Goals from Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Brett Pitman and David McGoldrick saw the Blues to a 3-2 friendly victory against Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium. Maitland-Niles put the Blues in front after only two minutes and Pitman made it two before Cambridge hit back via Barry Corr and Luke Berry either side of the break, but sub McGoldrick sealed Town’s win in the 62nd minute.

Blues boss Mick McCarthy named a strong starting line-up with more senior players included from the off than at Shelbourne or against Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Christophe Berra was involved in his first friendly of pre-season with Jay Tabb at left-back with Jonny Parr missing with a thigh problem. Matt Clarke was with Portsmouth for their friendly with Coventry.

The Blues went ahead via the game’s first attack after just two minutes. Freddie Sears cut the ball back from the left beyond strike partner Brett Pitman but to Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the on-loan Arsenal winger finishing confidently from 10 yards.

In front of 1,200 travelling supporters, Town dominated the early stages and in the eighth minute Ryan Fraser crossed right-footed from the left and Pitman looped the ball over Cambridge’s trialist keeper Matt Duke but also the bar.

The two one-time Bournemouth team-mates combined again on 18, Fraser feeding Pitman but this time the striker shot over from the edge of the box.

The lively Fraser teed-up Sears two minutes later but the former West Ham man’s low shot was too close to the keeper.

Cambridge created their first opportunity in the 23rd minute, Robbie Simpson crossing from the right and Harrison Dunk heading back across the area and causing some hesitation amongst the Blues’ backline. Town immediately broke with pace but Sears shot against a defender.

Town added to their lead in the 29th minute when Sears laid the ball to Maitland-Niles, who hit a shot from the edge of the box which deflected over the keeper, hit the bar and fell to the gleeful Pitman, who slid in his fourth goal in three pre-season games.

Four minutes later Maitland-Niles wasn’t far away from his second of the game, reaching a Fraser cross from the left but diverting the ball wide at the far post when under pressure.

Cambridge pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when Jeff Hughes sent over a corner from the left and a completely unmarked Barry Corr powered home a header. Blues boss McCarthy is unlikely to have been impressed to concede so easily from a set piece.

The goal had come against the overall run of play, however, and on 42 the Fraser-Pitman combination again weren’t too far away from a goal, the striker looping the winger’s cross to Duke in the Cambridge goal.

Town were good for their lead at the break and might have been even further ahead having had plenty of chances with Fraser and Maitland-Niles lively on the flanks and Sears and Pitman always a threat.

Town continued with an unchanged XI after the break, despite having 12 players on the bench.

Two minutes after the restart David McGoldrick took over from Brett Pitman, who had just suffered what looked to be a minor knock inside the centre circle. The Irish international immediately hit a low shot from distance straight at the keeper.

In the 54th minute Cambridge got back on terms. After Tommy Smith had bundled sub Jordan Slew over just outside the area, Luke Berry took the kick and slammed a brilliant strike home off the inside of Bartosz Bialkowski’s left post.

Berry wasn't far away from giving his side the lead two minutes later when Danny Carr crossed low from the right and he slid in but diverted the ball well over.

Town were looking far less in control than they had in the first half with the home team having grown in confidence following their goals.

But parity wasn’t to last long. In the 62nd minute Maitland-Niles seized on a loose pass and played McGoldrick in on goal with a superb pass and the striker fired low past Duke.

The goal signalled a mass of changes for the Blues with Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock, third-year scholar Joe Robinson, Adam McDonnell, Josh Yorwerth, Kyle Hammond, Kundai Benyu, Teddy Bishop and Alex Henshall taking over from the senior outfield players.

McDonnell shot over from distance soon after coming on, then on 79 Bishop ran on to McGoldrick’s flick and crossed low for Hammond, who slid wide.

Three minutes later, Cambridge keeper Duke did well to get down to his left to paw McGoldrick’s header from Henshall’s left-sided corner away from goal.

Cambridge-born Bishop should have made it 4-2 with four minutes remaining but headed straight at Duke from Hammond’s excellent right-wing cross.

Town manager McCarthy is likely to be pleased with the overall performance, if not the goals his side conceded, and to have Berra and McGoldrick back in action.

McGoldrick took his goal confidently, while Pitman continued his excellent form in front of goal since his move from Bournemouth and Fraser, Maitland-Niles and Sears also all looked lively.

