Town came from two goals behind to get their pre- season off to a 4-2 winning start at Roots Hall against Southend United. As promised manager Joe Royle fielded two completely different sides in each half, only keeper Lewis Price on the field the whole time.

The first period Blues XI went behind early on as they started in a somewhat
lacklustre manner. A cross from the left found new Shrimpers' signing Mark Gower with communication between keeper Lewis Price and Chris Makin perhaps in question. Gower's volleyed shot went under the keeper making his first start in a senior side.

Town gradually started to get their passing going and just before the half hour Alun Armstrong headed wide from a Marcus Bent cross. Bent himself came close when he ran on to a long Drissa Diallo ball, flicking a volley which the Southend keeper just kept out.

But a minute later the Shrimpers went in front as first Chris Makin and then youngster Aidan Collins failed to clear a cross from the left. The ball rebounded to Tesfaye Bramble who slotted past Price.

Bramble's younger brother Titus was amongst the Town support along with another former Blue, Kieron Dyer.

A two-goal deficit at half-time might have been an embarrassment to a line-up including many of Joe Royle's likely first XI. However, soon after Bramble's 35th minute goal, Ian Westlake reduced Town's arrears.

Martijn Reuser took a corner on the left and found Marcus Bent. The striker teed up Westlake whose shot went through a crowd of players at shoulder height and into the net.

Four minutes later Marcus Bent turned scorer, picking up the ball just inside the Shrimpers' half and lashing an unstoppable shot into the Southend keeper's top right-hand corner.

At the break it was all change for the Blues with a new XI readying themselves to get on. The previous side used half-time to warm-down and in Marcus Bent's case sign autographs.

Off went Drissa Diallo who had shown enough to impress fans, particularly when he solidly challenged an opponent wide on the left before deftly skipping away from the next defender.

Thomas Gaardsøe played in an experimental role in front of the back four and had a somewhat quiet game. It may take him a little while to adjust to the role.

The second half Town performance had a greater pace about it and it only took until the 53rd minute for the Blues to go in front. Darren Bent chased a pass over the Southend defence on the right and took it down and past the on-rushing keeper in one movement. Then, from a tight angle, he coolly slid it into the net.

At the other end Price in goal had little to do, aside from one well caught cross, one punch which reached a fair distance and a save to his left of a ball which appeared to be going two or three yards wide. On trial keeper Javier Sanchez Broto remained on the bench throughout the game due to a lack of training this pre-season.

The Blues could have scored more goals through Antonio Murray, Nabil Abidallah and Darren Bent. Stylish midfielder Murray, arguably Town's most impressive player on the night, almost chipped the keeper while the Dutchman hit a couple of well-struck shots. Bent came close to converting a cross from trialist Steve Towers.

The Oadby Town player had a solid if unspectacular game, rarely committing himself to the attack but forming a rarely breached backline along with Richard Naylor and youngsters Chris Hogg and Gerard Nash.

With eight minutes left on the clock Town added a fourth through Pablo Couñago, the Spaniard, with a thick blond streak down the centre of his hair, nodding in a Nabil Abidallah corner.

Late on Darren Bent went close with a curling shot from a fine Antonio Murray pass from deep, the striker's pace once again giving the home side problems.

It's difficult to read too much into these early pre-season games and Joe Royle has said little notice should be taken of tonight's line-ups. Some good signs for the season ahead, particularly from the likes of Diallo, Murray and Collins while Couñago and both Bents all looked sharp.

First half XI: Price, Wilnis, Makin, Collins, Diallo, Gaardsøe, Magilton, Westlake, M Bent, Armstrong, Reuser.

Second half XI: Price, Towers, Murray, Nash, Naylor, Hogg, Abidallah, Miller, D Bent, Couñago, Bowditch.

Photo: Action Images

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