Carlton Cole’s first half goal was enough to give West Ham a 1-0 victory over Town at Portman Road. However, the result didn’t tell the whole story with the Blues matching their top flight opponents throughout.
Town lined up again utilising the 4-3-3 formation that has been a feature of pre-season with Luke Hyam taking up the midfield holding role behind Grant Leadbitter and David Norris, who was returning from his back injury.
There was no places for Pablo Couñago, Lee Martin or Jon Stead, who has turned down his move to Blackpool, in the 18, while Owen Garvan is set to complete his switch to Crystal Palace on Monday.
Carlos Edwards was on the left of the front three with skipper Jon Walters on the right and Tamás Priskin in the centre. As expected, former Blue Kieron Dyer started in the West Ham midfield with Suffolk-born skipper Matthew Upson at the back and former England goalkeeper Robert Green between the sticks.
Town created the first chance of the game in the 15th minute, David Norris threading Tamás Priskin in behind the defence but the striker took the ball wide and Green blocked. From the corner, Gareth McAuley headed over when unmarked. Both Priskin and McAuley will feel they should have done better.
Soon after Green stopped a regulation low drive from Leadbitter to a huge sarcastic cheer from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand.
On 23 ex-Town loanee Mark Noble replaced Matthew Upson, who was suffering from a thigh strain, then moments later Priskin headed Edwards’s cross from the left over after a corner.
Town had looked significantly the more dangerous side, but the visitors went in front on the half hour. Kieron Dyer, who in the reshuffle after Upson’s exit had moved to right-back, made a run down the right, laying the ball back to Julian Faubert, who crossed. Brian Murphy saved Luis Boa-Morte’s header but Carlton Cole scrambled home the rebound from three yards.
West Ham ought to have increased their lead in the 37th minute when Dyer fed Noble down the right and the midfielder played in a low ball to Thomas Hitzelsperger, who scuffed his shot wide from 12 yards.
A minute later, Peters sent a dangerous ball across the Hammers’ box just too far ahead of Edwards and Walters, then Green was out quickly to clear ahead of Edwards.
A minute before the break, a Thomas Hitzlsperger corner from the right was allowed to reach James Tomkins six yards out but he failed to get a significant touch on the ball.
The 1-0 scoreline was a bit harsh on the Blues at the break after a half in which Town had matched their Premier League opponents and probably had the better of the chances until the closing stages when Hitzlsperger in particular should have increased his side’s lead.
Two minutes into the second period Green, who had been serenaded with chants of ‘USA, USA, USA’ from the Sir Bobby Robson Stand, saved Walters’s close range header from a corner.
The Blues continued to enjoy the better of the game, keeping possession long spells and in the 55th minute Norris saw a shot from the edge of the area deflect wide.
West Ham gradually came back into it and sub Danny Gabbidon shot wide, then in the 70th minute Murphy did well to get to the ball ahead of Hammers sub Freddie Piquionne.
Soon after, Edwards sent in a cross from the Town right but Walters’s header was too weak to test Green.
On 72 both sides made numerous subs, Jack Ainsley, Ronan Murray, Reggie Lambe and Shane O’Connor replacing Jaime Peters, Tamás Priskin, Carlos Edwards and Mark Kennedy for the Blues.
Republic of Ireland U19 international Murray was straight into the action, flicking a header from a Leadbitter freekick to Green.
Town should have been on terms in the 74th minute from another Leadbitter freekick, Tommy Smith rising above everyone but nodding the ball wide.
A minute later, Leadbitter went even closer to grabbing an equaliser after Murray had been fouled 25 yards out. Norris played the ball to the midfielder who flicked it up and struck a shot only narrowly over Robert Green’s crossbar.
At the other end, Cole took the ball down and made a strong run in from the left but Brian Murphy blocked.
West Ham sub Alessandro Diamanti struck a shot straight at Murphy as the game entered its final 10 minutes, then Leadbitter curled a freekick goalwards but without overly troubling Green and that was the Blues’ final chance.
Town had been by no means out-classed by their opponents and a draw was probably a fair result on the balance of play. The Blues had plenty of the ball, Hyam again impressing in the holding role, but all too often failed to test Green sufficiently once they had got into dangerous areas.
Tamás Priskin continues to look lacking in confidence in front of goal, but as at Bury did well with his overall game. The Hungarian, like several members of the side, could do with a goal when Town take on a Spurs XI in their final pre-season friendly on Tuesday, but overall it was a heartening display from Roy Keane’s men.
Town: Murphy, Peters (Ainsley 72), Kennedy (O’Connor 72), Hyam, McAuley, Smith, Walters, Norris, Priskin (Murray 72), Leadbitter, Edwards (Lambe 72). Unused: Lee-Barrett, Brown, Hourihane. Att: 10,564.