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Testimonial Ends in Draw
Testimonial Ends in Draw
Saturday, 2nd Sep 2006 17:27

Richard Naylor netted from the spot in the final minute to earn the Town 2000 side a 3-3 draw in his testimonial. Alan Lee and Danny Haynes put the current Town team two up before Jermaine Wright and Marcus Stewart levelled. Haynes netted a penalty and Naylor fittingly completed the scoring.

The current Blues included Shefki Kuqi's younger brother Njazi amongst their subs. The 23-year-old unattached striker is on trial and available outside the transfer window should the Blues want to sign him. The 6ft 5in Finnish U21 international left Dutch side Groningen earlier this month due to a contract dispute, having joined them after being released by Birmingham City earlier in the summer.

Kuqi junior previously trained with the Blues in December 2003. Joining him on the bench was the similarly unattached Phil Mulryne who has also been training with the Blues.

Both teams formed a guard of honour as the day's main man made his way on to the pitch joined by his daughters. Naylor started the game on the bench, taking his place in the 2000 team in the 18th minute.

Current boss Jim Magilton was at fault for the first goal of the game, losing possession to Danny Haynes in the left-back position on 12. The youngster crossed perfectly to Alan Lee who gave Richard Wright no chance with a six-yard header. The North Stand immediately called for 2000 boss George Burley to “sort it out!”.

Shane Supple showed off his Cruyff turn practically on his own goal-line in the 22nd minute, leaving Martijn Reuser shaking his head.

On 34 Magilton, at this stage being affectionately booed as a pantomime villain by some in the North Stand, somewhat dubiously won the ball from Gavin Williams leaving the Welshman on the floor, the Town boss celebrating as if he'd just scored a goal.

But Williams got his revenge, first by curling a right-foot shot into the net off Richard Naylor a minute later and then by bringing his manager down just outside the area, Magilton waving an imaginary yellow card in the direction of referee Mick Thorpe. With fans calling for a Martijn Reuser special, Magilton shot weakly to Shane Supple.


The afternoon improved for the Town manager shortly before the break when he played Jermaine Wright in on goal and the Southampton man lashed home from close range, showing finishing skills he rarely displayed in his time with the Blues.

At the other end, Danny Haynes was unlucky to see his header from Sito's excellent cross strike the bar. Gavin Williams optimistically claimed a penalty in the 45th minute after his mazy run had been ended by Richard Naylor.

The Wembley heroes got back on terms just before the break. Gary Croft, probably the old boys' most influential player in the first half, crossed from the right, Reuser knocked the ball down, Magilton found Stewart and the striker made no mistake from eight yards.

Half-time saw a number of substitutions, something which would continue throughout the second half.

Within seconds of the restart, the younger Town side were awarded a penalty when Mark Venus felled Danny Haynes. The striker took the responsibility himself and sent Richard Wright the wrong way.

Magilton made an audacious backheel-flick clearance from a corner, but was embarrassed soon after when his skipper Jason De Vos nutmegged him in the centre of the pitch, the Canadian having rarely looked so happy during his time at Town as he made a celebratory run with his arms aloft.

Lee had the ball in the net after Richard Wright spilled a powerful Sammy Moore shot but was offside, prior to De Vos clattering Richard Naylor, who was by now playing in the 2000 attack.

Magilton looked certain to score on the hour and looked crestfallen when the ball was blocked on the line. Soon after, Richard Wright was forced to handle the ball outside his area by Njazi Kuqi but, with the North Stand shouting for the Everton keeper to be sent off, the referee awarded a freekick against the trialist.

Martin Brittain hit a well-struck shot off the bar as the current side looked the more likely to add to the goals. On 84 Richard Wright pulled off the save of the match, tipping Njazi Kuqi's powerful header over the bar, the North Stand regaling the keeper with “England's number one...”.

Richard Naylor should have scored in the 85th minute when put through one-on-one but missed his kick with only Shane Supple to beat.

Sub John Wark, 49 last month, was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet with a drive across the face of goal and a header which Supple saved.

In the closing moments, Naylor and Chris Casement clashed in a battle of Town's ginger-haired players and referee Thorpe awarded a rather generous penalty. Naylor took the kick himself and sent Supple the wrong way, the final whistle going soon afterwards.

Naylor applauded the 9,902 crowd, as did the rest of the players who were joined on the pitch by the suited David Johnson, unable to play due to a back injury, before a mammoth autograph-signing session started in the lower Britannia Stand.

Like most testimonial matches, the game was played at a relatively slow pace but there were lots of chances at each end and seeing the likes of Matt Holland, Tony Mowbray, Martijn Reuser and Marcus Stewart back on the field brought back so many memories.

Trialist Njazi Kuqi showed some promising touches and is seemingly a Finnish-Kosovan, slightly shorter Peter Crouch. Only a couple of fine saves from Richard Wright - who was largely responsible for the 2006 Blues not winning the game in the second half - stopped the ex-Birmingham man from scoring.

Phil Mulryne passed tidily when he came on in the second half, while Sammy Moore, playing in the centre of midfield, was probably the pick of the youngsters who were introduced as the game wore on.

Overall, an entertaining couple of hours at Portman Road watching some old heroes, perhaps one or two faces for the future and paying tribute to one of Town's most loyal servants.

Town 2006: Supple, Sito (Synnott 71), Harding (Barron 46), Richards (Moore 46), Casement, De Vos, Brittain, Williams (Mulryne 71), Lee (Knights 61), Currie (Kuqi 61), Haynes.

Town 2000 (plus guests): R Wright, Croft (Miller 46), Clapham, McGreal, Mowbray (Naylor 18), Venus (Milton 71), Magilton (Wark 71), Holland, Stewart (Scowcroft 46), Reuser (Westlake 46), J Wright. Unused: Davis. Att:9,902.


Photo: Action Images



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