Town’s U18s were beaten 5-2 by Fulham at Playford Road in their opening game of the season this morning.

After a difficult first campaign in the U18 Premier League, things looked very promising for the young Blues, now coached by Mark Robinson and Jimmy Smith, in the early stages of this match with early pressure ultimately rewarded with a goal.

After a succession of home corners, the last was cleared out as far as right back Riley-Joe Barry, who shot just wide of the far post.

The main danger in the game from the visitors came from their number 10 Khai Vally, who on six minutes saw his shot blocked by a home defender.

Then it was the Town keeper Ruben Wreford and a fellow defender who blocked a shot by Anand Batra.

It was a game that saw both keepers making bad mistakes with the first goals for each team.

On eight, Chris Atherton, recently signed from Chelsea, sent in his shot, the away keeper fumbled and it was Ibrahim Msabah who put away the rebound to give the Blues the lead.

For Town, the lively Jayden Adetiba saw his shot blocked and the follow-up diverted across goal and away for a corner.

Then on 14 minutes, an Atherton effort from the left saw Matthew Bagot do better this time, saving at his near post.

For Fulham, Anand Batra shot over the bar when in on goal, then from a corner Lewis Wall’s header was held by Wreford.

On 25 minutes, Town went close again when Msabah hit the outside of the left hand post.

Six minutes later, Blues’ keeper Wreford was at fault for Fulham’s equaliser. Teddy Driscoll’s shot took a deflection and the ball went high in the air but Wreford allowed himself to be out-jumped by Vally, who headed into the net.

And on 43, the linesman flagged for a foul on the right edge of the box and VALLY duly put away the penalty.

Vally was on for a first-half hat-trick but when in on goal he managed to put his shot over the bar.

In first-half stoppage time, there was a booking for Pedro Felicio and from the resulting free-kick by Driscoll, the header by Archie Taylor was held by Wreford.

Two poor challenges, first on Barry and when the referee played an advantage then on Ben Buskell, saw the official surprisingly not producing a yellow card for either of the offenders, but he was to show many in the second half.

At the start of the second half, Vally soon had a shot blocked by Harvey Ness.

But it didn’t take Fulham long to add to their tally as a cross from the left was turned in by Batra in the 53rd minute.

After a Fulham booking, Wreford was to err again almost beaten by Vally’s shot from around the halfway line when well out of his goal but it went just wide of the left-hand post.

After another Wreford save, there was a booking for Fulham’s Wall for a poor challenge on Buskell. Just after a similar incident on the adjoining U16s pitch, a mass melee developed after the away player took exception to conceding a Town free-kick.

With even both keepers charging from their nets to get involved, all of 21 players took part with only Town’s Atherton staying well clear.

After it had then simmered down, the referee and his two officials called the four main culprits who were away players Devonte Cavell and Kymarley Morrison and Town’s Buskell and Kellyan Olawole. Having spoken to the benches, there was then a discussion with the two captains.

After a long delay, the restart was further delayed as George Conneely and Olawole were replaced by Harvey Duggens and James Brentnall, while Fulham made three changes.

When Vally came in from the left and made it 4-1 to complete his hat-trick in the 68th minute, home supporters must have felt they were seeing what they had witnessed most of last season, a heavy defeat.

Town then made two more changes on 76 minutes with Atherton and Buskell off and Mustaan Olakazim and Reuben Carr coming on.

Olakazim broke well down the right and his attempt went just wide of the far post. Then Vally, having scored a hat-trick, was replaced by Bashil Lubega.

Ipswich were then rewarded with a second goal on 80 as a cross from the right eluded players from both teams in the middle before before Ness on the back post was turning the ball in.

Two minutes later, after Fulham sub Dylan De-Gale had curled a shot wide, it was the last sub, Lubega, who added a fifth goal as his shot beat the keeper down to his right.

Will Sutton-Bangura got a shot away which Wreford was down to save, then Adetiba sent a free-kick high and wide of the target.

Town: Wreford, Barry, Ness, Felicio, Olawole (Duggins 65), Conneely (Brentnall 65), Buskell (Carr 76), Stewart, Adetiba, Msabah, Atherton (Olakazim 76). Unused: Twyman.

Photo: TWTD