AFC Sudbury beat Ipswich Town XI in nine-goal thriller

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY: AFC Sudbury 5 Ipswich Town XI 4

AFC Sudbury continued their preparations for their first season at step three level by coming from behind to beat an Ipswich Town Under-21s side with a Craig Parker winner in injury-time.

In front of Town’s watching first-team manager Mick McCarthy, it rained goals in a wet second half at The Wardale Williams Stadium with the introduction of Liam Wales changing the game in the non-League hosts’ favour.

Shane McLoughlin put Championship side Ipswich into a 15th minute lead, but the dominant Blues were unable to add to their tally and went into the break level after Luke Callander lifted beautifully over Michael Crowe from Craig Parker’s hooked pass in stoppage time.

Winger Cameron Stewart must have impressed McCarthy with a thunderbolt of a shot from out wide that went in off the post in the 47th minute to put The Tractor Boys back in front.

But former Bury Town man Wales made an instant impact from the substitutes bench to make it 2-2 in the 67th minute, intercepting Andre Dozell’s square pass before running on and providing a cool finish.

That had come within 30 seconds of his introduction, but he repeated the trick again four minutes later, firing under Crowe after Jordan Blackwell slipped him in.

England Under-17 international and Colne Engaine youngster Ben Morris glanced in a left-wing cross for 3-3 in the 73rd minute.

But the frenzy of goals was far from over, with AFC regaining the lead when summer signing Rob Eagle fired in from 22 yards out with a fizzing effort three minutes later.

Former Hull City man Stewart provided another big of magic at the other end in the 82nd minute to make it 4-4, cutting in from the left before firing into the far corner.

But there was to be another final twist as Parker was on hand to steer beyong Crowe who had punched an Eagle free-kick into his path.

AFC Sudbury: C Robinson, Blackwell, French, Newman, Tann, Baker, Bantick, Clake (c), Callander, Parker, Eagle. Subs: Mills, Beevis, Dunlop, Wales, Peters.

Ipswich Town XI: Crowe, Emanuell, Kenlock, McDonnell, Digby, J Robinson, Patterson, Dozell, Morris, McLoughlin, Stewart. Subs: Fowler, Marsen, Smith, McKendry.

Attendance: 636.