Pablo Couñago netted a 10-minute hat-trick as the Blues opened their pre-season programme with a 9-1 victory at Newmarket Town. Owen Garvan scored twice and Grant Leadbitter, Lee Martin, Colin Healy and Alan Quinn once each.

The Blues started with a three-man attack with Jon Walters on the right, Tamás Priskin in the centre and Lee Martin on the left. Grant Leadbitter was the deepest of the three midfielders with Owen Garvan and David Norris ahead of him. At the back, Shane O’Connor was on the left, Jaime Peters on the right and Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley in the centre.

Connor Wickham was left out of the squad, rested after his England U17 exploits earlier in the summer, while Tommy Smith is not due back for another week after his time away with New Zealand at the World Cup.

Jon Walters came close to putting Town in front in the fourth minute when Leadbitter sent the Blues skipper through on goal, but Newmarket keeper Rob Mackney made a fine save at his feet. Lee Martin went wide from the edge of the area three minutes later.

The Blues went ahead in the 10th minute when great work from Tamás Priskin played Martin in on goal and the former Manchester United man slipped the ball into the net.

Four minutes later, Jaime Peters sent in a low cross from the right and Owen Garvan flicked the ball across Mackney to make it two.

Martin shot wide, then Grant Leadbitter made it three with a low shot through a crowd of players which the home keeper should have saved. The former Sunderland man went close again in the 17th minute, looping the ball over the bar.

Just before the half hour, Martin played Garvan in on goal and the Irishman rounded Mackney before tapping the ball into the net with his right foot. Just before the break Walters sent the ball over the bar.

Town changed all but Lee Martin at half-time, keeping the same system with Martin, Couñago and Stead the striking three.

The Blues were somewhat caught cold after the break with central defenders Alex Bruce and Troy Brown hesitant as Jon Olive beat a surprised Arran Lee-Barrett from the edge of the box.

On the hour, Quinn headed an Edwards cross wide when he probably should have scored. Moments later, Luciano Civelli came on for his first match in 16 months, taking over from Martin on the left.

Town went 5-1 up in the 67th minute when Pablo Couñago lashed in the goal of the night from 25 yards, the ball striking the underside of the bar before crossing the line.

Stead fired over, before Civelli created Couñago his second of the night with some trickery on the edge of the area. Two minutes later, Couñago completed his hat-trick when he rebounded a 76th minute Civelli shot.

Colin Healy made it eight in the 80th minute when he turned the keeper and tapped home off a defender from a foot or so out.

Moments later, Alan Quinn waltzed through the Newmarket defence, exchanging a one-two with Jon Stead, before making it nine. Couñago almost made it 10 late on but struck the post.

The result reflected Town’s domination against the Ridgeons League side and it was difficult to learn too much from the game, aside from the switch back to 4-3-3 and who Roy Keane sees as his potential right-backs. Oddly, eight of the goals came from players amongst the eight players recently made available for transfer.

Luciano Civelli didn’t appear particularly nervous during his time on the field after his lengthy absence, making some telling touches and even a few tackles.

Former Town midfielder Geraint Williams, linked with the assistant manager’s role, was at the game, sitting alongside academy recruitment officer Malcolm Moore, while chief scout Steve McCall and reserves coach Chris Kiwomya were also present.

Town: Murphy (Lee-Barrett 46), Peters (Edwards 46), O’Connor (Ainsley 46), Leadbitter (Hyam 46), McAuley (Bruce 46), Delaney (Brown 46), Walters (Stead 46), Garvan (Quinn 46), Priskin (Couñago 46), Norris (Healy 46), Martin (Civelli 60).

Photo: James Ager

Photo: Action Images

WadzillaBhoy added 01:41 - Jul 7 Im glad Keano has put the players he has on the transfer market, it gives them a required kick up the backside. This shows that it has worked.
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Tractorboy24 added 07:16 - Jul 7 Skip73 added 21:46 - Jul 6 Blimey Pablo scores a hattrick and Martin also gets on the score sheet. Whatever next? Garvan scores with his right foot. . . Good result, and good idea on how Keane is looking to line up formation wise. Not sure too many people had a 433 in mind, but could be a way of taking the burden off Wickham next season if he has 2 up alongside him. Think there might be a bit of scaremongering about Wickham, which will no doubt go on all summer everytime he doesn't play. Take what is official as the truth, then you don't get upset about rumours. Until I see him in a Spurs or any other team's colours he's an Ipswich Town player.

