On a bitterly cold Tuesday evening at Walmer Road, Kirkley & Pakefield FC welcomed an Ipswich Town FC X1 mostly consisting of players from their presently successful Under 18s team for their Suffolk County FA Premier Cup Quarter-Final match. Play opened briskly with both defences being put under early pressure, the early play also saw Lopez taking three free-kicks in prominent positions but all resulted inconclusive final efforts. On 20minutes Ipswich had their best chance with a fine right side centre that no one was able to convert. Kyle Haylock was producing some good runs for the ‘Royals’ giving the away defence lots to think about. The match was being played throughout in a highly competitive spirit with plenty of young talent on show but remain goalless at the interval.

The second period started with the ‘Royals’ opening with a flourish on the away goal with a good opportunist shot from Lewis Hammond being stopped by the legs of the keeper then the follow up saw Cameron Russell smash his shot against the bar. Ipswich broke and had two efforts of their own just off target, then on 58minutes Kian Ronan fired in well from some 30yards giving keeper Rix no chance to put the ‘Tractor Boys’ one up. From the restart the ‘Royals’ had a good chance but the final touch was not to be, then on 62minutes Ipswich were awarded a penalty from which Zak Brown made no mistake to double the lead. On 70minutes left back Tommy Smith went on a fine left sided run and his cracking shot from 25yards put Ipswich into an unassailable 3-0 lead. Ipswich seemed the stronger team now and were regularly attacking the home goal, but on 89minutes Jack Herbert was felled in the away box and Lee Will put away the resulting penalty for a more respectable 3-1 score-line. The ‘Royals’ wish the young Ipswich Town team all the very best in the semis after their mature display.

Kirkley & Pakefield FC team: A.Rix, C.Bell, G.Soares, L.Hammond, J.Herbert capt, L.Flower, K.Haylock (T.Cole 87mins), M.Lopez, (J.Hutchinson 78mins), K.Goldspink L.Will, C.Russell (R.King 70mins).

THE ROYALIST COLIN SMITH