Town s U18s comfortably beat Birmingham City 4-0 at Playford Road on Saturday afternoon. Three of the Blues four goals came from defenders released this week, centre-half Josh Meekings (pictured) netting twice and full-back Rory McKeown one, while first-year scholar Callum Bennett, also a defender, scored the other.
Eight Town players are set to add to their international caps at various levels today, amongst them key defender Gareth McAuley and Hungarian duo Márton Fülöp and Tamás Priskin.
Town boss Mick McCarthy believes League Two Portsmouth’s players will go into tonight’s FA Cup third round replay at Fratton Park expecting to beat the Blues having performed so well in the first game at Portman Road, which ended 2-2. McCarthy is set to field a young side and, as he did at Manchester United in the Capital One Cup earlier in the season, could even switch his entire XI.
Town face an FA Cup third round replay after drawing 2-2 against League Two Portsmouth at Portman Road with Ryan Fraser netting a late equaliser. The Scotland U21 international’s freekick somewhat fortunately beat everyone to find the net in the 88th minute, Tommy Oar having put the Blues in front in the 53rd minute prior to Kyle Bennett and Conor Chaplin hitting back on 55 and 86 to briefly give the League Two side the lead.