Ronan Murray grabbed a late winner for a Town reserves side as they beat Bury Town 3-2 in the now annual pre-season friendly at Ram Meadow. The home side had gone ahead via skipper Tom Bullard before Jide Maduako and Caolan Lavery saw the Blues into the lead at half-time. After Bury had missed a penalty, Danny Cunningham brought them level with a superb freekick prior to Murray’s late deft flick over the keeper.

Jaime Peters, Luciano Civelli, Aaron Cresswell, Josh Carson, Luke Hyam and Ronan Murray were those with first team experience in the starting line-up, while Shane O’Connor was left out of the squad completely.

Sean McCarthy and Russell Osman, the Blues’ U18s coach, were in charge of the team from the dug-out with manager Paul Jewell, assistant Chris Hutchings, chief scout Steve McCall and former Bury and Town midfielder Simon Milton in the stand.

Ex-Blue James Scowcroft, who played for Bury last season and looks set to join them again for the campaign ahead, was also amongst the spectators.

Caolan Lavery headed a Ronan Murray cross from the right wide on seven with the Blues, in the old red away strip, taking the game to the home side from the off.

In stark contrast to last night’s first team match at Cambridge, chances were rare but Town went close in the 21st minute. Civelli sent in a deep cross from the left, Lavery knocked it back but Murray scuffed his shot wide.

Three minutes later the home side went in front with their first shot on goal. A ball in from the right found Tom Bullard in space behind the Blues backline. Callum Bennett’s desperate late lunge only succeeded in deflecting the Bury skipper’s shot beyond Cody Cropper and into the net.

The Blues were quickly back on terms. Civelli whipped over a 26th minute corner from the right and man mountain centre-half Jide Maduako powered a header beyond Bury keeper Marcus Garnham.

Murray shot just wide from distance on 33 with the young Blues having more of the ball but without being able to create too many chances against the Ryman League Premier Division side.

Two minutes later, a goalkeeping howler led to Town going in front. Murray appeared to have played the ball too far in front of Lavery, but the Northern Ireland U21 international was presented with a gift when Garnham dropped the ball at his feet.

Bury ended the half brightly but were unable to equalise despite Sam Reed trying an audacious backheel which struck Maduako.

With Blues boss Jewell by now propped against the dug-out, Bury captain Bullard forced Cropper to save with a stooping header from a corner early in the second half.

For Town, Hourihane hit a low piledriver from 25 yards which Garnham batted away, then the Bury keeper was off his line to prevent Lavery from getting on the end of a through ball. Then the Canada-born striker missed his kick as the ball fell to him inside the box.

Bury were handed a golden chance to get back on terms in the 57th minute when Luke Ingram was felled inside the area by Joe Whight. Lee Reed took the spotkick but Town’s US U20 keeper Cody Cropper did well to get down to his right and gather at the second attempt.

Just after the hour, Jamie Griffiths replaced the again too quiet Luciano Civelli on the left of midfield. The Bury-born youngster was making his first appearance since manager Paul Jewell took over as boss due to a stress fracture of the back.

Aaron Jones came on for Luke Hyam in the same switch and announced his arrival with a 20-yard strike just wide.

Bury got back on terms in the 80th minute when sub Danny Cunningham curled home a powerful, curling freekick from just outside the area.

With the game entering its final four minutes, Lavery played in Murray, who for once beat the offside trap before flicking the ball over Bury sub keeper Richard Robbins and into the net. Former Premier League referee Steve Tanner blew his whistle soon afterwards.

The young Blues just about deserved their victory against a more senior Bury side. The home side’s first half goal came against the run of play but the youngsters quickly got back into it again and then went in front.

As is often the case, the second half was scrappier with substitutions galore but the Blues probably created more of the chances and Murray took his opportunity when it came.

The downside from a Town perspective were hardly dominant displays from senior duo Luciano Civelli and Jaime Peters, who probably should have shown more against such comparatively lowly opposition.

The Blues are next in friendly action when the first team take on Southend at Roots Hall on Friday (KO 7.45pm), while the U18s play their traditional friendly at Southwold the same night (6.30pm).

Town XI: Cropper (O’Donnell 70), Bennett, Cresswell, Hyam (Jones 61), Maduako, Whight, Civelli (Griffiths 61), Carson (Hourihane 46), Murray, Lavery, Peters.

Bury Town: Garnham (Robbins 63), Hunter (L Smith 38), Coulson (Coakley 63), Kennedy (Ingram 46), Hitching (Cawley 46), Bullard (Hall 63), Nurse (Leabon 46), S Smith (Scurlock 46), S Reed (Clark 63), L Reed, Henderson (Cunningham 38).n. Referee: Steve Tanner (Suffolk). Att: 941.

Photo: Action Images

terry_butchers_twin added 21:48 - Jul 20 Knew we should have gone for Bullard!!!!!!!!!!!!
0

Garv added 21:50 - Jul 20 Sign up Bullard!
0

WeirdFishes added 21:53 - Jul 20 Two typos Phil tutut :L
0

pottyblue added 21:58 - Jul 20 Pity about civelli being shi@"@
0

WadzillaBhoy added 21:58 - Jul 20 Ipswich are better than everybody!
0

decITFC1878 added 22:00 - Jul 20 Ipswich are better than everybody. Lavery the best player in the world.
0

TownOnTheUp added 22:05 - Jul 20 Bye bye Shane O'Connor
0

Hungry_Badger added 22:06 - Jul 20 Shane O'Connor not even in the sqaud? Certainly a gonner then.
0

jas0999 added 22:08 - Jul 20 Very interesting. Cresswell started last night and plays today as well - is he really seen as a reserve team player then? Will we start with Kennedy? Shame about O'Connor, but unless injured, he must be on his way.
0

