Scott Twine scored in Extra-Time to secure a 3-2 win for Town’s U18s and book their place in the Third Round of the FA Youth Cup at SN1 on Saturday.
The young Reds were pushed all the way by a stubborn AFC Sudbury outfit at The County Ground on yesterday afternoon, but kept their cool to get the job done and set up an intriguing encounter at home to QPR in the next round.
Playing on the hallowed turf at SN1, Town made a good start to proceedings with Jordan Young flashing an effort just past the post.
However, the visitors soon settled into their groove and they took the lead with just eight minutes on the clock courtesy of Callum Watson’s well-taken effort after Town had lost possession in the middle of the pitch.
But it didn’t take long for the Reds to hit back and they were on level-terms with less than twenty minutes on the clock after Christian Frimpong reacted quickest to nod home the rebound after Twine’s effort had crashed back off the crossbar.
Twine then blasted wide before Young was off-target with a free-kick as Town began to dominate proceedings.
Archie Matthews was then called into action at the other end as he pushed away a deflected effort to keep the visitors at bay, before Seb Martinez fired over for Town in the final action of an entertaining first-half.
AFC Sudbury had given a very good account of themselves and were full of confidence after the break, seeing two shots cleared off the line.
Town were forced into doing plenty of defending but were unable to prevent their guests from taking the lead just past the hour mark, with Watson notching his second of the afternoon.
But the young Reds responded well and were unlucky not to reply instantly with Sol Pryce’s close-range header somehow being kept out by the Sudbury keeper.
Tommy Ouldridge could then only watch on his header was hooked off the line from the resulting corner.
However, the pressure finally told as the game entered its closing stages and Twine lashed home from outside the box to take the game into extra-time.
Both sides went at it hammer and tongue in a bid to find a dramatic winner but it was Town who prevailed after Ouldridge picked out Twine and the young talent picked his spot perfectly to extend his side’s stay in the FA Youth Cup.
December.thTown’s U18s will now face QPR at The County Ground the week commencing 12
PICTURE COURTESY OF RYAN AINSCOW.*
