Town's reserves started their league season with a 3-1 victory over Peterborough United at Portman Road on Tuesday night. Reggie Lambe, Kurt Robinson and Jordan Rhodes scored the Blues' goals after Town had fallen behind to an early Liam Hatch effort for the visitors.

David Norris wasn't included in the Blues line-up but new signing Iván Campo made his first appearance in a Town shirt, lining up at centre-back alongside captain Tommy Smith.

Campo could do nothing to prevent Town conceding almost straight from the kick-off. A hopeful ball was looped into the box but keeper Shane Supple missed a routine catch and Liam Hatch was left with an empty net to tap the ball into.

Town were level after 12 minutes when a ball in from the left from Dean Bowditch wasn't cleared and Reggie Lambe was left with the simple task of firing into the roof of the net from six yards out.

There was a nasty-looking clash midway through the first-half which involved Jaime Peters and Shaun Batt with Peters needing treatment from Town physio Mark Endacott.

Peters was forced off at half-time with first-year scholar Luke Hyam replacing him at right-back.

Posh left-back Jamie Day was cautioned just after the hour after a blatant pull at Lambe's shirt after the Bermudian international had knocked the ball past him.

Campo was replaced on 70 minutes by Scottish centre-half Paul Watson. Campo looked at ease throughout the game and played several superb long balls out of defence to the wide players.

Lambe then deservedly found himself on the receiving end of a yellow card after a late challenge on Paul Coutts in the middle of the pitch.

Town secured the win in the 88th minute after a surging run from Ed Upson resulted in Rhodes side-footing the ball past the keeper and into the net.

Peterborough provided a much tougher test than many Town fans would have thought and they were determined to give the Blues players as little time on the ball as possible. Striker Rhodes should have had at least a hat-trick, missing a number of good opportunities, whilst the centre-back pairing of Campo and Smith looked solid throughout.

Town: Supple, Peters (Hyam 45), Balkestein, Reason, Smith (c), Campo (Watson 70), Lambe, Upson, Rhodes, Bowditch and Robinson (Ainsley 82). Unused: Ward and Wickham. Ref: J Hopkins. Att: 723.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls