Town’s 100 per cent pre-season record ended with a 2-1 defeat at Gillingham, Danny Rowe pulling one back for the Blues after the home side had gone in front via a Tom Eaves penalty and Scott Wagstaff’s strike from distance.

Bartosz Bialkowski returned to the Town starting line-up having been ill for Tuesday’s game at Peterborough.

The starting XI featured 10 senior players plus midfielder Flynn Downes, who signed a new three-year contract earlier in the week having impressed manager Mick McCarthy during pre-season.

Adam Webster was named in the squad for the first time having overcome an ankle injury but there was no Cole Skuse, who is ill, and Teddy Bishop, who had picked up a knock.

Emyr Huws (calf) and Tom Adeyemi (illness) were again not involved, while Luke Hyam is also yet to play a part in any friendly having suffered an ankle injury towards the end of last season.

Former Blue Lee Martin skippered the League One Gills, who are managed by Ipswich-born Adrian Pennock.

Freddie Sears wasn’t too far away from opening the scoring at a blustery Priestfield Stadium in the third minute with a cross-shot which Gillingham’s 6ft 8in tall keeper Tomas Holy uncomfortably managed to tip over.

The Blues started strongly, moving the ball around slickly with Grant Ward on the right getting the better of his man on a couple of occasions.

Town almost went in front on a number of occasions on the quarter hour. First Garner saw an effort blocked from a corner, then his subsequent strike from the rebound was well saved by Holy. Kevin Bru returned the ball into the box and Sears turned it just wide.

On 21 Bru shot wide from distance, then two minutes later Jordan Spence hit a shot from distance straight at Holy.

Town continued to push for the opening goal and in the 25th minute Holy saved from Bru after exchanging passes with impressive new loanee Bersant Celina, who was regularly drifting inside from the left, and then Ward’s subsequent strike was blocked.

Gillingham went close to going in front with their first shot of the game in the 28th minute. Skipper Luke Chambers lost out to Gills striker Eaves as they battled for a bouncing ball on the edge of the box. Eaves spotted Bialkowski off his line and tried a lob by the Polish keeper got back to push the ball past the post.

The home side threatened again in the 32nd minute when Josh Parker chased a Martin long ball and turned inside Chambers before being thwarted by a combination of Tommy Smith and Downes.

Joe Garner claimed a penalty just before the break when Luke O’Neill’s momentum carried him into the Town striker as he took a ball down with his chest but referee Craig Hicks wasn’t interested.

Town had dominated most of the half - although the Gills had had a decent spell not long before half-time - and had a number of chances to make their superiority count, most notably when they had the succession of opportunities in the 15th minute.

While the players warmed up ahead of the second half a storm erupted and rain fell heavily before stopping prior to kick-off.

Six minutes after the restart the home side were awarded a penalty. Ex-Blue Martin went to ground rather easily as he took the ball past his former team-mate Chambers on the right of the Town area and referee Hicks pointed to the spot. Eaves sent Bialkowski the wrong way from the spot to give the home side the lead.

The Blues had started to regain their earlier ascendency before the traditional succession of second-half pre-season substitutions began in the 65th minute when Danny Rowe replaced Ward.

A minute later, Celina went within an inch or so of equalising, taking the ball down on the left before cutting inside and hitting a shot which beat Holy and scuffed the outside of his left post.

On 67 a ball over the top hit Sears on his back with the former West Ham man otherwise through on goal. Four minutes later, the other nine outfield players were switched.

After Bialkowski had saved Billy Bingham’s freekick, the home side made six changes of their own.

In the 77th minute the Gills doubled their lead. Wagstaff brought the ball in from the right before hitting a superb strike beyond Bialkowski and into the top corner of the net.

Two minutes later, the Blues pulled a goal back. Conor McKendry crossed from the right and Rowe nodded home at the far post.

Town went looking for an equaliser and on 80 Kenlock broke through into the area before hitting a shot which deflected off a defender into sub keeper Stuart Nelson’s arms. That proved to be the final chance of the match.

The scoreline didn’t accurately reflect the game with the Blues having been well on top for most of the first half but without finding a goal.

The penalty just after half-time was rather soft, then the Gills’ excellent second came after both sides had changed most of their players.

While results aren’t the most important aspect of pre-season games, manager Mick McCarthy will still have wanted his side’s winning friendly run to have continued as the Blues move into their final games ahead of the season proper.

Gillingham: Holy, O’Neill, Ehmer, Zakuani, Wagstaff, Eaves, Martin (c), Ogilvie, Parker, Bingham, Byrne. Unused: Nelson, Garmston, Chapman, Cundle, O’Mara, Nash, Wright.

Town: Bialkowski, Spence (Iorfa 71), Chambers (c) (C Smith 71), T Smith (Webster 71), Knudsen (Kenlock 71), Ward (Rowe 65), Bru (McDonnell 71), Downes (Nydam 71), Celina (Morris 71), Garner (McGoldrick 71), Sears (McKendry 71). Unused: Gerken, Patterson, Fowler, McLoughlin, Crowe.

