Professional Development League

Tuesday 17th October 2023

Kick Off 13.30 On Time!

Ipswich Town U21 4 Watford U21 1, attendance 65

39’ 1-0

59’ 2-0

70’ 2-1

76’ 3-1

87’ 4-1

@ Ipswich Town F.C. Training Ground

Bent Lane

Rushmere St. Andrew

IP4 5RG

No Admission

Team Sheet, free.

When I saw Ipswich Town U19 play Wimbledon U19 in a F.A. Premier Academy League match back in 2004, they played at Playford Road, which is now the first team training ground. The youth teams play on the opposite side of the road, accessed via Bent Lane. There is a decent sized car park, manned by stewards, with the entrance to the complex being via a gate in the corner. Spectators are held here until a few minutes before kick off. There are three pitches, today’s game being played on the main one, running parallel with Woodbridge Road and railed along most of the near side with a plastic barrier, a t.v. tower just beyond the halfway line being as far as you could go. The dugouts are opposite.

It took until six minutes before halftime for Ipswich to break the deadlock, clipping the ball over the ‘keeper when played through. Goal number two came just before the hour, through a 20 yarder into the bottom corner. A close range header saw Watford pull it back to 2-1 with twenty minutes left, but Ipswich hit back with a header of their own to make it 3-1, before adding number four with three minutes left, finishing into the bottom corner after being played through on the right. Ipswich had a man sent off in stoppage time for a foul on a striker through on goal, but too late to make any difference to the final score.

Surprisingly clear run in both directions. Minimal traffic at Dartford Crossing and only a couple of minutes lost through the roadworks on the A12 on the return journey.