Goals from Jaden Philogene and George Hirst have given the Blues a 2-0 half-time lead in this evening’s friendly against Aberdeen at Pittodrie.
Town named a strong XI with Alex Palmer in goal, Ben Johnson and Leif Davis the full-backs and Dara O’Shea, who again skippered, and Jacob Greaves the centre-halves.
Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor were in the centre of midfield with Jack Clarke, again on the right, Sammie Szmodics and Jaden Philogene behind number nine George Hirst.
New signing Ashley Young and Omari Hutchinson, who had been given additional time off after representing England’s U21s at the Euros, didn’t travel as they’ve only just begun their pre-seasons.
Also absent were one-time Aberdeen loanee Wes Burns and Aro Muric, who are still on the way back from their injuries, and Cieran Slicker, who is in the process of looking for a loan club.
Town were first to threaten in the second minute, O’Shea playing a ball down the middle for Davis, who found himself one-on-one with former Cambridge keeper Dimitar Mitov, who was off his line quickly to block.
The Blues’ left-back was notably playing in a much more narrow role when the Blues were attacking, presumably allowing Philogene more space out wide.
With the large home crowd making plenty of noise, the Dons were next to attack, Leighton Clarkson and Adil Aouchiche both having shots blocked.
On six, after good work from Scotland international Hirst on the left, Taylor cut in and hit strike which flew high and wide.
Town had keeper Palmer to thank for not going behind in the eighth minute. Finnish international Topi Keskinen got the better of Johnson on the Aberdeen left and cut across to Alexander Jensen, who diverted the ball towards goal, but Palmer stuck out a leg and saved.
The Scottish Cup holders weren’t too far away again a minute later, Aouchiche cutting in from the left and shooting narrowly wide of Palmer’s left post.
On 12, Philogene was fouled five yards outside the area to the left and Davis floated the ball towards O’Shea, who had peeled off beyond the far post, but the centre-half was unable to nod it back across goal with Mitov in no-man’s land.
Three minutes later, Szmodics reached a dropping ball ahead of Ante Palaversa on the edge of the Town box and felt the full force of the Croatian’s boot on his shin as he attempted to shoot. The former Blackburn man spent some time grounded before briefly going off the field, presumably for a new shin pad.
In the 23rd minute, Philogene was found by a Jack Clarke cross-field pass, cut in and hit a low shot, which Mitov saved down to his right, Jack Milne reaching the loose ball first and clearing the danger.
Five minutes later, the Blues, who were getting on top, went in front. After some determined pressing well into the Dons’ half, Johnson played a pass forward to Hirst in the area on the right of the box. The Town number nine moved it on to Szmodics to his right and the Irish international, who might have shot himself, rolled it across the edge of the six-yard box to Philogene, who stroked into the net.
Two minutes later, following a corner, Jack Clarke smashed a shot which Milne blocked at close range.
In the 33rd minute, the Blues weren’t too far away from a second, Jack Clarke volleying a cross off a defender and out for a corner at the back post with Aberdeen appealing, probably correctly, for offside earlier in the move.
Within a minute, a loose ball fell to Hirst on the right of the box and the Scotland striker’s shot was blocked and the Dons, who were looking increasingly panicky at the back, made heavy weather of clearing.
In the 38th minute, Town doubled their lead. After good work from Philogene, who brought the ball forward and inside from the left, then laid it off to Szmodics, the Irish international hit a low shot to Mitov’s right, which the keeper saved but couldn’t hold onto. Hirst was quickest to react and stabbed his third goal of pre-season into the net from a yard or so out
Town were now well in control and in the 41st minute weren’t far away from a third, Johnson crossing from the right having exchanged passes with Jack Clarke and Hirst rose highest but his downward header was saved comfortably by Mitov.
It was the Blues’ fans who were happiest at the whistle after an entertaining and competitive half.
Aberdeen had started positively and would have been ahead but for Palmer’s early save, but the longer the period progressed, Town looked the better side and most likely to score, which they did, Hirst, Szmodics and Philogene showing composure inside the area to net the first.
The same trio were involved for the second, Hirst gambling that Mitov would fail to hold onto Szmodics shot and profiting.
The XI which started the game is expected to continue for the first 15 minutes or so of the second before the inevitable mass substitutions.
Town: Palmer, Johnson, O’Shea (c), Greaves, Davis, Matusiwa, Taylor, J Clarke, Szmodics, Philogene, Hirst. Subs: H Clarke, Kipre, Woolfenden, Chaplin, Baggott, Al-Hamadi, Ogbene, Townsend, Barbrook, Button, Walton, Humphreys, Broadhead.
Aberdeen: Mitov, Shinnie (c), Knoester, Aouchiche, Yengi, Clarkson, Palaversa, Morris, Milne, Jensen, Keskinen. Subs: Devlin, Nilsen, Polvara, Milanovic, Suman, Molloy, Dorrington, Kjartansson, Boyd, Ambrose, Lobban.