IPSWICH TOWN 2 LEEDS UNITED 0 FA Youth Cup third round

PORTMAN Road saw its first win in seven weeks as twin strikers Jack Marriott and Jack Simmons brought some much-needed cheer back to Ipswich Town.

A goal in each half ensured the young academy Blues entered the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup at the expense of Leeds United.

While the forwards, both first year scholars, will rightly earn the plaudits, the 2-0 victory also came after a superb second half rearguard action led by centre-backs Jide Maduako and Joe Whight.

After Leeds started brighter, backed by an unexpected vociferous away following, Town’s Under-18s grew into the game.

And with their first real chance, Marriott should have opened the scoring, but could only glance Tom Winter’s cross wide of the far post.

But he made no mistake six minutes before the interval. The opening goal owed much to Mark Timlin’s trickery down the left with Marriott taking advantage of some flat-footed Leeds defending to lash the ball home.

A flat second half saw Leeds look to exert pressure but in truth, they were comfortable repelled by the home side.

And Simmons made the game safe in the 84th minute, taking advantage of some hesitant defending to nick the ball off Grimes and drill the ball past the defenders on the line.