Photos: PagePix

happybeingblue added 16:58 - Jul 22 if we dont sort that back 4 out then its going to be a long old season,2 weeks to go til the start YIKES
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hulltractor added 16:58 - Jul 22 Town on top but cant score. Where have i heard that before?..... Another striker is desperately needed me thinks.
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jas0999 added 17:05 - Jul 22 Credit given for previous results and showings, so only right criticism for a poor result today. I'm sounding like a broken record, but I still don't believe this squad has enough depth or quality. We are around ten players short from last season, with only four new signings. Garner replaces Pitman. Still no replacement for Berra, and thus Murphy (unless Garner is his replacement, but then we haven't replaced Pitman). I'm not convinced we've adequately replaced Lawrence, who had experience - our new loanee doesn't at this level and is very young. Time will tell. We are probably a mid table side. Slightly lower. Time will tell, but I can't really see how we've made major improvements to the squad.

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Mark added 17:05 - Jul 22 I know it is only a friendly and we had lots of players out, but still disappointing to lose to the team which finished 20th in League One last season. I hope it comes as a bit of a wake up call that we still need to add quality to the squad, particularly up front. If not, we are looking at another long season of saying Ipswich were unfortunate to lose but couldn't take our chances.

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12th_Man added 17:07 - Jul 22 I say it every year, Pre Season Doesnt Matter but you get all the blubbers come out when we lose a meaningless friendly. lol.
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warktheline added 17:07 - Jul 22 Never fear I'm sure blueandtrue will have some 'powerful' stats to put a 'positive' spin on another inept display under Mick 'kick and rush' McCarthy!!!!
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Battyboy added 17:08 - Jul 22 Same old story. We need to keep the ball better and stop playing like a non league team!!
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ericclacton added 17:10 - Jul 22 Come on Ipswich, kick the ball hard or just stroke it about.
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warktheline added 17:10 - Jul 22 @jas0999, I'm sure McCarthy would take mid table before a ball is kicked in anger! Relegation scrap for me pal I'm sorry to say!
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marcus1642 added 17:17 - Jul 22 We had a very bad pre season last year and subsequently poor season proper. We should be beating sides like Gillingham with a bit to spare, pre season or not. Let's all hope it's a hiccup, but town do seem to lack a bit of depth.
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PortmanTerrorist added 17:21 - Jul 22 Some over reaction on here as usual. Result tells us little but think we all know we still short of a goalscorer up top, that we need Adeyemi and Hughes to start, Kenlock is better than Knuds, and that (regretfully) our captain was and is a liability. Much to still sort for Mick and not much time unless he really can trust some kids.
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BlueandTruesince82 added 17:22 - Jul 22 More opinion from you wark the line. Nothing of substance again though.. have a dig mix with sarcasm and say nothing constructive or in anyway related to the story. Nice MO. I think we will see at least one more loan addition before the window closes but we clearly need more fire power. I feel like Freddy could be a good foil for Garner but he needs mins up top to remember what being a striker is like. Rowe might just prove to be a really good bit of business but no doubt we need more depth (That's an opinion btw, just to be clear)

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Battyboy added 17:27 - Jul 22 We should be technically better in every department and play teams like this off the park. If we continue playing the way we do, it's going to be a very long season with some devastating results, league One is the standard we are at!!!
8

Battyboy added 17:27 - Jul 22 We should be technically better in every department and play teams like this off the park. If we continue playing the way we do, it's going to be a very long season with some devastating results, league One is the standard we are at!!!
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Battyboy added 17:27 - Jul 22 We should be technically better in every department and play teams like this off the park. If we continue playing the way we do, it's going to be a very long season with some devastating results, league One is the standard we are at!!!
2

Battyboy added 17:27 - Jul 22 We should be technically better in every department and play teams like this off the park. If we continue playing the way we do, it's going to be a very long season with some devastating results, league One is the standard we are at!!!
1

jas0999 added 17:27 - Jul 22 Watktheline- I hope you are wrong, but without quality additions, fear you are right!
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warktheline added 17:29 - Jul 22 You don't need stats for what McCarthy has, and continues to serve up! A trip to spec savers I would suggest!
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BlueandTruesince82 added 17:32 - Jul 22 There is no way we can have a season like last surely? A good season or a poor start and Mick gone by the end of October must be the only 2 options!
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cat added 17:37 - Jul 22 A friendly is what it is. Agree with others that a couple more additions are desperately needed in defence and attack. If you compare this season squad to that of last seasons, then we are weaker in both departments, midfield probably stronger. The big positive is however - wth the Dino in charge, defeat is a lot easier to take, I noticed that last season, and the one before that.

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BlueandTruesince82 added 17:38 - Jul 22 You seem to think that me pointing out Mick is more prepared to give youth a chance than some on here would have us believe is some sort of defence of his tactics and style or last season, it is not. This is despite me saying clearly during our little chat that the football is not pretty, That he has taken the club as far he can and that a change is needed. Seems you are the one that needs to go to specsavers because clearly you didn't read what was actually written.

0

runningout added 17:38 - Jul 22 Know you shouldn't take notice of preseason, but it's hard not to when you lose miserably,and after season like last
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warktheline added 17:44 - Jul 22 @runningout, jeez you were the fearless little lion man a couple of days ago! Unreal, what happened to your 'strong mentality' speech....blah blah blah!
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TimmyH added 17:44 - Jul 22 Although only a friendly that result should bring a few back down to earth...personally feel we still need a proven goalscorer and a decent holding midfielder (not skuse).
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Brownie added 17:56 - Jul 22 For once I need to quote & agree with MM...' Pre season about fitness & avoiding injuries' - only results that matter either way start on 5th August😀
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