Return to Europe (sort of)

Tuesday 20 October 2026, Ipswich Town Under 21s 0 Anderlecht Under 21s 1 - Premier League International Cup, Portman Road

Poor game that Anderlecht probably just deserved on their first half display, taking their goal well on 22 minutes. Ipswich were better in the second half but the visiting keeper did not have to do much, game came to life in the last 5 minutes when one of the Belgian team got a straight red card then the Belgian keep decided to pretend he had been shot and laid on the ground for a good 2 minutes, then suddenly recovered to take the free kick!

Never get wet here

Saturday 17 October 2026, Egham Town 4 AFC Portchester 2 - Isthmian League, South Central Division, Runnymede Stadium

Well, you would never get wet here watching a game, a decent seated stand however also 5 covered terrace stands!

Game was only a few minutes old and the first strong tackle went in, not a dirty foul but set the tone for the game with plenty of tough challenges/fouls from both sides.

Home side went in front after 3 minutes but Portchester were back on terms 3 minutes later. then the first of 2 Egham penalties, this one on 10 minutes as Egham took the lead again.

Portchester got back level on 48 minutes as the tackles/fouls were still keeping the Ref busy and on 65 minutes Egham went ahead again from the penalty spot, the Portchester player also got his second yellow card and an early bath.

Easy win

Thursday 15 October 2026, Woodbridge Under 18s 0 AFC Sudbury Under 18s 7 - FA Youth Cup, 3rd Qualifying Round, Notcutts

Woodbridge had done well to get to this round of the cup, but this was the end of the run as they came up against Sudbury, the West Suffolk club have dominated local under 18 football for at least the last decade.

Sudbury scored after 4 minutes but then the game got scrappy before they got a second with a great individual goal after 26 minutes.

Second half was all Sudbury as they added a further 5 goals, 2 from the penalty sport- and the Woodbridge keeper was probably still Man of the Match!

An Ipswich win

Tuesday 13 October 2026, Felixstowe and Walton United 2 Ipswich Wanderers 3 - Suffolk Premier Cup, Round 2, Dellwood Avenue

Lower division team going through and a deserved win, going ahead with the right back scoring a great individual goal after 17 minutes only for Felixstowe to get level in the last minute of the half. Wanderers then went ahead again after 54 minutes, Felixstowe then woke up and 10 minutes later were back on terms, but it was the Ipswich side who went though after scoring with a header on 85 minutes.

Left it late- but great finish

Saturday 10 October 2026, Ipswich Town Fulham, Premier League, Portman Road

Fulham have not got a win this season and was not surprised by that as very little attacking intent shown, however they did take the lead, but Ipswich left it late but kept going and won it in injury time!

Exciting, but no win

Friday 9 October 2026, Ipswich Town Under 21s 2 WBA Under 21s 2 - Premier League Cup, Group Match, At Colchester United

WBA took the lead from the penalty spot on 5 minutes but then Ipswich took control with an equaliser 2 minutes later, a great goal direct from a free kick and then Ipswich took the lead 6 minutes later. Ipswich were then denied an obvious penalty, but Ipswich were still on top however it was WBA who got the next goal in injury time so it was 2-2 at the break.

Ipswich started the second half on top and hit the bar and missed a number of other good chances, WBA then had a period on top and they also hit the bar but surprisingly there were no further goals in the second half.

Savage needs a haircut

Tuesday 6 October 2026, Colchester United Under 21s 1 Swansea City Under 21s 2- Professional Development League, Florence Park

Then: Peterborough United 4 Ipswich Town Under 21s 1 - Football League Trophy, Group Game, London Road

My first visit to Florence Park this season and good to see they have moved both U21 and U18 games to the top pitch by the main gate (not the main pitch) but far better than the pitch used last year, where you had to wade through mud to get there! Pitch railed on one side.

Colchester played a number of the 1st team squad (you could tell by the increased moaning at the Ref!) and started on the front foot and went ahead after 8 minutes but they wasted a number of further chances and Swansea started to get back into the game and were level on 43 minutes. Second half saw Swansea get on top and they got a deserved winner on 64 minutes.

A quick drive across Essex to join the M11 and then A1 north to Peterborough

After Ipswich got battered at Luton, not sure what would happen here plus with Robbie savage in the dugout expected to see Posh go for it.

But for 24 minutes it was quite even, then Ipswich gave away a soft penalty on 25 minutes and the floodgates opened, with further goals on 27, 30 and 35 minutes. However the second half saw Ipswich get the only goal on 50 minutes so Savage will know he has plenty to still do, to get Peterborough back up the table.