The Blues are next in action at Peterborough on Saturday when last season’s top scorer Daryl Murphy could make his return to action.

Cambridge United: Duke, Omozusi (Taylor 46), Roberts (Coulson 46), Legge, Corr, Dunk, Simpson (Trialist 46), Morrissey, L Hughes (Berry 46), J Hughes (Carr 46), Newton (Slew 46).

Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c) (Emmanuel 62), Tabb (Kenlock 62), Bru (McDonnell 62), Smith (Robinson 62), Berra (Yorwerth 62), Maitland-Niles (Hammond 62), Skuse (Benyu 62), Pitman (McGoldrick 47), Sears (Bishop 62), Fraser (Henshall 62). Unused: Gerken, Connolly.

Photo: Action Images

shaunkingitfc added 21:39 - Jul 21 Sooooo not a bad game we need some more players like lb/rb/gk.... New players look very promising and all then back for haven't plays together yet
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muccletonjoe added 21:42 - Jul 21 Seems the way we are shaping up this season, we have a top 6 midfield and forward line but a mid table defence
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Michael11 added 21:45 - Jul 21 Good stuff. Sounds like Maitland-Niles had another blinder! It's so refreshing to hear that we've got pace in our side this season. Nice to see McGoldrick get his eye in early doors and Pitman looks one hell of a poacher that seems to score every game he plays. I do think we need another 1 or 2 extra defensive additions though, especially now Clarke's going on loan.
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Green_Army added 21:46 - Jul 21 Pitman, Fraser and AMN have been in the thick of everything in all the pre season games thus far which is terrific! Is terms of defence, we are short and need to strengthen asap!
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shaunkingitfc added 21:48 - Jul 21 Muccletonjoe .... I think your right there we need more defenders parr isn't going to play 46 games plz mick you got cash so spend itttt ffs
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CavendishBlue added 21:51 - Jul 21 Anybody got a shaunkingitfc/English dictionary ?
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jas0999 added 21:54 - Jul 21 Not sure we have learnt anything new tonight. As an attacking force, we seem to be in a miles better position than last season. We have four good strikers ... Game changers on the bench and some flair in the midfield. Perhaps we don't need a central midfielder who scores goals? But despite what Mick said today, defensively we are weaker. Just three available senior defenders today. Even if Parr fit, no options. We can't rely on youngsters in hard fought competitive championship games. You can't get rid of three defenders, replace with one inexperienced player from Cardiff and expect to improve. We are weaker there. End of. We need to address it and sooner rather than later in order to get the player(s) bedded in. Parr is a good player, but injury prone. I'd like a keeper, but accept MM not bothered, although interesting Gerken not given a chance tonight.

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ArnieM added 22:00 - Jul 21 People worrying about the defence should have more confidence in MM/TC. Do people honestly think they aren't fully aware of areas needing ( and quite likely ARE ) being addressed behind the scenes?! MM / TC are preparing the squad for the season, AND taking opportunity to look at various combinations that consist of academy players. Of course they are weaker. They lack experience, but they wont be lining up at Brentford on the 8th. Have faith people!

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shaunkingitfc added 22:02 - Jul 21 Cavendishblue sorry I can't spell if you don't like it then F off
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blues1 added 22:08 - Jul 21 At last. Someone talking sense. Well done Arnie. Unlike has who once again is just whingind. That must be ur 4th post this evening saying the same thing about the defence. Yes, of course we need to get some1 in, and don't u think mm knows that. Don't u think, the fact he's allowed Clarke to go out on loan that he's got some1lined up. Oh, and unlessvive forgotten somebody, we've only let 2 defenders go, not 3. Mings and now Clarkr

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EssexTractor added 22:09 - Jul 21 ArnieM, excellent comment. These are pre season friendlies. Experiments. Who foresaw the arrival of Pitman , Fraser and Maitland-Niles? Not many I guess. So yes on 21 July 2015 just keep calm and let those who know, do.!
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blues1 added 22:10 - Jul 21 Excuse the misprints. On mobile. Bit hamfisted.lol
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bluefeast added 22:18 - Jul 21 Defensive recruited needed ,left and right back , midfield dominating general , that will allow the four up top to really show there class ,hurrah we have pace ,but boy with the defensive unit on show in the championship we will concede no doubt.
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Jimmy86 added 22:23 - Jul 21 Shaping up nicely for the new season and I trust Mick to bring in the right players needed to help us compete this season. Looks like a difference in approach and style of play, fingers crossed and time will tell. I don't think we need a new keeper as Bart is good enough. He had a dip in form after Xmas, as did the team as a whole, he's Def a better keeper than Gerken. Still feel we will see a couple of new faces in before the season starts.

