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McAuley Nets Winner at Bury
McAuley Nets Winner at Bury
Wednesday, 28th Jul 2010 21:35

A second half Gareth McAuley header gave a strong Blues side a 1-0 friendly victory over Bury Town at Ram Meadow. The home side kept Town on terms in the first half, but the visitors made their superiority show after the break and in the end should have won more comfortably.

Town lined up with Tamás Priskin in the centre of the front three in Connor Wickham’s absence, with Carlos Edwards on the left and Jon Walters on the right. Luke Hyam took up the deeper lying midfield role with Grant Leadbitter and Conor Hourihane ahead of him.

Tommy Smith returned to the centre of the defence for the first time since the World Cup, while new signing Mark Kennedy was amongst the subs.

Jon Stead, Owen Garvan and Alex Bruce were missing with their moves to Blackpool, Crystal Palace and Leeds ongoing. Colin Healy remains on the sidelines with a hamstring injury along with David Norris (back), Damien Delaney (thigh) and Wickham (ankle).

New man Hourihane hit the game’s first shot in the 17th minute, albeit well over after a neat Edwards layback.

It had been a slow start from the Blues with Ryman League Premier Division Bury passing the ball around neatly, but in the 20th minute skipper Jon Walters went close when he nodded Grant Leadbitter’s hook into the area over after a corner.

Five minutes later Leadbitter shot wide, then just before the half hour mark Walters took down a long pass, cut in and hit a shot over.

Hourihane struck a left-foot shot across the face of goal in the 33rd minute, then the home side came close to going in front with the move of the half. Former Blues academy striker Kieran Leabon fed Chris Henderson down the left, Brian Murphy pulling off a fine save and also stopping Scott Chaplin’s rebound.

On 40 Walters played in Priskin one-on-one with Bury keeper Marcus Garnham, who blocked from the Hungarian international, who looked short on confidence after his disappointing year at Portman Road.

New signing Mark Kennedy was introduced at half-time, taking over from Conor Hourihane, who as at Leiston last night impressed, this time in a more attacking role. His left-foot set pieces also look likely to become a regular fixture once he has established himself in the first team. Kennedy went to left-back with Shane O’Connor switching to midfield.

Early in the second period Edwards headed a Peters cross straight at Garnham, then the Bury keeper, who played a few games for Town’s U18s and reserves in 2005 and 2006, saved Leadbitter’s low 20-yard drive.

On 51 Priskin had another good chance to put Town in front but failed to get a significant touch as he looked to take the ball past the keeper and Garnham got a toe to it.

Moments later, Walters headed over from a half-cleared corner, then in the 55th minute Smith flicked a header well wide from another corner on the right.

Gareth McAuley was denied twice on the hour mark from a corner. First the Northern Irishman’s header was cleared off the line, then his subsequent effort was blocked.

From the resultant corner, the ball was played back in from deep by Peters, Walters flicked on, Priskin laid off to O’Connor, who forced Garnham to make the save of the game, pushing his shot wide.

The goal which had been coming for most of the half finally came in the 63rd minute, Gareth McAuley powerfully heading in from eight yards from a cross from the right. While Bury prepared for the kick-off, Reggie Lambe replaced O’Connor with Edwards moving into the centre.

On 74 Priskin, who was getting more and more into the game, twisted and turned his way into the penalty area but stabbed weakly at the keeper, who also stopped his spectacular overhead kick rebound.

Four minutes later a Priskin flick put Walters in the clear, but the Town skipper saw his effort saved. Soon after, Leadbitter’s shot from the edge of the box deflected through to the keeper.

Bury will be pleased with the manner in which they matched Town in the first half, but on the balance of the second period the Blues deserved the win and probably should have scored more than the single goal with Tamás Priskin and Jon Walters amongst those guilty of misses.

New man Kennedy looked assured and confident at left-back, loudly issuing instructions to his team-mates throughout, giving little sign that he had only joined the club earlier in the day.

Town: Murphy, Peters, O’Connor (Lambe 63), Hyam, McAuley, Smith, Walters, Hourihane (Kennedy 46), Priskin, Leadbitter, Edwards. Unused: McLoughlin, Ainsley, Brown. Att: 1025.


