Luke Hyam, Daryl Murphy and Paul Taylor were on the scoresheet as Town’s final pre-season friendly ended 3-3 at Notts County. The Blues were 2-1 in front at the break — ex-Town striker Danny Haynes netting for the home side — before Taylor lashed in a brilliant freekick for a much-changed Blues side after the break and County added two more, including a brilliant equaliser from Yoann Arquin.

Paul Anderson and Cole Skuse both started in which looked like the side Mick McCarthy plans to field at Reading in next week’s Championship opener.

The former Nottingham Forest man missed the last two games with a hamstring problem, while Skuse was subbed with a knee injury at Colchester on Tuesday.

New loan signing Ryan Tunnicliffe was on the bench, while skipper Carlos Edwards is still absent after his spell away with Trinidad and Tobago and midfielder Josh Carson was also absent.

Ex-Blue Danny Haynes and former loanee Bartosz Bialkowski were in Chris Kiwomya's Notts County side, while on-trial ex-Town striker Ronan Murray and former U18s captain Callum Bennett were on the Magpies’ bench.

The first chance of the game in the second minute when Mark Fotheringham played in Enoch Showunmi but Blues keeper Scott Loach blocked. The ball looped to Haynes who headed well over.

Town went straight up the other end and went even closer. Aaron Cresswell crossed from the left and Daryl Murphy’s bouncing header beat Bialkowski but struck the Polish keeper’s right post.

The Irishman ought to have done better a minute later when he flicked a header wide after good work from David McGoldrick, who started his career with home town club County, on the left.

The early flurry of chances continued with Cresswell finding Hyam well placed inside the area, but the midfielder screwed his shot well wide and too far in front of Murphy.

On nine Cresswell signalled that the game was up for him and made his way off the field. The left-back has been suffering with a thigh injury throughout pre-season. Tyrone Mings took over.

Town went in front in the 15th minute through Luke Hyam. McGoldrick nodded a long ball down to Murphy, who held off a defender before backheeling into the path of Jay Tabb. The midfielder crossed from the left and Hyam stooped to nod a six-yard header across Bialkowski and into the net for a well-crafted goal.

Eight minutes later it was 2-0. Mings played the ball down the line, McGoldrick crossed and Murphy tapped home from six yards for his fifth goal of pre-season.

On 25 Fotheringham turned a weak shot to Loach, back in his home town, from the edge of the box, then winger Jamal Campbell-Ryce saw a powerful strike deflect wide. But in the main Town had been comfortable and they had had enough chances to be further ahead.

Just after the half hour a simmering spat between Hyam and Joss Labadie briefly spilled over into a bout of handbags, but referee Andy Woolmer restored order without showing cards which would have been inevitable in a competitive fixture.

However, only a minute or so later the two challenged for the ball and Hyam, probably harshly as he looked to have been pulled the ground by the Magpies player, along with stand-in skipper Luke Chambers, was spoken to further by the referee.

The home side pulled a goal back in the 35th minute. Campbell-Ryce’s low cross from the right deflected to Haynes, who hit a low shot beyond Loach from just inside the area.

Chambers headed an Anderson corner straight at Bialkowski in the 43rd minute with the Blues still on top despite the County goal.
The Blues made seven changes at the break, Dean Gerken, Frederic Veseli, Christophe Berra, Anthony Wordsworth, Ryan Tunnicliffe, Frank Nouble and Paul Taylor replacing Loach, Hewitt, Chambers, Hyam, Skuse, Murphy and McGoldrick. Wordsworth less than five minutes before being replaced by Amir Berkane.
Town increased their lead in the 57th minute via a stunning Paul Taylor freekick from five yards away from the corner of the penalty area on the left. Keeper Bialkowski was left standing as the ball flew past him to his right.
Within three minutes, the home side had pulled another goal back. A freekick was sent in from deep on the left, Town failed to clear and Manny Smith slammed the ball across Gerken and into the net.

On 64 Gary Liddle squeezed a shot wide from 25 yards before Yoan Arquin forced Gerken to save low down with a strike from the left. Smith and Mings cleared.

The home side continued to threaten and on 67 former QPR man Gavin Mahon lashed well over after a corner was cleared to him.

Soon after, Town made their final two subs, David October and Kyle Hammond taking over from Mings and Tabb. Soon after Manny Smith hit the post from a corner but having committed a foul.

