Premier League 2
Arsenal 0 Ipswich Town 1 (Mendel 18)
By Jeorge Bird @ Meadow Park, Borehamwood
Max Dowman played 45 minutes on his return from injury as Arsenal U21s suffered a 1-0 defeat at home to their Ipswich Town counterparts tonight.
Dowman showed some good touches before being withdrawn in a pre-planned change.
Arsenal saw their unbeaten run come to an end as they struggled to cope with a well-coached Ipswich side, who scored in the first half via the impressive Tudor Mendel and ended the night top of the Premier League 2 table.
There was a lack of fluency in the Arsenal side, with their misery compounded when captain Marli Salmon was sent off for dissent late on.
Arsenal made two changes to the starting lineup, with Tommy Setford replacing Jack Porter in goal while Dowman came into the side in place of Demiane Agustien, who wasn’t in the squad.
Setford
Dixon-Clarke-Salmon-Washington
Ibrahim
Dowman-Juliennne
O’Neill-Mooney-Harriman Annous
Subs: Bailey-Joseph (for Dowman, 46), Ogunnaike (for Washington, 79), Stevens (for Ibrahim, 79), Ferdinand (for Dixon, 88). Not used: Porter.
From the outset Ipswich demonstrated why they are so high in the table as they played with much intensity, with Brayden Clarke having to make a defensive intervention.
Setford then had to react to divert Mendel’s effort for a corner.
Dowman showcased his dribbling ability as he won a free kick.
However, it was Ipswich who would take the lead with Mendel showing good ingenuity to cut inside past Marcell Washington before finishing well.
Mendel continued to torment the Arsenal defence as he had another effort saved.
Dowman and Theo Julienne had attempts as Arsenal looked to equalise before the former then embarked on another mazy run prior to shooting just wide.
Brando Bailey-Joseph entered the fray in place of Dowman ahead of the second half in a pre-planned change.
Ceadach O’Neill had a shot saved, with further changes then following as Josh Ogunnaike replaced Washington and Archie Stevens came on for Ife Ibrahim.
An effort from Ipswich went wide before the lively Bailey-Joseph did well to find Harriman-Annous, whose effort was saved.
Seb Ferdinand came on for Jaden Dixon at right-back, but Arsenal’s hopes of getting anything from the game appeared to end when Salmon, who already had a yellow card, received a straight red card for dissent.
Arsenal will be frustrated to have seen their unbeaten run come to an end and they lacked the dynamism that characterised their win against Reading on Monday.
On the positive side, Dowman’s return to action is a big boost for the club and Bailey-Joseph had some encouraging moments late on.
Max Porter, though, will be expecting much better from his team overall in their next game away to Norwich.