Goals from Michael Chopra (pen), Luke Chambers and Jason Scotland saw Town to a confidence-boosting 3-1 victory over Premier League new boys West Ham at Portman Road. The Blues were two goals in front at the break after dominating the first half, but the visitors hit back through Matt Taylor before Jason Scotland sealed it late on.

Blues boss Paul Jewell named his strongest available side with only Andy Drury sidelined due to a calf injury.

Scott Loach was in goal with skipper Carlos Edwards at right-back, Aaron Cresswell at left-back and Luke Chambers and Tommy Smith, just back from the Olympics, at centre-half.

In midfield, Massimo Luongo and Luke Hyam were in the centre with Josh Carson on the left and Jay Emmanuel-Thomas on the right. Lee Martin was behind lone striker Michael Chopra. There was no place in the squad for Jimmy Bullard.

West Ham also named a strong team including new signings Jussi Jaaskelainen, James Collins and Modigo Maiga, as well as former Blues loanee Mark Noble.

The Blues started brightly and in the fourth minute Edwards whipped over a low cross from the right which Chopra diverted wide at the near post. Soon after, Collins blocked a Luongo strike from the edge of the area.

Emmanuel-Thomas curled a seventh minute freekick over after Martin had been fouled with Town continuing to make most of the running. Moments later, Edwards caused momentary panic in the Hammers’ area with a low cross which Collins cleared at the second attempt.

Town went ahead from the penalty spot on the quarter hour. Jay Emmanuel-Thomas played the ball into Martin’s feet just inside the area and as the midfielder turned away from Gary O’Neil, the West Ham man tripped him. Chopra stepped up and slammed the ball to Jaaskelainen’s left to notch his fourth goal of pre-season.

Four minutes later it was 2-0. Chopra was fouled on the right and Martin sent in a freekick which an unmarked Luke Chambers nodded past Jaaskelainen.

The Blues fully deserved to be in front with Scott Loach, making his first appearance at Portman Road as a Town player, having had little to do. On 22 Emmanuel-Thomas hit a scuffed effort from 20 yards which trickled just past Jaaskelainen’s left post.

As the game moved towards the half hour mark Edwards hit a well-struck shot which deflected wide with the Blues still very much on top.

Maiga shot well wide for the visitors on 32, then six minutes later another Emmanuel-Thomas blast was deflected past the post.

Neither side particularly threatened in the final seven minutes and the Blues went in deservedly 2-0 up at the break.

It had been a much-improved display throughout with Town on the front foot from the off, keeping the ball and creating opportunities. Martin was the stand-out performer, again excelling in the role behind Chopra, who took his penalty confidently.

Manager Paul Jewell will have been heartened to see a goal from a set piece going in at the right end when Chambers latched on to Martin’s freekick from the right.

Jewell switched Chopra and Martin, who had missed all but a few minutes of pre-season prior to the match, for Jason Scotland and Ryan Stevenson.

Despite the changes, the second half began in much the manner that the second half had ended and on 52 Edwards shot over.

West Ham began to have more of the ball but all too often gave it away cheaply. On 55 Cresswell sent a dangerous ball into the box which Jaaskelainen claimed.

A minute later, Stevenson shot over from the edge of the box, then Loach stopped Ricardo Vaz Te’s shot low to his left, the Hammers’ first shot on target of the afternoon.

After Jack Ainsley and Damien Delaney had taken over from Edwards and Smith just after the hour mark, Carson cut in from the right and hit a low shot just wide. Soon after, Byron Lawrence took over from Emmanuel-Thomas.

Cheick Kourouma, whose move to the Blues is still held up by red tape, took over from the again excellent Luongo as the game moved into its final 20 minutes.

On 73 the Hammers pulled a goal back. Matt Taylor was given too much time 20 yards out and the former Portsmouth man hit a low shot which struck Loach’s left post before crossing the line.

O’Neil hit a low shot through to Loach in the 76th minute before being replaced with the changes having come thick and fast throughout the second period. On 80 West Ham swapped keeper Jaaskelainen for one-time Blues target Stephen Henderson and Hyam made way for Ronan Murray.

