A Dean Ashton hat-trick sent the Blues to a 5-3 defeat in their final pre-season friendly against West Ham at Portman Road. Town, for whom Shumulikoski, Garvan and Lee scored, impressed in the first half, but were very much second best after the break.

Jim Magilton once again named Tommy Smith alongside Gareth McAuley at the centre of the defence with Pim Balkestein on the left and David Wright on the right. In midfield, Veliche Shumulikoski and Owen Garvan were in the centre with Danny Haynes on the right and Alan Quinn on the left. Up front, Pablo Couñago partnered Kevin Lisbie, who made his first Portman Road start for the Blues.

The game was in only its fourth minute when the visitors went ahead. Matthew Etherington crossed from the left, Tommy Smith failed to reach the ball before it landed at Ashton's feet, the former Canary striker having time to lash a shot past Richard Wright off the underside of the bar.

Town were back on terms two minutes later. Danny Haynes picked up a loose ball and brought it towards the Hammers' penalty area but was dispossessed. Shumulikoski seized on it, played a one-two with Couñago on the edge of the area and dinked the ball over the helpless Robert Green for as well-worked a goal as you'll see.

Gareth McAuley came close to a goal a minute later, winning the ball in the air from a Garvan freekick, but Green got down to his left to save impressively.

Danny Haynes thought he ought to have been awarded a penalty in the ninth minute when he appeared to be felled inside the area as he brought the ball in from the right, however, the referee wasn't interested.

West Ham went back in front on 10 when Lucas Neill caught out the Town defence with a long ball over the top for Craig Bellamy to chase. The Welshman had little trouble in beating Richard Wright with McAuley and Smith beginning the inquest into why the ex-Norwich man had been allowed to get away from them.

The half calmed down from the basketball-esque scoring of the first 10 minutes and it wasn't until the 18-minute mark that the next chance came, Danny Haynes seeing a shot deflect wide.

McAuley had a header from a corner deflect wide for a goalkick with the Northern Irishman and Pim Balkestein winning everything in the West Ham box from set pieces, a good omen for the season ahead given the number of Championship sides which base much of the game on set pieces.

Bellamy limped off with a pulled hamstring on 21 to cheers from the home fans, then four minutes later Town were on terms. A short corner was played back to Garvan on the right, the Irishman passed the ball inside to Quinn, who threaded in Lisbie, whose effort was blocked by the on-rushing Green. The ball fell to Garvan, the midfielder hitting a low shot into the net off the post to celebrate signing his new Town contract.

The Blues were by now well on top after a tricky opening phase and were passing the ball around slickly with Shumulikoski and Garvan controlling the game, while Couñago was giving Anton Ferdinand a very hard time with his clever turns and flicks.

Lisbie headed Balkestein's nod back across goal over from a corner, then Couñago played in Wright but the full-back failed to get in a shot. The Spaniard had the ball in the net moments later, but having intercepted Green's goalkick before the ball had left the penalty area.

A brilliant Richard Wright throw sent Garvan away well into the West Ham half in the 37th minute, the Irishman teeing up Lisbie, but the Jamaican international's shot was blocked. The loose ball fell for Shumulikoski, the Macedonian playing a sublime chip over the West Ham defence, but Green was out quickly to block from Lisbie.

Ferdinand was subbed, eventually making his way off the pitch and appearing to berate his manager before making his way to the dressing room.

A West Ham attack in the 40th minute, a rarity during the majority of the first half, ended with Valon Behrami hitting a shot across the face of goal.

Town had been the better side once the game had settled into a pattern after the early exchange of poorly defended goals. Unlike against West Brom, the Blues had moved the ball around well and had created enough chances – both in open play and from set pieces – to be in front.

The same eleven continued after the break, Quinn seeing an early shot deflect wide from a deep Wright cross from the right.

Town never showed the same fluidity in the second half with the visitors keeping possession impressively and not allowing the Blues time to get their own game going.

The Hammers' third goal came in the 57th minute when one-time Town loan target Kyel Reid's shot was deflected into the path of Ashton. who slammed home from close range, despite looking to be one of a number of West Ham players in offside positions.

But the goal counted and soon after the Blues started making the expected substitutions. Alex Bruce replaced Pim Balkestein, who had shown some of the Hermann Hreidarsson-style marauding up the left flank which so impressed travellers to the Belfast tour, and Alan Lee took over from Kevin Lisbie. Bruce went to right-back with David Wright switching to the left.

Ashton came close to his third when McAuley allowed a cross to go over his head, presumably not receiving a call from Bruce to tell him the West Ham striker was behind him.

On 73 Ashton finally did net his third of the evening, Town losing possession on halfway, Reid bringing the ball forward down the left, Smith moving out of the middle to cover Bruce, who was caught up field, and the unmarked Ashton sliding the cross past Wright.

Rhodes and Miller replaced Couñago and Garvan, prior to former Town loanee Mark Noble lashing in a 25-yard volley after the ball had been half-cleared from the Town box. Richard Wright's line of vision appeared to be completed obscured by his own defenders as Noble's strike rocketed into the net, the midfielder making little of his celebration against his old side, despite the quality of the goal.

Jaime Peters and Liam Trotter came on for the final nine minutes in place of Haynes and Quinn.

Trotter was involved in Town's third goal three minutes from time, heading the ball across the area to Lee, who beat West Ham's replacement keeper Marek Stech.

Richard Naylor took over from Tommy Smith for the final couple of minutes during which time Jaime Peters ought to have scored Town's fourth. The Canadian won the ball and took it into the area, but his touch let him down and the on-rushing Stech claimed the ball.

Boss Jim Magilton will be pleased with the quality shown during much of the first half, during which time the Blues were the better side against Premier League opposition. The Town manager will be less pleased with the sloppy manner in which the goals were conceded and with his side's poorer overall second half display.

However, if the Blues - and particularly Shumulikoski, Garvan and Couñago - play anything like they did in the period after the early goals up to half-time, then Preston North End ought to be sent back to Lancashire well beaten on Saturday.

Town: Wright, Wright, Balkestein (Bruce 65), McAuley, Smith (Naylor 88), Garvan (Miller 76), Haynes (Peters 81), Shumulikoski, Couñago (Rhodes 76), Lisbie (Lee 65), Quinn (Trotter 81). Att: 17,223.

Photo: Action Images

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