Spirited display in Suffolk

A second half double from Jordan Roberts left a spirited performance from our development squad without reward in our Leasing.com Trophy Southern Group A opener at Ipswich Town on Tuesday evening.

Our young team competed well against an Ipswich side in which every starter had featured for the first team this season - nine in League One, remembering that Paul Lambert's men top the table, unbeaten, and two in the Carabao Cup. A crowd of over 5,000 - including Suffolk's favourite son, Ed Sheeran - only added to the experience.

Under pressure but always in the game, we defended well as a unit and always looked capable going forward. A one-touch move cut through Town's defence as Armando Shashoua opened the scoring on nine minutes but we were caught out two minutes into the second half as Roberts levelled. The striker then scored a carbon copy goal on 66 minutes and despite a couple of dangerous raids down the home side's left and a golden chance in the final minute, that's how it stayed.

We coped with the expected early Ipswich pressure before taking the lead on nine minutes. Shilow Tracey made progress down the left before turning the ball inside Tariq Hinds, he found Tashan Oakley-Boothe who rolled the ball into Shashoua's run between defenders. Shashoua composed himself and slid past advancing Will Norris.

The action was unrelenting in the next 15 minutes. Roberts headed over, Tracey curled straight at Norris, TJ Eyoma blocked Gwion Edwards and Brooklyn Lyons-Foster did the same from Armando Dobra. James Wilson headed a gilt-edged chance wide, Dobra might have done better from Emyr Huws' cross and then stung Alfie Whiteman's hands - all inside 25 minutes.

We looked good on the ball with Oakley-Boothe, Shashoua and Dilan Markanday looking to pick holes. Rodel Richards spun and fired straight at Norris and then latched onto a defensive slip from Huws, skipped around Norris but fired wide from the angle. Roberts slid over the final chance of the half on 42 minutes.

Ipswich got off to a flier to equalise at the start of the second half, a blow for us. Dobra got away down the right and served it on a plate for Roberts to tap home. Town came on strong, Dobra, twice, and Roberts went close and Whiteman denied Idris El Mizouri. The second goal arrived on 66 minutes when Dobra got to the right byline again and squared for Roberts once more, the finish clinical again.

At the same time, we were starting to get some joy down the left. Tracey had earlier got onto Harvey White's pass but slightly overrun the ball, Markanday also got in but Oakley-Boothe couldn't convert and the third time, Tracey's cross evaded everyone.

Whiteman picked Tyreece Simpson's shot out of the air before Tracey got in again down the left, this time his low shot whistled just wide. As we ticked into added time, the chance we'd been waiting for. The ball pinged around on the edge of the box and into the path of substitute Enock Asante. He had no time to adjust his feet or compose himself before Norris was on top of him and a quick poke saw the ball roll agonisingly wide. A pity.

Key moment

It's a tie - Ipswich's equaliser less than two minutes into the second half certainly gave them the platform and more belief, and they really took control in the next 15 minutes. However, Enock Asante had that last-gasp chance to level and missed by inches.

Coach's view

Reflecting on the evening at Portman Road, coach Wayne Burnett told us: "We encountered a very good team in Ipswich. Overall, they probably deserved to beat us because they’ve done the basics better than us at times. We knew it was going to be tough, but we hung in there. We got in front but then we didn’t really help ourselves at the start of the second half, did something we don’t normally do and conceded. That changed the complexion of the game.

"Ipswich have good players and it’s no coincidence they are top of League One - good players, good management, good staff. We knew it would be tough. We stuck in there and we could have nicked a draw right at the end. It wasn’t meant to be and probably overall it was a fair result.

"We like this competition. It presents different challenges for us and we have to find the solutions. We enjoy it, enjoy playing in these games and enjoy testing ourselves against players with league experience, players who are a little older, a little more physical. It’s a different challenge on all levels."

Match data

Goals: Ipswich - Roberts 47, 66; Spurs - Shashoua 9.

Yellow card: Spurs - Okedina 77.

Referee: Craig Hicks.

Venue: Portman Road.

Weather: Warm, 21 degrees at kick-off.

Attendance: 5,377.