Ipswich Town Under-18s coach Callum Tongue hailed his side’s ‘personality and character’ after reaching the last eight of this season’s Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup.

The Town youngsters knocked out AFC Sudbury 5-3 in a penalty shoot-out after a goalless draw in their second-round tie at Sudbury last night.

Town’s Oli Davis, Steven Turner, Chucks Uzor, Nick Nkansa-Dwamena and Rio Morgan all dispatched their spot kicks past AFC Sudbury keeper James Bradbrook in the shoot-out.

Henry Gray, who had made some good stops during the 90 minutes, dived to his left to save Joe Neal’s first effort for the home team, and although Romario Dunne, Michael Bareck and Reuben Swann were all successful, it meant Ipswich went through.

Ipswich Town U18 coach Tongue, whose side will now be away to Ipswich Wanderers in the quarter-finals on or before October 25th, was pleased with the way his players handled the occasion.

He said: “If you do well it gives you another opportunity to do nights like this and build a reputation in the local area which is really important.

“It’s a really pleasing night to show both sides, to show our style and the way we want to play that comes from a brilliant first team set-up and U21s set-up, but also to show that other side of the game that probably gets you a career in the game is that horrible side to want to keep a clean sheet and the whole team played a big part in that but especially our goalkeeper, who stood up to a big challenge tonight and was supported by a brilliant back-four performance.”

Tongue revealed that he had no shortage of players putting their hand up to take a penalty in the shoot-out.

He said: “The pleasing thing as a coach is that when I am stood in that huddle at the end and said ‘who wants one?’

"I have got more than five, I have got ten here who want one, then who wants first and we’re having an argument who wants first and I think that shows their personality and the character in a moment like this.”

The one remaining second-round tie between Long Melford and Needham Market will now be played on Wednesday, October 11th, kick-off 7.45pm.

The winners will be at home to Stowmarket Town in the last eight