Photo: Action Images



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kerryblue added 21:44 - Jul 28
WOW WHAT A STRONG SQUAD
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GeorgiDoundarov added 21:47 - Jul 28
Good news for the two new boys! Happy to hear that both of them look solid in their places. That doesn't go for Proskin I see - again he has been given a chance and he didn't score. I don't know what we are going to do in front if we don't sign a decent striker...
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ramseyn added 21:48 - Jul 28
Conor whosehisname sounds promising.
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Liverpool_blu added 21:50 - Jul 28
Sounds Like Kennedy hada good 2nd Half, and all Priskin needs is to hit the back of the net and then the flood waters will open and he will score and score and score. Just in time for the start of the season we hope.
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ramseyn added 21:53 - Jul 28
Was about to post a comment that nothing should be read into a 1-0 scoreline at bury town, preseason, few youngsters etc. Then I realized that's probably our first eleven!!
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jas0999 added 22:00 - Jul 28
I think this game sums up what we already know - we can not score goals! Please Roy - sign a striker or two!!!!
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legoman added 22:02 - Jul 28
Very encouraging signs from priskin and hourihane in particular according to the report.
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Smithy added 22:06 - Jul 28
nothings much changed, badly badly need a striker as Walters couldn't hit a cows arse with a banjo
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ChambersM added 22:08 - Jul 28
Please Roy - go home to Ireland and stop ruining this club
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mripswichtown added 22:10 - Jul 28
all we have is moaners! season not even started and already moaning! it was a bloody friendly ffs! get a grip!
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danknott added 22:12 - Jul 28
To me this sounds worrying........please prove me wrong town, and fellow supporters!!!
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ramseyn added 22:16 - Jul 28
I'm not moaning mripswichtown, it's called gallows humour!

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WickedBlue added 22:18 - Jul 28
@ChambersM is said a similar prayer that you and others like you foook off and support Norwich....I ma still hoping.....
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Jim324 added 22:18 - Jul 28
Just got back from the game, yes we should have scored more and priskin had several chances but just looked very low on confidence. In the first half there didn' seem much between the two sides but second half we were dominant.
Kennedy look like he had played for us for years and settled in very well. It was a strong town side that should have scored more goals, but i still don't think you can read too much into a friendly.
We do need another striker for sure i just hope we get one in the nnext week!
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ignatiusjreilly added 22:19 - Jul 28
Take a careful look at that squad tonight, i think that it says all that needs to be said.It is light in all three areas,i just hope that these so called additions to the squad are not wishful thinking.
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ramseyn added 22:20 - Jul 28
Traffic bad was it?
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Youth added 22:22 - Jul 28
it worries me that this is a strong squad but im keeping the faith and trust all at ipswich town as long as we all show our passion we will do well
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ramseyn added 22:24 - Jul 28
"it worries me that this is a strong squad"

don't think that's what you meant to say youth!!
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Youth added 22:27 - Jul 28
yes i did mean what i said...the headline was ipswich field a strong side and clearly isnt
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ramseyn added 22:29 - Jul 28
Ah, get you, apologies, was reading it in the context of your post alone!
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Blue041273 added 22:30 - Jul 28
In truth there's plenty to moan about. Sure it was a friendly but these games are critical to get some cohesion into the team's performance, to finetune the formation to be adopted in the 'real' games, and to set an optimistic tone to the fans that the team is up for the season ahead. Let's face it if we struggle for a performance and a result against the likes of Bury Town who are probably behind us in terms of pre-season preparation, then there is little to be satisfied about.

Add in the Mary Poppins world in which we are conducting transfers, both in and out, and I defy anyone not to want to moan.

The reality is that we are nowhere near being ready to face Middlesborough on 07 August. Time is running out.

I'll be delighted to be proved wrong but I think we have a massive challenge just to stay in the Championship this season.

UTT
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Youth added 22:31 - Jul 28
haha no worries mate could do with a these signings keanes going on about now to boost some confidence
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Youth added 22:33 - Jul 28
no worries mate, could do with these signings keanes going on about now to boost confidence
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ramseyn added 22:35 - Jul 28
Said on an earlier post, I don't think there's anyway even the three amigos could go this far into the squad sale without a seriously good plan about to come to fruition. Reckon there's gonna be some big time signings coming next ten days (please, please, please).
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Youth added 22:37 - Jul 28
i hope your rite ramseyn they must have some trick up there sleeves, i would be over the moon with one decent proven striker!
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