Pablo Couñago netted a 10-minute hat-trick as the Blues opened their pre-season programme with a 9-1 victory at Newmarket Town. Owen Garvan scored twice and Grant Leadbitter, Lee Martin, Colin Healy and Alan Quinn once each.
The Blues started with a three-man attack with Jon Walters on the right, Tamás Priskin in the centre and Lee Martin on the left. Grant Leadbitter was the deepest of the three midfielders with Owen Garvan and David Norris ahead of him. At the back, Shane O’Connor was on the left, Jaime Peters on the right and Damien Delaney and Gareth McAuley in the centre.
Connor Wickham was left out of the squad, rested after his England U17 exploits earlier in the summer, while Tommy Smith is not due back for another week after his time away with New Zealand at the World Cup.
Jon Walters came close to putting Town in front in the fourth minute when Leadbitter sent the Blues skipper through on goal, but Newmarket keeper Rob Mackney made a fine save at his feet. Lee Martin went wide from the edge of the area three minutes later.
The Blues went ahead in the 10th minute when great work from Tamás Priskin played Martin in on goal and the former Manchester United man slipped the ball into the net.
Four minutes later, Jaime Peters sent in a low cross from the right and Owen Garvan flicked the ball across Mackney to make it two.
Martin shot wide, then Grant Leadbitter made it three with a low shot through a crowd of players which the home keeper should have saved. The former Sunderland man went close again in the 17th minute, looping the ball over the bar.
Just before the half hour, Martin played Garvan in on goal and the Irishman rounded Mackney before tapping the ball into the net with his right foot. Just before the break Walters sent the ball over the bar.
Town changed all but Lee Martin at half-time, keeping the same system with Martin, Couñago and Stead the striking three.
The Blues were somewhat caught cold after the break with central defenders Alex Bruce and Troy Brown hesitant as Jon Olive beat a surprised Arran Lee-Barrett from the edge of the box.
On the hour, Quinn headed an Edwards cross wide when he probably should have scored. Moments later, Luciano Civelli came on for his first match in 16 months, taking over from Martin on the left.
Town went 5-1 up in the 67th minute when Pablo Couñago lashed in the goal of the night from 25 yards, the ball striking the underside of the bar before crossing the line.
Stead fired over, before Civelli created Couñago his second of the night with some trickery on the edge of the area. Two minutes later, Couñago completed his hat-trick when he rebounded a 76th minute Civelli shot.
Colin Healy made it eight in the 80th minute when he turned the keeper and tapped home off a defender from a foot or so out.
Moments later, Alan Quinn waltzed through the Newmarket defence, exchanging a one-two with Jon Stead, before making it nine. Couñago almost made it 10 late on but struck the post.
The result reflected Town’s domination against the Ridgeons League side and it was difficult to learn too much from the game, aside from the switch back to 4-3-3 and who Roy Keane sees as his potential right-backs. Oddly, eight of the goals came from players amongst the eight players recently made available for transfer.
Luciano Civelli didn’t appear particularly nervous during his time on the field after his lengthy absence, making some telling touches and even a few tackles.
Former Town midfielder Geraint Williams, linked with the assistant manager’s role, was at the game, sitting alongside academy recruitment officer Malcolm Moore, while chief scout Steve McCall and reserves coach Chris Kiwomya were also present.
Town: Murphy (Lee-Barrett 46), Peters (Edwards 46), O’Connor (Ainsley 46), Leadbitter (Hyam 46), McAuley (Bruce 46), Delaney (Brown 46), Walters (Stead 46), Garvan (Quinn 46), Priskin (Couñago 46), Norris (Healy 46), Martin (Civelli 60).
Photo: James Ager