On 73 Gerken was forced into a save by Liddle from a corner with the Magpies looking the more likely side to score at this stage.

The home side got back on terms in the 77th minute with a goal every bit as good as Taylor’s. Yoan Arquin brought the ball past Berkane and Hammond at pace, cut into the area and lashed a low shot past Gerken to his left.

The goal had been coming with County presenting the greater the threat since the substitutions. On 79 Gerken did well to push Hammond’s headed backpass wide.

Ex-Blue Ronan Murray, currently on trial at Meadow Lane came on for the final five minutes, with the game looking destined to be a draw. Frank Nouble screwed a late opportunity wide from the right of the penalty area.

Given the substitutions it was very much a game of two halves. The Blues were very much on top in the first half and might have gone in more than 2-1 in front.

In the second half, the more inexperienced Town team increased their lead with their only chance of the half, Taylor’s brilliant freekick with the largely more senior home side deserving to level things on the balance of the 45 minutes.

Overall, Mick McCarthy will be delighted to have gone through pre-season unbeaten, even if today’s result saw the 100% record go, ahead of the start of the season proper next weekend at Reading.

Town: Loach (Gerken 46), Hewitt (Veseli 46), Chambers (Berra 46), Smith, Cresswell (Mings 10 (October 68)), Anderson, Hyam (Wordsworth 46 (Berkane 50)), Skuse (Tunnicliffe 46), Tabb (Hammond 68), Murphy (Nouble 46), McGoldrick (Taylor 46). Ref: Andy Woolmer. Att: 1,532 (Town: 260).

Photo: Action Images

TractorBoy666 added 16:59 - Jul 27 Well considering we were 2-1 up at the break and made seven changes at half time suggests the first half team will be the starting eleven against Reading. Good to see Taylor scoring again just before the season starts.
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billlm added 17:00 - Jul 27 what happened to wordsworth
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ian_marshall added 17:03 - Jul 27 Mick out
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NoCanariesAllowed added 17:03 - Jul 27 Can't really complain. It's been a strong pre-season campaign all round and I wouldn't have asked for better preparation this summer, both on the pitch and in the transfer market. Anyway, that's the starter over and done with. Bring on the main course!
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muccletonjoe added 17:03 - Jul 27 Second half we more or less had a reserve team out. Having said that Mccarthy won't be happy with some of thje defending. In mid-field , Hyam is a nailed on cert to start against Reading as is , unsurprisingly, McGoldrick up font
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TractorCam added 17:04 - Jul 27 Unbeaten throughout Pre-season, amazing, when was the last time that happened? On to Reading next week, COYB!
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unstableblue added 17:07 - Jul 27 Yes what did happen to Wordsworth?! and how bad is Cresswell (he's had a stop start pre-season, lot of pressure on Mings if he starts at Reading - may mean Tabb sits deeper)
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Robbie12345 added 17:07 - Jul 27 Bit dissapointed we couldn't beat Notts County, no affence to them.. Very glad Taylor got a goal and Murphy is still in good form! Also nice to see Hyam on the score sheet, obviously being pushed forward more! Just need to get rid of the sloppy, non-clearing and we will be fine! Hopefully we can form some stability which will come after another 4/5 games.
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JustSpivvyChops added 17:08 - Jul 27 The 2 injury prone players are picking up knocks every week no surprises there............Cressy is a lot more worrying. Glad more signings are on the way.
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algarvefan added 17:08 - Jul 27 Good work out, that's all these games are remember, first half team will be the Reading team depending on injuries of course. Bring it on!! Ian_marshall you are being a dick as usual I see!
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ManningtreeBlue99 added 17:12 - Jul 27 Well thats pre-season done... lets see if we can turn it into 3 points at the Madjeski next week!
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BillBlue added 17:15 - Jul 27 I am fully aware that todays match was only a pre-season friendly and many people will say the result is unimportant but I am afraid I do not agree. Winning is a habit and now that lovely run has been broken but more important IMO is the fact that all those supporters did not go all the way to Nottingham to see endless, totally pointless subsstitutions which in effect destroyed the rythm of the team. Sorry Mick I think you were wrong. Will somebody who hs more experience than me please explain the point!

