Ipswich Town U23 6 Coventry City U23 0 Conor McKendry was the name on everyone’s lips at Playford Road this afternoon as the Northern Irish winger helped himself to four goals in a 6-0 dismantling of Coventry City, writes Kieren Standley.
Monty Patterson and Ben Morris were also on target as Gerard Nash’s side ended 2017 on a high.
Town took the lead after just ten minutes. After an excellent driven run down the left, Morris found McKendry on the edge of the area, who cut onto his left foot and unleashed a rasping shot into the top left corner.
The Blues doubled their advantage almost instantly as this time McKendry turned provider, feeding Patterson through on goal, with the New Zealand international showing great composure to fire low past the onrushing keeper.
Ipswich hit the treble around ten minutes from the break when McKendry scored his second of the game, with his in-swinging free kick from the right hand side beating Coventry keeper Tom Bilson at his near post.
The McKendry show continued as the winger helped himself to a hat-trick with a second stunning free kick, whipping it up and around the wall into the top left corner, giving Bilson absolutely no chance.
After the break, Flynn Downes, featuring for the Under 23’s for the first time in a while, burst through the middle of the park with an excellent marauding run and found McKendry in space.
The winger then fed Morris through one-on-one, with the striker duly obliging to make it 5-0 to Town.
The Sky Blues miserable afternoon soon got worse as defender Jak Hickman was dismissed for his second bookable offence. The Blues would take advantage of the extra man and got their sixth, seven minutes from time. McKendry’s incredible afternoon continued as he cut in from the right and drilled a low left footed shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards out.
The onlooking Mick McCarthy would have been elated with McKendry’s performance, with his chances of a potential first team appearance a popular discussion point among the fans in attendance.
Also standing out was Flynn Downes. The England Under 19 international, who has been a regular in McCarthy’s first team squad this season, put in a midfield general style performance and looked more than ready to be involved in this Saturday’s away trip at Wolves.
Town XI : Hayes (GK), Crowe, Woolfenden (Ndaba), Webber, Clements, McKendry, Downes (McLoughlin), Blanchfield, Patterson, Morris, Folami (Daniels).
Unused: Wright, Dobra.
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