A Dean Bowditch penalty and a low Jordan Rhodes drive from the edge of the box gave Town's reserves a 2-0 victory over Braintree in Brad Quinton's testimonial at Cressing Road. Boss Jim Magilton made a rare appearance from the bench during the second half.
Town named two trialists in their starting line-up, as reported by TWTD earlier today Ipswich Wanderers defender Curtis Haynes-Brown, who lined up at centre-half, and Shane Hill, son of former Luton winger Ricky Hill, who played in the centre of midfield.
Haynes-Brown was a youngster with Colchester before moving to Wanderers, while Hill was with Sheffield United's youth set-up until 2006 and has previously had trials with Peterborough and Luton.
Billy Clarke went wide from close range when he should have scored in the third minute as Town started strongly. On eight Jai Reason found Dean Bowditch on the right with a fine diagonal pass, the striker laying the ball across to Jordan Rhodes -who was watched by his father and former Town goalkeeper-coach Andy - but his effort was well saved.
Town went in front in the ninth minute after Dean Bowditch was adjudged to have been pulled down by the keeper, although it appeared that the Braintree man had got a touch on the ball. Bowditch took the kick himself and was more successful than he was in the recent game at Chelmsford.
Clarke hit the bar from a Reason corner, prior to Bowditch finding Rhodes with a pass across the edge of the area and the young striker hitting a low shot into the net to make it 2-0.
Bowditch curled a shot just over, then Rhodes flicked a header beyond the keeper but just too high.
On 28 the home side had the ball in the net, but the goal was disallowed for a foul.
Town created fewer chances as the game approached half-time, although Jai Reason managed a shot but hit the ball straight at the keeper.
The Blues started the second half slowly and in the 57th minute Jim Magilton introduced himself from the bench, although the Braintree PA announcer somehow managed to confuse the Town boss with academy striker Jack Ainsley, who is less than half Magilton's age.
The Blues created very little and Lewis Ward in the Town goal was the busier keeper for much of the half, although without making any outstanding saves.
Midway through the second half, testimonial man Brad Quinton clashed with Dan Harding on a couple of occasions in quick succession and then exchanged pleasantries with Jim Magilton as the game went through a somewhat feisty period.
Ainsley finally entered the fray on 67 and went close with a deflected shot soon after coming on.
Bowditch hit a strike at the keeper after a weaving run, prior to Paul Watson replacing Richard Naylor.
With two minutes remaining, Magilton showed some his old passing skills, playing in Ainsley, who rounded the keeper but shot across the face of goal from a tight angle.
A relatively undistinguished display from the reserves, who failed to dominate the Blue Square South side in the expected manner. Dean Bowditch was the outstanding performer as he has been for most of the second string's pre-season games, while both trialists were generally solid but never particularly stood out.
Man-mountain Hill played a tidy holding midfield role, while Haynes-Brown and Richard Naylor prevented Ward from having to make any serious saves.
Town: Ward, Robinson, Harding, Hill (Magilton 57), Naylor (Watson 78), Haynes-Brown, Reason, Upson, Rhodes (Ainsley 67), Bowditch, Clarke. Unused: Hollman.