Ipswich Town’s FA Youth Cup run came to a disappointing end this evening as they lost 2-0 at home to Blackpool despite having long spells of possession for much of the fifth-round tie.
Rowan Roache’s deflected free-kick and Owen Watkinson’s effort put the visitors two up at the interval, following 45 minutes in which the Blues dominated possession and used the ball well without being able to find a way through.
Tristan Nydam, who has made 14 first team appearances this season, ran the game from the middle of midfield while Ben Knight looked to run at the Blackpool backline and full-backs Dylan Crowe and Bailey Clements looking to join the attack whenever possible.
They continued to play in the second half, sweeping the play across the field and looking to make inroads, but they were never able to truly threaten as they slipped out of the competition.
Playing in front of a good crowd under the Portman Road lights, the young Blues were behind after just six minutes when Rowan Roache’s free-kick cruelly deflected off the wall and into the back of Mitchell Ware’s net.
But the response was good, with Tristan Nydam and Ben Knight looking particularly threatening and Idris El Mizouni having penalty appeals waved away following a tangle in the Blackpool box.
Ipswich were having by far the better of things but they were hit on the break as a good ball into the box landed at the feet of Owen Watkinson, whose shot just about had enough power to find the corner of the net despite Ware getting a hand to it.
The hosts continued to play the better football, passing the ball nicely without overly testing the Blackpool defence, before captain Brett McGavin took aim from 30-yards but fired over the top.
Knight was the next to take aim, curling his effort from the edge of the box into the arms of Craig Thordarson with what was the last action of a competitive first half.
Town continued to press forward at the start of the second but the door was still left ajar at the back, with Ware required to palm away a Watkinson shot.
Jack Lankester’s turn and shot tested Thordarson before tempers, which had been bubbling throughout the game with a succession of touch challenges, boiled over slightly with Watkinson ending up in the book following a coming together.
Nydam headed wide from a corner, as the hosts upped their intensity with 15 minutes to go, before central defender Ross Marshall had a header over after El Mizouni’s earlier effort flew wide.
Ipswich continued to push, having penalty appeals waved away late one and El Mizouni stining the goalkeeper’s palms, but they couldn’t find a way through as they bowed out with their heads held high.
Ipswich Town: Ware, Crowe, Clements, McGavin, Marshall, Nbada, Knight (Wilton 57), El Mizouni, Lankester, Nydam (Cahill 82), Dobra (Foudil 67).
Subs: Egan, Wilton, Cahill, Vega, Foudil
Blackpool: Thordarson, Williams, Jacobson, Newton, Avon, Summer, Adarkwa (O’Brien 79), Roache, Watkinson, Sinclair-Smith, Shaw.
Goals: Roache 6, Watkinson 38
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