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16_Jack_ken_16 added 07:40 - Jul 7 yes come on town we are a force. pablo you have to stay with all the players there, omg I love you so much town come on hhahhahahahahaha
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generalpublic added 07:53 - Jul 7 more like a farce when it comes to real football teams 16 jack
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brogansnose added 08:29 - Jul 7 Not much to add to what others have said apart from the fact that Martin looked good and actually did good stuff with the ball, which is encouraging. Luca, although a bit hesitant for obvious reasons, looked like the proper player that we all hope that he will be for us. He has got vision and can pass a ball, which can be a bit of a novelty with Town at times.Pablo played well too and Peters and O'Conor werent afraid to get forward and have a go. Don't want to pick up on any negative points but the first half leap in the air/ dive by Priskin was laughable. Finally all the Town players were happy to sign autographs and have pictures taken with the kids whcih was a nice touch and Keane stayed behind to do his courtesy bit with the Newmarket manager and directors. Ok it might only be Newmarket, Haverhill and Histon but at least it keeps it in East Anglia and in touch with the local community.

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FenboyBlue added 08:49 - Jul 7 We're gonna win the league!
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denhamblue added 08:54 - Jul 7 um id rather lose pre match games,i remember clacton town beating us 1-0,and we had a good squad out for that one.The resulting season,we won the old 2nd division,oh what a day at oxford that was.
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jimmyjames added 09:20 - Jul 7 wasn't there but judging by brogansnose's comments it sounded good. Get them into the flow, get them hungry, get them winning, sounds good to me.
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itfc1981 added 10:27 - Jul 7 oh Ager's, you are awful!
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devontractorboy added 10:28 - Jul 7 Don't any of you read the article before posting? Wickham was rested due to his involvement with the Under 17's summer tournament....end of!
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rightwinger added 11:06 - Jul 7 Eight scorers on the list, these players had all last season to perform in the championship. This tells Roy and me that leauge 1 is their level.
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NW10_Tractor added 12:37 - Jul 7 Bobbly pitch, and a really good crowd. It was good to see all they players going well. Martin looked exceptionally fresh - G-Mac and DD looked solid together in the first half, Peters Look untroubled at Rightback - Good Solid performance apart from the mix up between Brown and Bruce but otherwise good. Player of the day though was the Newmarket Physio.... HIPPY! HIPPY! HIPPY!

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IpswichElvis added 12:49 - Jul 7 Who scored Newmarket's goal? Shocking lapse in concentration by our defence.
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NW10_Tractor added 13:05 - Jul 7 Keeper Humped it long - Brown left it for Bruce, Bruce left it for Brown and the nippy number 9 smashed the loose ball bast lee-barrett. Route 1 stuff!
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IpswichElvis added 13:10 - Jul 7 Gary Ablett will fix these schoolboy errors by our defence !!!!!! He was at Liverpool you know working with some of the best kids in the country. And Stockport. How did he do at Stockport by the way once he was left to his own abilities?
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Help added 13:26 - Jul 7 Is not 4.3.3 just another way of saying 4.5.1.
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generalpublic added 13:36 - Jul 7 4.4.2 i think
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Surco72 added 13:48 - Jul 7 I think Roy has got it spot on here with the formation and is what we should have played last season with our players .Three in the middle will allow Garvan to pass and create ,Norris to box to box ,and Grant to collect from the back four and distribute very much like the spanish do .For this system to work you need hard working wingers and full backs which we have in Walters,Civelli,Peters and O Connor . Wickham is a must start in the centre with Stead and Counago as backup . Well done Roy you may have played a master card if the players dont leave obviously

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NW10_Tractor added 13:53 - Jul 7 Whatever formation we'll play, we need to be more clinical in front of goal. The only forward who actually looked like they were "on it" was Pablo. Priskin was falling about and didn't seem comfortable - . For the next game I would like to see Martin just behind the Strikers instead of out on the left. It could work for us!
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IpswichElvis added 14:17 - Jul 7 Some of you seem to think we have beaten Man Utd 9-1 and not some team full of dustmen and window cleaners !!! Wait till Middlesbrough away and our dross will once agin shine through.
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NW10_Tractor added 14:37 - Jul 7 Understandable, fair enough they were no Man United but it does confidence the world of good? They look composed, organised and refreshed - and ever so tanned too!
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IpswichElvis added 14:40 - Jul 7 NW10_Tractor - Newmarket were playing a under strength team. Their goalkeeper did not finish working at the greengrocers until after kick off. And their star centre forward had a previous engagement at the shoe shop.
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NW10_Tractor added 15:15 - Jul 7 I also heard that their Centreback had to be home before 9pm as he was on a tag?
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IpswichElvis added 15:23 - Jul 7 Their right back phoned in sick to play this game. As a result, the blokes in the hotel toilets had no-one to hand them a mint.
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Fatboy added 16:34 - Jul 7 Sounds like this was a one-horse race.
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