Ipswich Town Under-21s take on Colchester United, at the Jobserve Community Stadium, in their final Jersey Mike's Trophy group game this evening (7.45pm). Stuart Watson previews the action...
Dead rubber
Between 2019 and 2023, Ipswich Town were in League One and competed in the EFL Trophy as a senior side. Under the management of Paul Lambert, Paul Cook and Kieran McKenna, the Blues never got past the fourth round. There were defeats to the Under-21 sides of Arsenal (twice) and West Ham along the way.
Town now being able to enter their own 21s side in the competition is one of the many markers of just how far and fast the club has risen.
Two tough tests against League One opposition have both ended in defeat so far.
John McGreal's men lost 6-0 at Luton Town in late September. Jack Wilshere, whose side are pushing for a return to the Championship, named a rotated but still strong side that night at Kenilworth Road. Hat-trick goal scorer Jack Clark played in the Premier League just two years ago.
The young Blues then lost 4-1 at Peterborough United in early October. Newly-appointed boss Robbie Savage, whose side are currently in the relegation zone, went full strength that night. Ipswich showed spirit to win the second half 1-0.
It means that tonight's third and final game Group D game at Colchester United is a dead rubber, with neither side able to progress to the knockout stages.
Nevertheless, Ipswich's young team, having beaten Worthing and Aldershot in the National League Cup, will be keen to show progress and take a League Two scalp.
The opposition
Colchester United have flirted with relegation a few times over the last decade in the fourth tier. Things looked to be going in the right direction again, with Danny Cowley overseeing finishes of 10th and 12th, but this season has got off to a bad start.
The Essex side, formerly managed by Town U21s boss McGreal, find themselves in the relegation zone after claiming 12 points from their opening 13 games. The injury-hit U's ended a 12-game winless streak in all competitions by narrowly beating Southern League Premier Central side Worcester City 1-0 at home in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.
Colchester's team could include a couple of ex-Town players in Kane Vincent-Young and Paul Digby, though Teddy Bishop won't feature as he's sidelined with a hamstring injury. Speedy winger Kaion Lisbie is the son of former Blues striker Kevin Lisbie.
Colchester will want to use this match to boost confidence ahead of Saturday's home clash with Gillingham.
Whose turn next?
Ipswich have used a fantastically varied Under-21s games programme as a chance to give minutes to fringe first team players.
Azor Matusiwa, Town's Player of the Year in the 25/26 promotion campaign, played 45 minutes in the defeat at Luton. That was his first appearance since undergoing thigh surgery back in May.
Fellow midfielder Jack Taylor then played an hour in loss to Posh. That was the Republic of Ireland international's comeback game from summer knee surgery.
Meanwhile, in the International Cup, Cedric Kipre and Marcelino Nunez both played 60 minutes in a 1-0 home defeat to a young Anderlecht side in late October.
There's a double benefit to having senior players involved in these sort of games. One, it helps get/keep them fit off the back of injuries and/or limited first team opportunities. Two, their presence will really help show Town's youngsters the level they are aspiring to reach.
Competition rules state that an U21 side must name a line-up with at least six players who are 21 or younger, and that there can be no more than two players over the age of 21 who have made 40 or more senior appearances.
I'd imagine one or two of the players who didn't make Gary O'Neil's 20-man matchday squad for Sunday's 2-1 Premier League home defeat to Bournemouth will be involved in this one.
Given Sindre Walle Egeli is heading off with Norway U21s you can discount him. The other six were Alex Palmer, Kipre, Taylor, Nunez, Kasey McAteer and Anis Mehmeti, all of whom will be keen to stay sharp.
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