The Hammers were looking the stronger side since the changes and on 82 Joey O’Brien headed across the face of goal when he probably should have put his side on terms.

Moments later, the Blues were 3-1 on front. Scotland was played into space on the left by Murray, the Trinidadian taking the ball on before cutting inside and lashing a shot beyond Henderson and into the net.

In the 85th minute Carson saw a shot deflect wide, then Kourouma went well over after the corner had been cleared.

In injury time Nicky Maynard set up Vaz Te but Loach did well to get across to his left to block. Moments later the whistle went to seal Town’s win.

Town fully deserved their victory, having been much the better side in the first half. West Ham only really got on top once the usual plethora of pre-season subs had been made but never really did enough to warrant getting on terms, even if O’Brien really ought to have equalised moments before Scotland’s third for the Blues.

A heartening win for Town against Premier League opposition after two disappointing results against Luton and Southend earlier in the week.

Town: Loach, Edwards (Ainsley 61), Cresswell (Whight 86), Chambers, Smith (Delaney 61), Hyam (Murray 80), Carson, Luongo (Kourouma 71), Emmanuel-Thomas (Lawrence 68), Martin (Stevenson 46), Chopra (Scotland 46). Unused: Lee-Barrett.

West Ham: Jaaskelainen (Henderson 80), Demel (O'Brien, 46), Reid, Collins, Potts, O'Neil (Moncur 76), Noble, Taylor, Vaz Te, Maiga (Maynard 61), Cole (Fanimo 73). Unused: Lletget. Referee: Pat Miller. Att: 7,682 (West Ham: 2,075).

Photo: Action Images

lowtit added 08:13 - Aug 5 and it was WAY too pricey admission - ridiculous - greedy -
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bluelady added 08:30 - Aug 5 Is Jas on holiday? Lowtit re pricing I went and took three children with me and code me 14.00, quite happy with that for an afternoons entertainment, cinema would have cost nearer thirty! My views.... can't tell an awful lot from pre season, but when we turned it on we looked good some great one touch football and speed we have missed in recent years. Luongo looked class, much much better than Townsend was on IMO. Big difference was Martin starting and Delaney not starting, poor marking by Delaney lead to their goal. Still missing a quality winger to add to our depth in the squad ans without a doubt a big striker. Loach, jury still out not seen enough but one quality save and the best distributuon I have seen by a town keeper in a long time, loved his one man lap of honour at the end :-)

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Dissboyitfc added 09:18 - Aug 5 yes where is jas? Also where are the tractor girls, i hope she went because she has an awful lot to say and i would hope those opinions are based on actually going. As i have said , preseason results mean nothing and the comments of managers preseason mean very little, actions speak louder than words. The first half didnt feel like a friendly, the players looked very fired up ( well ipswich did ) second half faded with all the subs but that is natural i suppose. I do not rate Stevenson at all, works hard but simply not up to standard. i think we will dominant teams this season, i really do, but that dominance needs to produce goals. A quality striker, Andy Carroll anyone? lol is a priority imo..... Our west ham friends said to us afterwards " we made you look like Barcelona" . Its true they were poor and first half especially they asked very few questions. so we wont be getting too carried away but i saw enough to suggest a reasonable season if we get a couple more in. Yesterday was a very sad day for the moaners,lol. But as terminator says," They'll be back"....coyb

