Goals from Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Brett Pitman and David McGoldrick saw the Blues to a 3-2 friendly victory against Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium. Maitland-Niles put the Blues in front after only two minutes and Pitman made it two before Cambridge hit back via Barry Corr and Luke Berry either side of the break, but sub McGoldrick sealed Town’s win in the 62nd minute.
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 Matt Duke 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 Duke in the Cambridge goal.
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 continued with an unchanged XI after the break, despite having 12 players on the bench.
Two minutes after the restart David McGoldrick took over from Brett Pitman, who had just suffered what looked to be a minor knock inside the centre circle. The Irish international immediately hit a low shot from distance straight at the keeper.
In the 54th minute Cambridge got back on terms. After Tommy Smith had bundled sub Jordan Slew over just outside the area, Luke Berry took the kick and slammed a brilliant strike home off the inside of Bartosz Bialkowski’s left post.
Berry wasn't far away from giving his side the lead two minutes later when Danny Carr crossed low from the right and he slid in but diverted the ball well over.
Town were looking far less in control than they had in the first half with the home team having grown in confidence following their goals.
But parity wasn’t to last long. In the 62nd minute Maitland-Niles seized on a loose pass and played McGoldrick in on goal with a superb pass and the striker fired low past Duke.
The goal signalled a mass of changes for the Blues with Josh Emmanuel, Myles Kenlock, third-year scholar Joe Robinson, Adam McDonnell, Josh Yorwerth, Kyle Hammond, Kundai Benyu, Teddy Bishop and Alex Henshall taking over from the senior outfield players.
McDonnell shot over from distance soon after coming on, then on 79 Bishop ran on to McGoldrick’s flick and crossed low for Hammond, who slid wide.
Three minutes later, Cambridge keeper Duke did well to get down to his left to paw McGoldrick’s header from Henshall’s left-sided corner away from goal.
Cambridge-born Bishop should have made it 4-2 with four minutes remaining but headed straight at Duke from Hammond’s excellent right-wing cross.
Town manager McCarthy is likely to be pleased with the overall performance, if not the goals his side conceded, and to have Berra and McGoldrick back in action.
McGoldrick took his goal confidently, while Pitman continued his excellent form in front of goal since his move from Bournemouth and Fraser, Maitland-Niles and Sears also all looked lively.
The Blues are next in action at Peterborough on Saturday when last season’s top scorer Daryl Murphy could make his return to action.
Cambridge United: Duke, Omozusi (Taylor 46), Roberts (Coulson 46), Legge, Corr, Dunk, Simpson (Trialist 46), Morrissey, L Hughes (Berry 46), J Hughes (Carr 46), Newton (Slew 46).
Town: Bialkowski, Chambers (c) (Emmanuel 62), Tabb (Kenlock 62), Bru (McDonnell 62), Smith (Robinson 62), Berra (Yorwerth 62), Maitland-Niles (Hammond 62), Skuse (Benyu 62), Pitman (McGoldrick 47), Sears (Bishop 62), Fraser (Henshall 62). Unused: Gerken, Connolly.