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RetroBlue added 17:22 - Jul 27 It is all about getting match fitness tbh in pre season games, and having a look at possible combinations. As MM states "he already knows his best team". Who are we to argue ?! Im off to Reading next Saturday. Cant wait. I live in hope that we nick a point at away games and win our home ones. If we did that for the majority of the season we will be promoted IMO!
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streety86 added 17:22 - Jul 27 Really looking forward to seeing Taylor next season, also two goals from direct free kicks in pre season?? We havent scored two of those in the last ten years!! COYB!!
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Michael11 added 17:24 - Jul 27 Lots of positives and a few negatives. Hopefully Cresswell is ok for next week and the defending was poor by the sounds of it. On the other hand it also sounding like McGoldrick and Murphy linked up well and we've scored 6 in two games so things are looking good in attack. Next week will be a much tougher test than Notts County or Colchester though.
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Michael11 added 17:24 - Jul 27 Oh and how did i forget Taylor. Probably the biggest positive of the day!
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jas0999 added 17:32 - Jul 27 Overall a very good pre-season. Shame we let a 3-1 lead slip today but overall a decent workout. Sounds like the starting eleven will be our favoured side, so fingers crossed about cresswell. I'm worried about this Wordsworth ... A Colchester fan told me he spends more time injured and lasts just five minutes today ...
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btrevelyan added 17:34 - Jul 27 Not too worried about this as we had a different line up second half. Great to see Taylor get a goal, think he might be the dark horse of the team, if so, I can see us scoring a lot of goals next season. Mcgoldrick looks to be on top form at the moment, lets hope he'll carry this form over to the all important championship games. All in all, it's been a very good pre-season for town, I'm really looking forward to the upcoming season! COYB!!!!!

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h32 added 17:37 - Jul 27 BillBlue - .... have to say I agree with you. I have much faith in MM , but have to say I still question some of his decisions - but in this instance he obviously wanted to give run outs to all and sundry, regardless of result. And of course he's the Manager and I'm not. Point has to be noted tho' that we conceded 3 goals against Notts County !! It is a fact tho' (and I've said it before) that some ITFC Supporters will always be content whether we Win, Lose, or Draw - whatever the importance of the game. Pre Season Friendly, or other.

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h32 added 17:41 - Jul 27 jas0999 - ...... he's certainly no Matty Holland that's for sure.
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warner77 added 17:47 - Jul 27 its a training match nothing more nothing less he knows who he wants to play and his !st choice team won the 1st half 2-1 the weather plays a big part its good to see all his players have a run out those that dont understand why he changed his team at half time really need to understand the words pre season!!! there is nothing at stake only improvement of fitness levels. COYB!!!!

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Stato added 18:33 - Jul 27 You don't get match fit playing 45 minutes so i'm surprised to see so many of the kids being given a game. Hopefully we won't see our boys flag in the second half against Reading as that will mean Mick didn't get the fitness prep right. My only other concern is we look slightly buggered if mcgoldrick gets injured.
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LisbieAvenue added 18:35 - Jul 27 Well just got back from the game after not seeing the town play for almost a year! There were definitely positives and negatives in the game. Positives for me were the 3 standout players. Hyam in central midfield, mcgoldrick up front and Taylor when he came on. Defence were solidish until the changes in the 2nd half disrupted play quite badly. Was not impressed with Anderson at all. He didn't really get involved at all but suppose he is coming back from injury or not fully fit so maybe cant blame him. Thought the guy next to hyam in central midfield had very little influence on the game and the man united replacement was a better alternative. Hewitt was ok but poor distribution for me, I had hoped for better. Highlights were the Taylor goal and also the county equaliser which was a great goal.

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TimmyH added 19:04 - Jul 27 Anderson for me is the key player for us (attackingly)....he is taking the place of Martin, a bit of a gamble by Mick as we don't really have any other creative wide men. So a bit disappointed to hear he had a poor game today although be it in a friendly. Looking forward to see what Taylor can do for us this season as he looked the diamond in the rough in what games he played last year.

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ManningtreeBlue99 added 19:05 - Jul 27 h32 - Those supporters are called 'Loyal'. I for one would be happy with a 5-0 loss away to AFC Wimbledon. Win, lose or draw I will always be a tractor boy. Some people on here need to reconsider their 'support' for ITFC. And never ever question Mick McCarthy's judgement again.
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