By Brandon Ling
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Town U21s beat Watford 4-2 to progress to the knockout stages of the Premier League Cup this afternoon.
The young Blues were looking to respond following last week’s loss to Charlton and did just that, with goals from Tommy Taylor, Steven Turner and a brace from Tudor Mendel securing the three points in the final group game.
Town started brightly, with the first chance of the afternoon coming from Mendel after just five minutes, when a Joshua Lewis cross was turned just wide of the right-hand post.
After Mendel's first chance went begging, he made sure his second ended in a goal. With nine minutes gone, Turner played a cross-field ball to Dan Babb, who slipped it inside for Mendel, who in turn found the top-left corner of the net to put Town 1-0 up.
Unfortunately, Town’s lead didn't last long as Zak Fraser-Grant broke away, with his shot from outside of the box squeezing past an outstretched left hand of Charlie Binns into the bottom corner.
Watford had a good chance to take the lead 17 minutes in as their corner kick was deflected to the outside of the box, leaving Prince Sikiru with a chance to shoot across the face of the Town net. On 22 minutes, Watford threatened again as Zavier Messiah-Edwards flashed his shot right across the face of goal from a tight angle.
A fast break, with Babb setting up Turner, resulted in Town's second goal of the afternoon. Mendel found Babb on an overlapping run and his cut-back fell to Turner, who found the back of the net as his right-footed effort nestled into the bottom left-hand corner.
On 33, Matty Roberts slipped Jamie Mauge through the middle and left him one-on-one with the keeper, but Alfie Marriott saved well, down to his left.
From the resulting corner, Roberts managed to play the ball to Fraser Heard on the edge, who had his first-time shot blocked and his follow up cleared off the line, before Mendel then blasted over from outside of the box.
Ten minutes before the break came another chance for Town to extend their lead, as a switch of play found Lewis with space to drive into. His cut back to the edge of the box found a composed Taylor, who took a touch before having his shot blocked.
Five minutes before the break, the visitors should have equalised for a second time. Edwin Agbaje slid past a disguised ball into the left of the area, but Emmanuel Adeyemo flashed his shot across the face of goal, which resulted in the last chance of the half.
A nice Town move, 66 minutes in, resulted in a third for the Blues. Roberts’ excellent ball found Mendel who, in turn, pulled it back for Taylor, who stroked it home past Marriott from close range.
Watford's final chance, which resulted in a goal, came 10 minutes from time with Jonathan Lawson using his strength to get past substitute Shabazz Edwards before his shot was saved low by Binns. Unfortunately for Town, Nickson Ockuson was there to follow the rebound home and score Watford's second of the game, bringing the goal margin back to just one.
Then, five minutes from time, Taylor played a ball over the top to Mendel, who was left one-on-one with the keeper. The attacker took it round him before smashing it into an empty net to restore the two-goal lead.
With a 4-2 win, Town finish second in the group stage of the Premier League Cup and advance to the Round of 16.
Town's next game is once again at Playford Road as they take on Bristol City's U21s on Tuesday 11th February. Kick-off 1pm
Town XI: Binns, Babb, Lewis, Heard, Agbaje, Car, Mendel, Turner, Mauge, Taylor, Roberts
Subs: Shabazz-Edwards, Fletcher, Morgan, Pitts, Adebayo