MarkITFC added 22:17 - Jul 20 Jas0999 0 its a friendly , cresswell played for the fitness .
0

CanadianBlue added 22:32 - Jul 20 Sad to here that Peters and Civelli didn't make much of an impact. With PJ watching, you'd have thought that they'd make an extra effort to impress him and stake down a first team place. Combined with the lack of playing time that O'Connor is getting, I can the three leaving by the start of the season (either on loan or sold). In regards to Cresswell, definitely a fitness thing or even PJ wanting to see the player in action more. With his young age, I can't see PJ having seen him playing as much as our other signings. The more playing time he gets, and the more experiance, the better! I really hope that our youth can push into the first team. Jide Maduako sounds like he could be a welcomed addition to our defensive line and Lavery and Murray knocking them in sounds promising as a potential strike partnership.

0

Keaneish added 22:34 - Jul 20 O'Connor out of the squad completely!!!? WHY?
0

carsey added 22:38 - Jul 20 Will someone please ask PJ what is up with Shane O'Connor and why he isn't playing him. Come on Phil there seems to be a real story here lets hear it please. Leaving that sort of potential on the bench or out of the squad completely is mental unless there is a solid reason.
0

Tractorog added 22:40 - Jul 20 Cresswell playing in the reserves may have something to do with the fee we might have to pay his old club?
0

Buryblueboy added 22:40 - Jul 20 Just got back from the game. In terms of players performances... totally right about Peters as he really should've shone in a game like this, he often chose to just throw balls forward rather than attack with any vigour; i think he will really need to up his game or will continue to be out of picture. Civelli seems like the injury has totally done him for confidence and probably needs to move on as is continuing to offer little as was often seen in his cameo 2nd half performances towards the end of last season. Hyam is the most likely to bridge the gap from reserves to first team as just has more about himself on the pitch. Other players around him have the confidence to play through him a lot. Hourihane looks neat and tidy on the ball but as I saw from him in reserve games last year can often drift in and out of games. He should really have stepped up his level of performances now he is in his second year. Cresswell certainly has a bit of an edge to him, perhaps tried a bit too hard tonight, and would not weaken the side if put in ahead of Kennedy. Cropper was someone who had more presence than others and could prove to be a good third choice keeper option for the season. Whight was prepared to compete and was committed in the challenge but he may well struggle with the physicality of championship defenders and will need to be used cautiously so that we don't have fans destroy him at home games as can happen to young players like what we saw with Eastman last year. Murray played as expected i.e. hanging on the last shoulder a lot, being sloppily all too often caught offside, but then has the very useful habit of scoring a goal. Can't imagine he won't be much more than coming off the bench. All in all, i'm only judging one preseason friendly. The players were certainly up for it and surprised Bury just how much they were leaving their boot into tackles. What is a concern is there is a bit of a gulf between who we can call upon if we were hit with an injury crisis, especially at the back. It now seems shortsighted to have not offered Brown atleast equal terms so he would've stayed on; he certainly would be more ready than what we have at the moment to call upon. I know a lot of us have been calling for it but definitely need to have more strength in depth. Seeing Notts Forest and Leicester stockpile players we have still a lot to do to be a serious threat. Jewell certainly has been chasing players, just now need to land some hungry/determined players who want to play rather than pick up an easy wage. COYB!

0

tellitasiseeit added 22:41 - Jul 20 Cropper saved a penalty and other good saves in the game, sounds as if he could be moving up in the goalkeeping pecking order. Good for him maybe sitting on the bench for the first team will make the other goalkeepers work even harder to keep their place for Ipswich? Well done Cody Cropper ,Well done Ipswich players. a good result against a very good team
0

ryan added 23:19 - Jul 20 JIMMY BULLARD HAS BEEN SUSPENDED BY HULL CITY FOR TWO WEEKS DUE TO TURINING UP TO TRAINING IN AN UNACCEPTABLE MANNER!
0

norfolk_mighty_horse added 23:32 - Jul 20 tellitasiseeit - how can you say well done? - friendly or not a reserves side with a few first team players should not only just beat Bury town. the only plus was the performance from cropper
0

John added 23:45 - Jul 20 Ryan - theres a rumour circulating on a hull website that bullard has been suspended for two weeks for arriving at training direct from a london nightclub. The club have made no comment. I'd say it should be taken with a large pinch of salt .It appears to have started circulating due to his non-selection for a pre-season game, more likely he wasn't selected in order to preserve his dodgy knees given his imminent departure elsewhere.

0

ryan added 23:51 - Jul 20 If that was true why would Hull citys news reporter confirm that to his understanding Jimmy bullard has been suspended. I have a reliable source and i stand by what ive posted.
0

norfolk_mighty_horse added 23:51 - Jul 20 various rumours that he was seen in Norwich (according the scummers that I work with)
0

algarvefan added 23:54 - Jul 20 What the hell has Shane O'Connor done wrong, come on PJ give the lad a chance!
0

JBITFC added 08:50 - Jul 21 There's a surprise.....Civelli and Peters have no impact on the game. It's because they are both terrible footballers, I honestly can't believe that Peters is even professional, his ability is laughable at times. Sums him up that he cannot even shine against teams like Leiston and Bury. Do us a favour PJ son....get shot of these two please. I'd rather see o'connor stay, at least he's got a bit about him!!

0

Daleyitfc added 11:28 - Jul 21 Is this lad Maduako related to Joyce, the sprinter? Not a very common name.
0

Blogs 295 bloggers

Ipswich Town Polls