Boss Paul Jewell was pleased with his side’s performance in their final pre-season friendly at home to Wolves, despite falling to a 2-1 defeat. The Town manager hopes Lee Bowyer’s goal will be the first of many for his new club.

Jewell said: “They were quality opposition. We both made a few changes, which probably disrupted the rhythm of the game in the second half a little bit, but there was a lot of good stuff, a lot of pleasing stuff came out of it.

“We know we need to improve in certain areas but it was a good workout but the real thing starts next week.”

The Liverpudlian was delighted with Bowyer’s strike just before the break: “It was a terrific goal and we got a few of those situations in the first half but didn’t quite get the final shot or final cross off. It was a really good quality goal and he was unlucky not to score the second.

“[Breaking into the area and scoring goals] is Lee’s game, he’s been doing it for a long time at the top level and hopefully he’ll get a few goals for us.”

Jewell felt his team did well against opposition from a higher division with substantial strength in depth: “They’ve got quality players. They’ve paid £5 million for a centre-half [Roger Johnson], £3.5 million for the sub [Jamie O’Hara] that came on — that’s the difference between the Premier League and the Championship.

“At the same time, I thought we acquitted ourselves well and when both sides made changes the game became a little bit bitty, a bit scrappy. Their first goal was an own goal or a deflection or whatever it was.

“But it wasn’t about the result today, it was about us and our development and training towards Saturday and a long, arduous 46-game campaign.”

Jewell dismissed reports that he had targeted Wolves defender Richard Stearman: “I haven’t made an enquiry for Richard Stearman.”

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy felt the game was similarly useful: “It was a very good workout, I thought Ipswich played well. They certainly had a very good spell in the second half.

“I’m pleased with it. I changed the team from Wednesday night and the substitutions made the difference in the second half.”

Photo: Action Images

reuser90 added 18:19 - Jul 30 one up front again PJ??? doesn't bode well...........
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AlanMahon2011 added 18:27 - Jul 30 i agree! 442 every game JEWELL
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fourth added 19:42 - Jul 30 Wolves were behind when fielding their second team and ahead with the first. There is a long way to go to get a defence and then a team. Leadbitter flatters to deceive
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streety86 added 20:11 - Jul 30 Reuser90 and alanmahon2011 were you actually at the game? Although chops was slightly isolated we played them off the park for 2 thirds of the game and the system worked well. I'm sure all the fans who couldn't be bothered to turn up look at the score and the line up and criticise, some fan really piss me off on here sometimes
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WickedBlue added 21:41 - Jul 30 Gotta love the fans who call for 4-4-2 every game.....their knowledge of football is astounding.....
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nickforeveritfc added 22:31 - Jul 30 There right actually WickedBlue how is one striker supposed to take on a top teams defence you either have three upfront or two not one!! I thought we played very well today and made some great passes but looked very tired in the second half which is something jewell needs to sort out!!
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Tractorboy24 added 00:35 - Jul 31 Have to laugh Nick at your critism of those defending the 1 up front tactics, followed by your praise of our performance with 1 up front. I felt we played well today and were it not for the 20 mins that they scored theri goals, we played them off the park in the 451 formation, whilst it may isolate Chopra a bit, we seem to play well in it and Chopra/the team will adapt to one and other. I don't care about how many we have up front, so long as we play well and win, which is what this formation seems to be helping us do!

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pazelle added 09:36 - Jul 31 Shame that Priskin didn't even come on! He's got 3 in 5 against prem opposition since Watford's relegation. We need a centreback and Jimmy Bullard and we're there! Stockdale Edwards Ingimarsson Smith Cresswell JET Bowyer Leadbitter (C) Martin Priskin Chopra That's our best XI. Fact.
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Blue041273 added 12:38 - Jul 31 We looked good in parts of the game but the impression that was left with me was that we're not quite there fitnesswise. Didn't think anyone played badly but we seemed to struggle in the 2nd half. (Don't understand McCarthy's assessment that we played well in the 2nd half; we were much better in the 1st). Wolves had better quality, particularly in the 2nd half. That surely must be the minimum level to which we should aspire. I think it's going to take time.

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nickforeveritfc added 23:11 - Jul 31 Yh I did contridict myself a bit there what i meant was we might of got another goal if we had two upfront instead of one but we didn't play badly.
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nickforeveritfc added 23:12 - Jul 31 Yh I did contridict myself a bit there what i meant was we might of got another goal if we had two upfront instead of one but we didn't play badly.
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