Blues boss Kieran McKenna believes midfielder Dominic Ball is going to have a big part to play at Portman Road this season, the summer signing having had a frustrating start to the campaign due to injury.

Ball, 27, who joined the club after leaving QPR, picked up an ankle injury close to the end of pre-season and had to wait for his Town debut.

However, the one-time Tottenham trainee has impressed in his two Papa Johns Trophy starts, in the 6-0 hammering of Northampton and Tuesday’s 2-0 win against Arsenal’s U21s in which he scored the opening goal and assisted the second for Freddie Ladapo, and two League One sub appearances.

“He had a really good pre-season, I have to say, and was looking really strong and getting better game by game,” McKenna said.

“He picked up his injury at an unlucky time and a difficult time for him personally because I think he’d done nearly the whole pre-season and it was the last week when he picked up his injury.

“He was a few weeks coming back from that and then, of course, it takes you a few extra weeks to get your rhythm and get up to speed and he’s certainly been doing that.

“He’s been improving session by session in training and put in a very good performance the other night to back up his good performance against Northampton.

“I’m just delighted to have him here, he’s such a good professional and a good member of the squad, an important member of the squad, who we think is going to have a big part to play this season.”

Photo: Matchday Images

jas1972 added 16:44 - Sep 23 He certainly looked very much the seasoned pro on Tuesday night.
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cornishnick added 17:57 - Sep 23 Am I right in saying he can also operate at left back? Will be useful given Leigh's injury
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Linkboy13 added 18:37 - Sep 23 Im surprised he's not played a bigger part already unless he's still not fully fit yet. Looks class at league one level to me. Looked the ideal player to come on last Saturday to steady the ship when we were rocking a bit.
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