Goals from Patrick, Charles and Brown secure a deserved win!
The Reds were impressive, dominating the match from start to finish and could have scored more on the day!
Patrick's first half strike from the edge of the area gave the Reds the lead before Charles doubled it with a superb finish before the break. Jacob Brown scored a terrific header late in the second half, then Ipswich pulled a late goal back through Andre Dozzell.
With recent signings Jake Charles and Julio Rodriguez included in Chris Howarth’s starting XI, the young Reds were looking to bounce back from last Friday’s defeat against Hull City.
With just two minutes on the clock the Reds earned their first corner of the afternoon after a fine run and cross by Dylan Mottley-Henry was put behind by the Ipswich defence. The in-swinging corner taken by Matty Templeton was met at the far post by Rodriguez but his header drifted harmlessly wide and out of play.
It was a scrappy opening 10 minutes, but Jared Bird and Robbie Crawford began to dictate from the centre of the park. However, after the referee gave the away side what looked a soft free-kick, Andre Dozzell went on a mazy run from halfway, he crossed from the by-line and picked out Town’s centre forward Ben Morris, whose header from six yards out looked destined for the bottom corner only to be turned around the post by Reds ‘keeper Jack Walton in superb fashion.
On 20 minutes, the Reds were ahead. A neat passage of play wide left resulted in Templeton finding Charles inside the box and he slipped a lovely pass into the path of Omari Patrick who finished with aplomb from 12 yards out, a crisp, low strike into the bottom right-hand corner for 1-0.
The lead was nearly doubled five minutes later after another great left-wing cross by Templeton was met by Jacob Brown whose header was saved well low down by Ipswich ‘keeper Michael Crowe.
The Reds were playing some excellent stuff now and a surging run from Charles saw him scythed down in midfield. From the resulting free-kick, Crawford shaped to cross but went for goal, 35 yards out, his swerving strike tipped over the bar for a Reds corner.
The harrying and pressing throughout the first half was reminiscent of the first team and on 32 minutes the second goal arrived.
It was superb football in midfield, Crawford found Mottley-Henry out on the right flank and his first time low cross was steered in powerfully from an acute angle at the far post by Charles. A goal accompanying his earlier assist for the Welsh Under 21 international.
Just before half-time the third nearly arrived. A 25-yard drive from Brown cannoned off the foot of the post.
There were no changes for either side at the break and a minute into the second period, Bird’s half-volley was held comfortably by Crowe in the Town goal.
The Reds were linking up very well in midfield and Brown was holding the ball up with ease which allowed the wingers to bomb on at will.
The visitors finally began to push the Reds back around the hour mark. A couple of efforts from distance were sent wide by Giles Coke, and Rodriguez had to be sharp inside the six-yard box to clear for a corner under pressure.
On 68 minutes the Reds made a substitution with the impressive Charles replaced by James Carvell on the left wing. And within a couple of minutes the diminutive wide-man had danced off the left flank before firing just past the far post.
Josh Kay replaced Patrick soon after and with less than 10 minutes to play the young Reds were 3-0 ahead. It was a stunning move. A free-kick just on half-way taken by Rodriguez, a 40 yard ball that landed on the toes of Carvell, he turned his marker inside then out before putting over a left-footed cross to the near post that Brown headed home superbly from eight yards out.
The away side replied instantly, and it was a fine goal at that. It was Dozzell who controlled in the box before side-footing a finish into the bottom corner.
There was a late Templeton strike that clipped the bar and Kay screwed a volley wide from the edge of the box in injury time. It was a fantastic display from Howarth’s young Reds and meant his side had picked up their first three points of the season.
