Goals from Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Brett Pitman have given Town a 2-1 lead over Cambridge at half-time in their friendly at the Abbey Stadium, Barry Corr pulling one back for the home side.
Blues boss Mick McCarthy named a strong starting line-up with more senior players included from the off than at Shelbourne or against Fortuna Düsseldorf.
Christophe Berra was involved in his first friendly of pre-season with Jay Tabb at left-back with Jonny Parr missing with a thigh problem. Matt Clarke was with Portsmouth for their friendly with Coventry.
The Blues went ahead via the game’s first attack after just two minutes. Freddie Sears cut the ball back from the left beyond strike partner Brett Pitman but to Ainsley Maitland-Niles, the on-loan Arsenal winger finishing confidently from 10 yards.
In front of 1,200 travelling supporters, Town dominated the early stages and in the eighth minute Ryan Fraser crossed right-footed from the left and Pitman looped the ball over Cambridge’s trialist keeper but also the bar.
The two one-time Bournemouth team-mates combined again on 18, Fraser feeding Pitman but this time the striker shot over from the edge of the box.
The lively Fraser teed-up Sears two minutes later but the former West Ham man’s low shot was too close to the keeper.
Cambridge created their first opportunity in the 23rd minute, Robbie Simpson crossing from the right and Harrison Dunk heading back across the area and causing some hesitation amongst the Blues’ backline. Town immediately broke with pace but Sears shot against a defender.
Town added to their lead in the 29th minute when Sears laid the ball to Maitland-Niles, who hit a shot from the edge of the box which deflected over the keeper, hit the bar and fell to the gleeful Pitman, who slid in his fourth goal in three pre-season games.
Four minutes later Maitland-Niles wasn’t far away from his second of the game, reaching a Fraser cross from the left but diverting the ball wide at the far post when under pressure.
Cambridge pulled a goal back in the 38th minute when Jeff Hughes sent over a corner from the left and a completely unmarked Barry Corr powered home a header. Blues boss McCarthy is unlikely to have been impressed to concede so easily from a set piece.
The goal had come against the overall run of play, however, and on 42 the Fraser-Pitman combination again weren’t too far away from a goal, the striker looping the winger’s cross to the Cambridge keeper.
Town were good for their lead at the break and might have been even further ahead having had plenty of chances with Fraser and Maitland-Niles lively on the flanks and Sears and Pitman always a threat.
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c), Tabb, Bru, Smith, Berra, Maitland-Niles, Skuse, Pitman, Sears, Fraser. Subs: Gerken, Emmanuel, McGoldrick, Hammond, Yorwerth, Benyu, Kenlock, McDonnell, Connolly, Henshall, Bishop, Robinson.