Nwabueze couldn't quite convert Davis's right-sided cross just before Corrigan did have the ball in the net, only to see that Davis had been flagged offside earlier in the move.

On 71 Nwabueze restored Town's three-goal advantage by passing the ball into the bottom corner following good work from Corrigan.

Although rarely troubling the Blues' backline, the hosts dug in and defended well with the only other chance of note falling to sub Nico Valentine in stoppage time, but his effort found the side-netting with Bailey narrowing the angle well.

Town's youngsters could and probably should have added a few more goals to their tally but they were in control throughout with all of the attacking players helping to create an abundance of chances.

The side will face a very different test in the next round though when they face Leiston, who have beaten Town youth sides in this competition on numerous occasions over the years.

U18s: Cullum, Nkansa-Dwamena, H Barbrook, Cutbush, Logan, Cousens, Davis (Valentine 80), Haddoch, Boatswain (Corrigan 58), Manly (F Barbrook 37), Nwabueze. Unused: Oudnie-Morgan, Taylor.

Photo: TWTD

WeWereZombies added 15:26 - Oct 12 Top marks to whoever wrote the match report for introducing the word 'maruading' - I fully expect this prospect to make it all the way to first team write ups.
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