x

Gillingham 0-2 Town - Ipswich Town News

A goal in either half from Alex Henshall and Luke Hyam saw the Blues to a comfortable friendly victory over Gillingham at the Priestfield Stadium. Henshall opened the scoring in the second minute with Hyam adding the second just after the hour.

Trialists Balint Bajner and Kevin Bru started for the Blues, the Hungarian free agent striker, who was previously with Borussia Dortmund’s B team, having come on as a sub in the second half of Wednesday’s 3-0 victory at Colchester. French-Mauritian Kevin Bru was in midfield having played for the development side at Braintree on Tuesday.

Dean Gerken started in goal with Freddie Veseli at right-back, Jonny Parr on the left and Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith at the heart of the defence.

In central midfield Bru partnered Cole Skuse with Henshall on the left and Cameron Stewart on the right. Up front, Bajner was joined by Paul Taylor.

Town, in orange, went ahead with their first attack of the game in only the second minute. Stewart cut in from the right and crossed low beyond Taylor but Henshall slammed home at the far post.

The Blues were close to a second in the sixth minute when Smith powered Henshall’s left-sided corner just over.

The Gills' first opportunity came in the ninth minute, defender John Egan heading Jake Hessenthaler’s right-wing corner into Gerken’s arms. Two minutes later, the Blues keeper was out quickly to claim a ball over the top ahead of Danny Kedwell.

On 20 Stewart failed to trouble Gills keeper Stuart Nelson with a 30-yard freekick after Taylor had been fouled by Hessenthaler. Given the very warm conditions, the teams took a drinks break midway through the half.

As the period moved into its final 10 minutes, Stewart curled a cross-shot to the far post but Bru was unable to get in a header. Moments later, a low Henshall corner from the left beat everyone on the edge of the six-yard box before being cleared.

Town continued to have the better of it in the remaining minutes before referee Andy D’Urso blew his whistle. The Blues had been comfortably on top throughout the half having taken the early lead.

The home side had been limited to a few efforts from distance and a couple of headers from corners which failed to test Gerken, while the Blues might have made more of some of their opportunities with the final ball lacking on occasion.

Goalscorer Henshall was again impressive on the left of midfield, while Bru was much the better of the two trialists, confident on the ball and making one or two feisty tackles.

Elliott Hewitt and Jack Marriott, who both spent time on loan with the Gills last season, replaced Freddie Veseli and Paul Taylor at the break, while Gillingham made six changes.

Neither side created anything significant until the 57th minute when Skuse played in Marriott on the left of the area. The striker shot across keeper Glen Morris, but the half-time sub blocked. The loose ball was played out to Bru, who shot over.

The Mauritian international made way moments later indicating to physio Matt Byard that he had taken a knock to the calf in an earlier incident.

Hyam took over in central midfield and four minutes after coming made it 2-0. Trialist Bajner was found in space on the right from where he sent over a cross to the near post, which the midfielder nodded to keeper Morris’s left and into the net. While the teams lined up Anderson replaced Henshall with Stewart moving to the left.

On 64 Bajner saw a header strike the post but with the linesman’s flag already raised, Marriott following up and hitting the net.

Blues keeper Gerken was out quickly to claim ahead of Luke Norris from Brennan Dickerson’s knockdown, then at the other end Marriott shot wide from Bajner’s flick.

Norris twice went close in the 69th minute, first heading against Parr, before Smith similarly got in the way of his subsequent shot. Soon after, Daryl Murphy replaced Bajner.

The home side were starting to have one or two chances, Amine Linganzi shooting well over from distance, then Bradley Dack — by now the only Gills starter still on the field — headed across the face of goal having been found at the far post by a cross from deep on the left.

With 13 minutes remaining Christophe Berra, Tyrone Mings, Anthony Wordsworth and Frank Nouble replaced Chambers, Parr, Skuse and Stewart.

Three minutes before the end Nouble battled his way past a couple of Gills defenders on the left but his shot, the last of the game, was blocked.

A fairly routine victory for the Blues who were rarely troubled by the League One team, aside from a couple of opportunities late in the second half following the usual flurry of substitutions.

Henshall and Hyam took their opportunities well and 2-0 - the Blues are still to concede in pre-season - was a fair reflection of the game.

Town: Gerken, Veseli (Hewitt 46), Chambers (Berra 77), Smith, Parr Mings 77), Stewart (Nouble 77), Bru (Hyam 58), Skuse (Wordsworth 77), Henshall (Anderson 63), Bajner (Murphy 70), Taylor (Marriott 46). Subs: Bialkowski. Ref: Andy D’Urso (Billericay). Att: 1,812 (Town: 236)

What to read next:

Youngster Mazionis Set For Cheltenham Loan
U21s central defender Jacob Mazionis is set to join League Two Cheltenham Town on loan.
U21s Face Skuse's Bury Town
Town’s U21s face Cole Skuse’s Bury Town at Ram Meadow this evening (KO 7.30pm).
Town Face Charlton at Colchester
Town continue their pre-season friendly programme when they host fellow Championship side Charlton Athletic at Colchester United’s JobServe Community Stadium this evening (KO 7.30pm).
U18s Host West Brom in First U18 Premier League Fixture
Town’s U18s will start their first ever U18 Premier League South campaign with a home game against West Bromwich Albion at Playford Road on Saturday 16th August (KO 11am).
Ndaba Completes Lecce Move
Former Town defender Corrie Ndaba has completed his move from Scottish Premiership Kilmarnock to Serie A Lecce.
McKenna: Hirst Primed For Good Season
Town boss Kieran McKenna believes striker George Hirst is “primed to have a good season” for the Blues, the frontman having netted three times in the Blues’ two public friendlies.
Hirst: Scotland Call-Up Has Made Me a Better Player
Town striker George Hirst says he has taken a lot from being in the Scotland squad and feels the international recognition has made him a better player.
[Podcast] Blue Monday - New Podcast Now Online
A new podcast from the Blue Monday team is now available.
Town 'Willing to Pay Hackney £35,000-a-Week'
Town are reportedly willing to pay Middlesbrough midfielder Hayden Hackney £35,000-a-week, TWTD having revealed that the Blues had made an approach for the 23-year-old almost a fortnight ago.
U21s Defeated By Luton
A strong Blues U21s side was beaten 2-1 by Luton Town at Bent Lane in a pre-season friendly on Saturday afternoon with Tommy Taylor's first-half strike cancelled out after the break by a much-improved Hatters side.