Tuesday, 11th Feb 2025 15:08
New signing Somto Boniface made his first appearance in a Town shirt as the Blues’ U21s were beaten 4-3 by Bristol City at Playford Road.
Eighteen-year-old Boniface joined Town from Chelsea on deadline day and lined-up in his usual left-back role, while forward Josh Pitts, who signed from Southampton earlier in the window, made his first U21s start.
At centre-half, the Blues started trialist 17-year-old Brightlingsea Regent Walker Shabazz-Edwards, who impressed as a sub in last week’s Premier League Cup victory over Watford, alongside Edwin Agbaje, making his second appearance having recovered from the hamstring injury he suffered when on loan at Sutton.
Town striker Jamie Mauge had the ball in the net in the opening couple of minutes but with the linesman’s flag raised.
On seven, after good work from Tudor Mendel on the right, Boniface hit a low shot from the edge of the box which Robins keeper Jose Casa Grande saved comfortably.
In the 13th minute, Daniel Babb crossed from the right and a Bristol City defender turned the ball against his own post, Tommy Taylor putting the rebound over.
But two minutes later, the Blues went in front via a well-worked goal. Taylor turned away from his man on halfway and sent Mendel away on the right. The former Anderlecht winger returned it to Taylor, who cut it across and Marlee Thelwell turned it towards his own goal and desperately attempted to clear off the line before the linesman indicated his lack of success.
Town keeper Charlie Binns left Zak Ali on the floor as he punched away a corner, then Agbaje joined the Robins defender on the turf when he blocked a powerful shot with his head. After treatment, both players were able to continue.
On 22, Harry Hogg shot across the face of Binns’s goal and wide from the left of the edge of the area.
Two minutes later, the Town keeper cleared poorly when well out of his goal but Tim Ap Sion looped his first-time effort well wide from the right.
Mauge was played in on goal towards the right but Ali came across to dispossess the striker, who is currently on loan at Bury Town, then seconds later the Robins defender blocked a shot from Taylor.
Just after the half hour, Luke Towler shot over after good work on the left from Pitts, then on 38 Mauge was booked for a foul on visitors skipper Ali.
Four minutes later, the Robins, who had taken control of the game, levelled when Hogg hit a low shot on the turn into the left corner of Binns’s net.
In the final scheduled minute, Mendel shot from distance but too close to keeper Casa Grande. In injury time, Mendel fed Mauge and his low effort flew just past the post.
Town had started well and deserved their lead but with the visitors growing into the half the longer it went on, although the Blues had also had opportunities towards the break.
The Blues swapped new signing Boniface, who had got forward well early on particularly, showing his pace, and Steven Turner for Stevy Brouwers, making his first appearance for the U21s, and Matty Roberts. Brouwers went to right-back with Babb moving to the left.
Town claimed a penalty soon after the restart, keeper Casa Grande catching Mendel as he went past him on the right of the box, but the referee showed no interest.
The Robins went close to going in front on 49, Hogg scuffing a cross from the right and Binns saving Ap Sion’s first-time effort very sharply with his foot.
But two minutes later, the visitors took the lead in controversial circumstances. Tom Chaplin hit a low shot past Binns to his right from an Ollie Thomas pass but with the linesman’s flag raised, apparently against Thomas, but the referee ignored the flag and gave the goal.
A minute later, the visitors made it 3-1. The Blues failed to clear a corner and Thomas slammed into the net from close range.
Town should have pulled a goal back on 59 when Roberts played in Pitts on the left of the box but the former Saints academy forward shot over. Moments later, Agbaje made way, the former Republic of Ireland U18s international having got another hour under his belt as he continues his comeback. Fraser Heard took over.
In the 63rd minute, the Blues pulled a goal back. Roberts crossed from the left, Mauge challenged with keeper Casa Grande, who failed to properly connect, and Pitts sent an overhead kick into the empty net. Three minutes later, Mauge was replaced by Rio Morgan.
Casa Grande went some way to making amends for his contribution to Town’s goal on 66 with a brilliant double save. Taylor shot from distance and Casa Grande saved to his right, then sharply stopped Pitts’s virtually point-blank follow-up.
From the resultant corner, Pitts brought it in from the left and hit an effort from a very tight angle which was bundled out, off a hand Town claimed, however, the referee again showed no interest.
The Robins swapped Chaplin with Luke Skinner in the 67th minute, then Thomas was yellow-carded for a foul on Town sub Heard. Moments later Robins sub Skinner joined him in the book for dissent.
Town were on top with Roberts and Morgan having made a difference after coming on, but on 81 Skinner burst forward from deep but blazed well over.
A minute later, Pitts tried another overhead kick but this time failed to make significant contact.
Soon after, Morgan brought the ball in from the left and Roberts hit a low shot which Casa Grande saved down to his right.
With five minutes remaining, against the run of play, the visitors made it 4-2. Skinner chased a ball down the middle and beat Binns to it with the keeper having too hastily advanced well out of his goal and the Robins substitute found the net.
But on 87, the Blues pulled a goal back, Morgan bringing the ball into the area before shooting across Casa Grande into the corner of the net to the keeper’s left as a defender challenged.
City’s Jack Griffin was booked for a wild lunge at Morgan, which fortunately failed to make contact, as the game moved into injury time.
Seconds before the whistle, Morgan tricked is way into the area on the left but was crowded out before he could get a shot in.
A game which could have gone either way with both teams having spells on top and plenty of chances, while the Blues might well have been awarded a penalty just after half-time prior to the Robins’ two quickfire goals which gave them a mountain to climb at that stage.
Nevertheless, they showed character to get back on top with Morgan and Roberts adding attacking impetus.
Trialist centre-half Shabazz-Edwards again impressed and may well have done enough to be awarded a contract by the Blues.
Town: Binns, Babb, Boniface (Brouwers 46), Agbaje (Heard )59, Shabazz-Edwards, Turner (Roberts 46), Mendel, Towler, Mauge (Morgan 66), T Taylor, Pitts. Unused: Fletcher, Morgan.
Bristol City: Casa Grande, Thelwell, Ali, Gibbs, Griffin, Chaplin (Skinner 67), Shepheard Hogg, Churchley, Thomas. Unused: Witchard, Davies, Ikpeama.