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Len_Brennan added 22:24 - Jul 21 @Jas: I normally agree with you & even on this I think we do need at least one full back, who I'm sure will be joining the club over the coming days. However, the suggestion that we are much worse off now than last season because we have lost 3 defenders & only gained one inexperienced defender seems somewhat exaggerated. 1. Clarke has potential but would not be in our starting XI. He needs to be playing & is as inexperienced as our new signing Yorwerth - difference negligible. 2. Mings is gone & is clearly a loss, but many of us like the idea of Jonny Parr at LB & it's not as though he played in our defence much last season. Presuming he'll be fit to play in August, & he starts at LB we're not really worse of defensively & with our better Wing options now, we're not really going to miss the attacking side of Mings so much either - weaker certainly, but not massively. 3. Is Hewitt the 3rd defender we are missing? Was never going to be playing in defence this season. Couldn't establish himself as a defender in lower league sides & had 2 other managers refer to his defensive weaknesses while on loan. Only likely to come on wide right as a sub & we have better options now - no major loss to the side & certainly not in defense. We have 2 young lads coming through who seem to be his equal defensively already.

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runningout added 22:36 - Jul 21 conceding 6 in 2 games no matter who has been in defence... Not good
3

topguy added 22:51 - Jul 21 But scoring 6 in 2 games doesn't hurt, that's one end of the park def sorted.
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thebeat added 23:06 - Jul 21 ArnieM while i agree with you about Mick and TC knowing the defence needs strengthening my big concern at the moment is that for the 3rd season running Mick is going to play Chambers at right back simply because he doesnt want to drop Tommy. You cant tell me there hasnt been a good rightback available either on a free or cheap for over 2 years. Please Mick get a rightback in and give the team more balance.

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Fat_Boy_Tim added 23:35 - Jul 21 Jas, you keep banging on about how many players we have lost compared to haw many we have bought but I can't work out why. If you look at the biggest clubs in the world they release far more players than they buy every year. That's because they bring more players through than then they need in order to find the gems for the first team and then they target their cash at filling the short comings I their 1st team. The smaller a club gets the more signings they have to make to fill more and more gaps. I sincerely hope that MM is right and that the youth players we have are capable of pushing for first team places and reducing the need for signngs

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parhamblue added 23:55 - Jul 21 To the comments above, we're all trying to work out what is going through Mick's head vis a vis the defence line-up so how about this. Tabb at full back this evening. Was he also playing there at Dusseldorf? Just saying. Our new season full back already bedded in, or not as the case may be? Be interested to hear feedback from those who went to the games.
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blues1 added 00:25 - Jul 22 Just realised that Hewitt the 3rd one. But hardly an issue Ashe wasn't involved neway and was unlikely to as he wasn't good enough at rb. Even at col utd he was mainly playing in a front 3. But yes, we do need avrb and maybe a lb. But I'm sure mm got players in mind.
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linhdi added 00:30 - Jul 22 I'm a Tabb fan, but he isn't a LB. Am worried about Pittman injury - hamstring? - he hhas been class, and again tonight. Maitland-Niles is going to be hard to leave out on current form - he's superb. Didz is rusty bit looked stylish as a Rolls Reuser (ah, those WERE the days!). Need LB cover, and maybe a RB so Chambo can go central but getting there otherwise.
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marshallmania added 00:51 - Jul 22 I'd be surprised if Fraser and Maitland-Niles are not regulars in the new season. Both looked so more exciting in this friendly than I've seen from any winger in the last 6 seasons!! Shame they are both loanee's but they can really give us a good push. Pitman looked hungry all game and great to see Didz back. Town have a real chance this season. Got a real good feeling:)

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cambsman added 08:51 - Jul 22 No on seems to mention the sub centre half who i thought was outstanding and completly tightened up our defence (from Cardiff I believe ) On that showing look out our regulars also the 16 year old along side him
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Gazelle added 09:00 - Jul 22 Might be a good idea if we stopped mentioning that we need another full back or two, Other clubs could be taking note of your comments and upping the prices.
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