Jim Bemoans Lack of Games - Ipswich Town News

Boss Jim Magilton says that the lack of reserve games this season is making it difficult for some of his fringe players to stay fit.

The Blues and other Football League sides were ousted from the FA Premier Reserve League in the summer and Town now play in the Pontin's Holiday Combination League East Division, reducing the number of league fixtures by eight.

Magilton told the club site: "Trying to get games for some of the players is a problem for us at the moment, as it is for a lot of clubs.

"There are less reserve games being played and that means the lads who are not playing regularly in the first team are losing out.

"All the training in the world can't make up for match sharpness and it's important we have all our squad players at that level of fitness, because they will be used through the season.

"That's one of the reasons we played Brechin last week. It gave some of the boys match practice that they need and we will continue to look at arranging friendly games to keep things ticking over as much as we can."

In addition to the Brechin friendly, a Town second string recently played Spurs in a behind closed doors game, while the club have entered the Suffolk Premier Cup for the first time in 30 years.

Magilton is also keen to send youngsters Sammy Moore, Chris Casement, Scott Barron and Jaime Peters out on loan. Liam Trotter and Danny Haynes are already on short-term spells at Millwall.

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