A deflected Roman Pavlyuchenko goal on the hour mark was enough to give a Tottenham XI a 1-0 victory over a young Town team at Portman Road. The Blues were second best for the most part against a Spurs side including Ledley King for the first 45 minutes.

Town named very much a second string side with Chris Kiwomya in charge and Roy Keane in the stands. Arran Lee-Barrett was in goal with Jack Ainsley skippering from right-back, Shane O’Connor on the left and Troy Brown and Tom Eastman in the centre.

Conor Hourihane took up the holding midfield role with Colin Healy and David Cawley ahead of him and Lee Martin on the left and Reggie Lambe on the right. Ronan Murray was the lone frontman.

Pablo Couñago and Jon Stead were named amongst the substitutes, while Gareth McAuley and Jon Walters were spotted chatting to Ben Thatcher by the Britannia Stand.

Tottenham’s similarly young side included three big names England man King, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Younes Kaboul. Former Town loanee Giovani Dos Santos was with the senior squad in Portugal.

The game’s first chance fell to Spurs in the fifth minute, Tom Carroll’s cross from the left flying just behind Jon Obika at the far post.

Pavlyuchenko forced Lee-Barrett into the first save of the match on nine, the ex-Hartlepool man coming off his line quickly to block. From the corner, Paul-Jose M’Poku’s header deflected out off his own player.

Three minutes later, Lee-Barrett parried Pavluychenko’s shot from the edge of the area with the visitors continuing to dominate the game.

Town’s first chance came in the 22nd but Lee Martin’s 20-yard freekick deflected harmlessly into Ben Alnwick’s arms with Troy Brown looking for any slip-up.

The Blues were coming more and more into it with Colin Healy increasingly influential in midfield and in the 26th minute Cawley was unlucky to get too much on a pass which would have put Lambe in on goal.

Just after the half hour, Arran Lee-Barrett saved Shane O’Connor’s blushes after the full-back’s scuffed backpass had put Pavlyuchenko through on goal. Lee-Barrett was again quick to react and came off his line to toe the ball away. Soon after, Dean Parrett’s shot from the right was deflected behind.

On 34 Ronan Murray struck a strong shot from the right, which Alnwick pushed behind.

The impetus moved back towards the visitors as half-time approached and Parrett struck an effort which Lee-Barrett grabbed at the second attempt. At the other end, Jack Ainsley’s cross-shot flew over.

The Premier League side had had the better of the half and the opportunities, but the largely young Blues had done well to keep the game goalless and had created one or two half chances on the break.

Town switched Colin Healy for Billy Clark at the break, while Ledley King made way for the visitors.

Tottenham’s Ryan Mason shot into the sidenetting in the 55th minute, then soon after Obika won a corner, which Kaboul headed over.

N’Poku tried a cheeky effort from wide on the right but Lee-Barrett was alert and tipped the ball wide.

The visitors went ahead right on the hour mark when Pavlyuchenko struck a low shot which was easy for Lee-Barrett until it struck a Hourihane, completely wrong-footing him. Prior to the restart, the Blues swapped Hourihane, Murray and Martin for Dunbar, Couñago and Stead.

On 65 Spurs striker Ryan Mason unleashed a powerful strike, which Lee-Barrett parried away, Brown reaching the loose ball ahead of Obika.

Jamie Griffiths replaced O’Connor, who had moved to left midfield after the earlier subs, before Parrett forced a save from Lee-Barrett. Then at the other end Reggie Lambe’s strike from the edge of the area was pushed wide by Alnwick.

Lambe went close again on 77 when a corner from the right reached him at the back of the box but his shot flew well wide.

Couñago almost threaded in Stead, then almost immediately played in Lambe on the left, Alnwick saving the Bermudian’s low strike with his foot. Town were coming back into the game in the latter stages after half largely run by the Premier League side.

It was Spurs who spent the final minutes pushing for a second, although Couñago had the chance to play Stead through on goal but the Spaniard took too long over his pass.

Town’s youngsters were second best for the most part but kept going and might have grabbed an equaliser, particularly once Couñago’s guile was introduced late on. Colin Healy was the most impressive of the senior players with Lee Martin continuing to look very short on confidence.

The standout performer for the Blues was centre-half Troy Brown, who made vital challenge after vital challenge, but overall Chris Kiwomya will be pleased with the most of his young players and the experience of facing the likes of King, who coolly strode through his 45 minutes, and Pavlyuchenko will have benefited them.

Town: Lee-Barrett, Ainsley, O’Connor (Griffiths 72), Hourihane (Dunbar 60), Brown, Eastman, Lambe, Cawley, Murray (Couñago 60), Healy (Clark 46), Martin (Stead 60). Unused: McLoughlin, Griffiths. Att: 5,770.

