A week during the season at a football club is a long time, especially for Nick Davey after last weeks traumatic FA Youth Cup exit, but the tall forward returned to action and netted Norwich’s all important second goal of the morning against a lively Ipswich Town in the FA Premier Academy League, which also turned out to be the winning goal. Norwich had the advantage of the gusty winds sweeping through East Anglia in the first-half, and to no surprise, forced four corners, taken between Sam Habergham and George Francomb in the opening seven minutes, with Norwich forcing the early initiative. The second of the corners, taken by George Francomb found the head of Korey Smith, but he headed over the crossbar. On twelve minutes, Norwich allowed Ronan Murray free space in their penalty area, and only the figure of Jed Steer, returning to U18s level, blocked his fierce effort. But on eighteen minutes Norwich deservedly went ahead. George Francomb on the right hand side of the park delivered the ball deep into the Ipswich Town penalty area where Alex Stephens making in roads from his position of play, and keeping eyes firmly on the leather, managed to glide the ball, with his forehead and out of arms reach of the Ipswich Town goalkeeper Ian McLoughlin, to enter the goal, just inside his left post. Norwich were playing some fine flowing football through midfield although the conditions made it all that more difficult. Approaching the half hour mark Norwich went two ahead. Korey Smith attacking from midfield weighted a through ball with perfection to allow Nick Davey to skip past his marker, inside the Ipswich Town penalty area, to drill the ball home with his right boot, past Ian McLoughlin. Norwich almost added to their tally on thirty six minutes, when from a Richard Brindley pass, Josh Dawkin’s twenty five yard screamer, flew past a post. Ipswich Town then reduced the arrears on thirty eight minutes when Connor Wickham ghosted inside the Norwich defence to bury the ball, across the face of the goal pass Jed Steer. The move of the match, almost gave Ipswich Town an equaliser, as the ball was swept forward at pace, involving Luke Hyam, Billy Clark and Ronan Murray, for which the ball was timely crossed from the right flank, and into the Norwich penalty area, and how inviting it seemed as Connor Wickham was unable to apply the finish. On forty three minutes another infield pass from the hard working Josh Dawkin allowed Tom Adeyemi to motor forward and strike the ball from outside the penalty area, which flew just wide. Norwich kept up their momentum after the interval, and on fifty minutes Richard Brindley stung the fingers of Ian McLoughlin with an audacious shot that the Ipswich Town stopper did well to keep out. Three minutes later, another attack on the Ipswich Town defence, this time through Josh Dawkin, whom was sent pedalling away from a David Stephens precise pass through midfield, and then making ground, before hammering the ball from around twelve yards only to see Ian McLoughlin to catapult himself high off the turf, and with both hands, parry the ball away from the angle of post and crossbar. In defence again the graduates of Norwich, Dario Dumic and David Stephens, dealt with the high balls, and although Norwich had close calls, they were not going to relinquish the goal advantage by any means. Norwich kept battling until the end and with a little good fortune may have added to their score with further shots on goal from Korey Smith from twenty yards and then Josh Dawkin , nearing the conclusion. But overall Norwich from reckoning had done more than enough to win the points in this Anglian derby, which was kept under firm control by referee Mr Kelly, and of course reversed the issues from last October…..again, with only a goal, separating both teams. City Line-Up: Steer, Francomb, Habergham, Smith, Dumic, D.Stephens, Brindley, Adeyemi, Davey, Dawkin, A.Stephens (Omoregie 60). Subs not used: Kelly, Grieveson, Clarke, Ball. Top Canary: Josh Dawkin.

Under-18 Match Action

Match Report courtesy of Rob Maynard, photos from John Landamore.