Lee Bell's Crewe Alexandra Under 18s played out a thrilling 4-4 draw at Ipswich Town in their latest U18 Professional Development League 2 match.
Midfielder Joe Robbins struck a first-half hat-trick with Tyreece Onyeka also on target to have the Alex 4-2 ahead at the interval, but the Tractor Boys fought back in the second half to secure a share of the points.
The hosts took the lead early on with a flowing move down the right. The ball was crossed into the box & the striker controlled before laying off to the edge of the box for his team-mate to side-foot first time with power into the bottom corner.
But the Alex young guns struck back with 15 minutes on the clock from the penalty spot, Danny Lokko being upended in the box by the Ipswich goalkeeper. Robbins put the penalty to the keeper's left & he almost saved it with the shot squirming under his body.
Town retook the lead not long later, a cross from the left being cushioned with his instep by the striker & somehow finding its way through the legs of goalkeeper Andrew Walklate.
Onyeka pounced to make it 2-2 after just 25 minutes. Crewe worked the ball into the box from a throw-in on the left, & Robbins turned provider this time sliding the ball in behind for Tyreece to prod past the oncoming keeper.
Five minutes later, & the Alex hit the front for the first time with Robbins' second - & it was a belter. He cut across the ball first time on the angle on his left foot & struck it sweetly into the far corner.
Two minutes shy of half-time & it Robbins completed his hat-trick. Onyeka did well down the left to get to the by-line & cross deep for the Alex midfielder to control, take on his man & fire in the shot off the post.
The Tractor Boys took the game to Crewe in the second half & reduced the deficit with a cushioned first time strike into the bottom corner from a good cross from the left.
The equaliser arrived in spectacular fashion, the Ipswich player firmly striking into the bottom corner from 25-yards to seal a share of the points for his side in what was a thriller.
Three draws from the opening four games of the PDL2 season for Lee Bell's side with QPR at home up next.
Goals: Robbins (15 pen, 30, 43), Onyeka, 25
Crewe: Walklate, Djalo, Woodthorpe, Hartshorn, Southern, Allen, Preistman, Robbins, Lokko (Stubbs, 78), Onyeka, Lomas