Photo: Action Images

blue_floyd added 01:44 - Aug 4 £15 to watch a reserve team through black poles and netting. Daylight (or should that be floodlit?) robbery. Joking aside, it was a massive own goal by the club. I will be letting them know my feelings about the whole debacle.
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suffolksam added 06:22 - Aug 4 dont go. have a nice curry at the local tandoori instead how do you think these people made their millions ? fooling people in to paying a lot of money for something of very little value. at least only 5000 people got ripped off sme people never learn
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olimar added 08:41 - Aug 4 Granted, £15 is steep to watch two reserve sides, but anyone who turned up last night expecting to see anything other than two reserve sides gets what they deserve. It was always advertised as a Spurs XI. Thats an indication that it wont be their first team, and any doubts about that could be confirmed by the fact the first team were playing Benfica at the same time. Ipswich meanwhile, played premier league opposition only 3 days previously and start their league season in 4 days time. It doesnt take a big leap of faith to think that first team players werent going to feature against a Spurs XI.

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stiffshorts added 08:44 - Aug 4 so Olimar, you can confirm the stupidness of the 5,000?
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DanLyles added 08:48 - Aug 4 Great to hear that Troy Brown looked so commanding at the back against Premier League forwards. He will be pushing Smith to partner McAuley until Delaney gets back. With Hyam already looking likely to start against McBoro on Saturday, it would be nice to have yet another academy product on the bench in Reggie Lambe. We lack quick, creative players like this and I think it's brilliant for the 'soul' of the club to have players who have come through the ranks. Anybody seen much of Reggie???

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suffolksam added 10:29 - Aug 4 you can get 2 boxes of mangoes for the equivalent of 15 quid its a no brainer really or a bottle of rum or a leg of lamb and a nice bottle of red or buy 2 readt to lay hens at the local market...or watch 2 3rd rate teams play in ipswich
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devontractorboy added 10:52 - Aug 4 It's good to see some youngsters coming through but I am still worried by our obvious inability to hit the back of the net, it's kinda useful in football to be able to win games and get points. Keane is obviously trying to strengthen other areas but when, oh when, are we gonna sign a decent striker...money well spent in my humble opinion. Know it's a difficult marker at the moment but come on Keaneo, signing or loaning a couple of strikers has to be your main priority.

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blrmy added 11:02 - Aug 4 The prices at Ipswich do have to be questioned, this is an interesting comparison story, but be sure to read that it compares the most expensive ticket available, not all tickets available... Still an interesting comparison tho. A survey of all 92 English professional clubs has found Championship side Ipswich's **most expensive season ticket** was more than the equivalent at Newcastle or Manchester United. At £1001, Ipswich's season ticket, entitling the owner to a seat in section D of the Cobbold Stand at Portman Road, is the fourth-most expensive in the country, with Newcastle, at £975, and Manchester United, at £931, coming in fifth and sixth respectively. http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football/news-and-comment/ipswich-season-tick

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bluelady added 11:21 - Aug 4 i have to agree with a lot on here, i went last night not suffolksam and stiffshorts because i am stupid or would not have rather been enjoying a nice bottle of wine, but simply because i have a football mad son who was hoping to see one or two big names, needless to say he was delighted with the three that turned up for Spurs. I do think the price was ridiculous and very poor marketing - it was a lively game of football and rather enjoyable, had the price have been a fiver a lot more would have turned out, maybe with families and they may have enjoyed and decided to go to more games or even buy a ticket, what a missed opportunity ITFC Board, thought you were astute business men, its not rocket science. Those nets were awful too, hope they are not long term investments! Down to the football, thought that Troy Brown was a star and actually much better than Tom Eastmen (who didnt have a bad game by any acconts) would love to see Troy on the bench, not a massively tall player, but then nor was Russel Osman compared to Butcher!! Thought the new lad from Sunderland (who i shant embarrass myself by trying to spell) looked lively and not afraid to have a go so hopefully will follow his predecesor and grow in experience and confidence. ALB did well, although a few times he pushed away when a better keeper would have held the ball - that said some brave goalkeeping and some great shot stoppers. So although i begrudge packing £19 for myself and two young boys, i did enjoy the game, much better than some of the dull dross i witnessed last season! oh and before i end can someone teach O'Connor to take a corner - the aim is not to see how close you can get to the opposite corner !!!!

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tractorboyholmes added 13:33 - Aug 4 I would never have gone last night and paid £15 to watch two reserve teams in action had I have known up front. I remember getting stung like this last year. That's it for me now, no more friendlys ever again. Well done ITFC! Hope the directors or someone from the board is reading these comments because I do genuinely feel you're pricing our good and loyal supporters out of the ground. £15 for that was just laughable!

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EatonBlue added 16:50 - Aug 4 What a missed opportunity by itfc! Should have charged £5 a head and donated the receipts to a charity.
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Rayner_ITFC97 added 14:00 - Aug 5 Cheap deflection lee Barret , lee martin and troy brown looked good Also im liking the looks of luke hyam ! Priskin looks like hes IMPROVING !
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