Lee Bowyer scored his first goal in a Town shirt but Paul Jewell’s men were beaten 2-1 by Wolves in their final pre-season friendly at Portman Road. After an impressive first period, Bowyer put the Blues ahead just before half-time, Stephen Hunt and then a later Sylvan Ebanks-Blake penalty winning it for the visitors after the break.
Blues boss Paul Jewell started six of his new signings with Nathan Ellington amongst the subs. Grant Leadbitter was again given the captaincy, slotting into a five-man midfield with ex-Wolves man Mark Kennedy in the holding role and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas wide on the left.
After a scrappy start in front of a sparse Portman Road crowd, Town carved out the game’s first serious chance in the eighth minute, Michael Chopra turning a Leadbitter pass into Bowyer’s path but Wolves keeper Dorus De Vries was out quickly to gather.
A minute later, Chopra won a corner as he looked to play in Lee Martin on the right of the area, Ãvar Ingimarsson heading wide Martin’s cross from the subsequent short corner.
On 20 Adam Hammill curled the visitors’ first shot of the game tamely to David Stockdale with the Blues having had the better of the game, keeping possession but without being able to find the final ball.
A 24th minute Leadbitter pass which would have played in Bowyer was stopped by Ronald Zubar, then Martin cut in from the right and hit a low shot into the sidenetting.
Wolves went close to netting the game’s opening goal in the 28th minute when they had two goes at trying to convert a corner from the left. Stockdale stopped Ebanks-Blake’s header, then Zubar’s follow-up.
The Blues went close themselves in the 35th minute when Emmanuel-Thomas, who had by now switched flanks, used his strength to keep hold of the ball before playing in Town’s other wideman Martin, who screwed his shot wide.
Town deservedly went in front in the 44th minute when, having been found by Cresswell, Martin cut the ball back from the left, Chopra dummied and Bowyer slammed in a low shot as he burst into the area.
Boss Paul Jewell will have been happy with his side’s first half display, the Blues having had the best of an entertaining first 45 minutes, keeping the ball well for the most part and coming close to creating a number of good chances prior to first goal in a Town shirt.
Grant Leadbitter curled a 25-yard freekick wide in on 56 with the second half beginning with neither side making a change.
A minute later, Bowyer almost netted a stunning second, spotting De Vries off his line he unleashed a dipping effort from a matter of feet inside the Wolves half which beat the Dutch keeper but struck the post. Chopra was first to the rebound but scuffed his effort wide.
After Wolves had swapped Zubar, Andy Keogh and Leigh Griffiths for George Elokobi, Michael Kightly and Stephen Hunt, Chopra shot just wide from the edge of the box, then Stockdale did well to save to his right from Nenad Milijas from Ebanks-Blake’s cross from the left.
Stephen Hunt needlessly clattered into Stockdale after the ball had gone on 68 before more substitutions — including the introduction of Town target Richard Stearman - disrupted what had been a very bitty half.
The visitors got back on terms in the 76th minute when Steven Fletcher nodded down a cross from the left and Hunt’s scuffed shot was deflected past the unfortunate Stockdale.
Damien Delaney made a rare foray forward on 79, playing the ball wide to sub Josh Carson, who crossed for Leadbitter whose two shots at goal were both blocked.
At the other end, Michael Kightly’s 81st minute chip from the right beat Stockdale but also the post, however, four minutes later Mick McCarthy’s men were in front.
Ebanks-Blake was bringing the ball back from the byline when he went to ground under pressure from Edwards, referee Darren Deadman, the official who abandoned the midweek game at Colchester, somewhat harshly deeming the contact enough to warrant a penalty. The Wolves striker lashed the kick straight down the middle.
Town never really threatened to get back on terms in the remaining minutes of the game with the by now much-changed side never really settling.
Wolves had had the better of the second half spells between the interruptions for substitutions but the two goals in quick succession were harsh on the Blues, who had been the better side before the break.
Overall, Paul Jewell will probably have been reasonably happy with the performance in his side’s final test before next week’s opener at Bristol City.
Town: Stockdale, Edwards, Cresswell, Ingimarsson, Delaney, Leadbitter (Healy 80), Kennedy (Hyam 80), Bowyer (Drury 80), Emmanuel-Thomas (Carson 70), Chopra (Ellington 80), Martin (Scotland 76). Unused: Fulop, Priskin, Smith.
Wolves: De Vries, Foley (O’Hara 75), Ward (Berra 83), Davis (Elokobi 61), Zubar (Stearman 75), Craddock (Johnson 83), Hammill (Fletcher 70), Milijas (Henry 70), Ebanks-Blake, Keogh (Hunt 61), Griffiths (Kightly 61). Hennessey, Doyle. Referee: Darren Deadman (Essex). Att: 5,904 (Wolves: 329).