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Dissboyitfc added 09:26 - Aug 5 we really need to be shot of delaney, the guy has so much ability, trouble is its liability, he worries me when he has the ball....League 1 standard at best...coyb
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michaeldownunder added 10:00 - Aug 5 Can any one tell me did both Hyam and Lonugo sit infront of the back four? so we could play my fav formation of 4-2-3-1.
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Andy32Cracknell added 10:30 - Aug 5 @michaeldownunder, yes it was the same formation as we finished with last season. cud be interpreted as 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1. worked very very well. Hyam and Luongo did pair up together in the middle of the park. Hyam sat more deeper of the 2. Luongo was the playmaker, he looks a classs act. Martin played in behind Chops.
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Shotleytractor added 10:33 - Aug 5 The result sounds promising, couldnt make the game due to being on shift. Lets hope we can keep this standard up for the coming season. I am off to the bookies. COYB.
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michaeldownunder added 10:42 - Aug 5 Cheers Andy32Cracknell Thanks for the style of play info Best formation to help out our attacking fullbacks and c/halfs and our less than defensive minded wide players. Has Luongo go a goal in him?, as I feel to do anything in this league all parts of the team have to score goals.
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dirtydingusmagee added 11:38 - Aug 5 we lose a friendly and get slagged by some,win a friendly ,and ''its only a friendly'', Jas may be away having a'' happy implant !'' Well done lads COYB .
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Suff0lk_N_G00d added 12:16 - Aug 5 The price of admission for a friendly was too high, In my opinion they should make a season friendly like that free admission and get the whole placed packed to the rafters so the boys have someone to perform in front of. That said, Jewell stated that he wanted a team full of young hungry players and he certainly stuck to that statement yesterday with what was a very youthful starting line up. There were some very promising partnerships all over the field between, Chopra and Martin, Edwards and JET, Cresswell and Carson, and Luongo and Hyam, who were exceptional in midfeild together in the opening 45. I just hope that Jewell sticks to that line up for the opening game of the season because i can't see how he can justify dropping anyone from that team.

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Andy32Cracknell added 12:21 - Aug 5 @michaeldownunde, I dont think Luongo is gunna score many goals this season (maybe 5/6) However i do feel he is gunna have a major part to play this season. He and Hyam completely controlled the midfield against a team full of premiership players. He is more the playmaker in the team. He certainly got the team playing some good football, he always made himself available for a pass and i was massively impressed with what i saw.

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bobble added 12:51 - Aug 5 There is no such thing as local government ,we the people of Australia have twice voted NO to such entities existing ,when will these people respect the people and the constitution of Australia ?
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prospekt85 added 16:03 - Aug 5 as I sa
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prospekt85 added 16:06 - Aug 5 as I said after the southend game I'll wait to see after the west ham game against strong opposition with a team and formation worked out from previous games to give my views on the season and if this is anything to go by I hope to see us in the top half of the table this season rather than bottom half
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Edmunds5 added 19:32 - Aug 5 Just reading through all the comments and its good to hear alot of positivity about yesterdays game. The biggest positive is probably the partnership of Luongo and Hyam especially as it looks like Bullard may soon be leaving. Credit to PJ who named a youthful line up and clearly got the boys fired up to give such an impressive account of themselves in the first half, I genuinely think he can bring success to the club, yes we need to improve in certain ways, i.e being more resoloute away from home and also need to improve a few areas of the side but there is positives, we play good attractive football, we have a back five that has the potential to be very solid and we have young players who look like wearing the shirt means alot to them, our home form is also in a good way, taking into account the second half of last season. Hopefully we can strengthen by getting in Wilson and possibly a winger or striker or both if possible and we could have a shot at the top 6 this season.

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bluey123 added 21:44 - Aug 5 Super result you are the fools on here against a very weak West Ham side we looked ok when Martin and Chopra were playing Smith did ok the rest . How byou can support a manager who has brought so much rubbish to the club on massive wages. he treats the players very badly and has no tactics no man management basically the worst manager in our history JEWELL OUT and take CLEGG with you

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Edmunds5 added 22:46 - Aug 5 Yeah, last season he did, Bowyer, Ingimarsson, Bullard ect.. and it didn't work out. This season he's tried a different policy with younger more hungrier players on less wage. We dont know if this will work but it's a much more refreshing way of doing things than last season. Roy Keane was a much worse manager than Jewell, played rubbish football and made the players feel like they were walking on egg shells and spent lots of money, cheers Roy. If we beat a premiership side 3-1 albeit a friendly and fans look at all the negatives then what hope have we got.

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s6blue added 13:50 - Aug 6 well done lads
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