Town boss Mick McCarthy was delighted with some of the football his team played during their 3-2 friendly victory over Cambridge United at the Abbey Stadium, but was less impressed with the goals they conceded.

“I thought we played really well in the first half,” McCarthy said. “I was conscious of making sure the first-teamers got 60 minutes.

“I thought we were pretty good in the first half, we played some good football. We conceded from a restart, it was a great delivery, a great header. For all the football, you can always concede like that.

“The second [Cambridge goal], we were messing around with the ball, playing slowly at the back and it cost us - we gave a freekick away. A great freekick from them, though.

“I just thought we played well tonight and we had to compete because they’re a physical team, it was a tough game.”

Ainsley Maitland-Niles again impressed and netted his second goal of pre-season after only two minutes.

“He’s a very good player,” the Town boss enthused. “Arsenal do have that happy knack of producing some fabulous kids and I think we’ve got one of them.”

Brett Pitman, signed on a free transfer from AFC Bournemouth, continues to look a bargain, scoring his fourth goal in three pre-season games.

“He’s a goalscorer, there’s no doubt about that,” McCarthy added. “You’ve seen that already.

“I’ve not worked with anybody that gets as many shots in or tries to get to shoot when he gets his opportunity on the edge of the box, he wants to work the defenders or the keeper. I loved that one because he was in there just poaching, that’s a great goal.”

David McGoldrick scored the third goal on his return to action after being given an additional two weeks off having been on international duty until mid-June.

“He got the back four and the goalkeeper off the hook for that second goal when they all just slowed it down,” the Blues boss continued.

“And then Ainsley and Didzy, it was a great bit of quality, the pass from Ainsley was fabulous and it was a great finish.”

Also back after an extended break was Christophe Berra, who McCarthy says will have long put the disappointment of the play-off semi-final red card well behind him by now.

“If you hadn’t have mentioned it I wouldn’t even have known,” he said. “We can’t do anything about that, that’s all way, way gone in the past. He was a magnificent player for us last season, and he will be this.”

Last season’s 27-goal Championship top scorer Daryl Murphy will be involved at Peterborough at the weekend, as will Darren Ambrose and Jonny Parr, who have missed the last two games with minor niggles.

“I gave the first-teamers 60 minutes today, just over, and I’ll probably do the same again and Murph will be involved in the game on Saturday,” McCarthy revealed.

“Jonny Parr is all right, he trained fully, apparently. He trained really well today, so he’ll be OK for Saturday.

“[Darren] got a bit of a knock in training, he’s trained today, he’s fine, he trained very well today with Jonny Parr, so we’ve got three of them to come back.”

Pitman was replaced just after half-time having picked up a knock and McCarthy says the striker will be assessed before the Peterborough match: “We’ll wait and see, he had ice on his foot. He said he was OK, but obviously it wasn’t when he tried it. Hopefully he’s all right."

Photo: Action Images

MelPettit added 23:48 - Jul 21 I went tonight and thoroughly enjoyed the match. Their first goal was a bit of shocker, the No10 was totally unmarked. Our third was good, engineered by a sublime pass from Maitland-Niles. He's going to provide a lot of creativity, and he tackles back too!
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iaintaylorx added 23:56 - Jul 21 was a good performance from the lads today! thought the youngsters also looked good in the final 30 minutes, especially yorwerth and kenlock, the centre back and left back! maitland is some player, as is bru, really impressed with the current signings! think we could attract a better keeper, but said before, i'd love bart to stick in! COYB!
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Mark added 07:07 - Jul 22 Good news if Parr is back, as we'll badly need him for Brentford unless another defender comes in.
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parhamblue added 08:04 - Jul 22 Is Tabb the understudy to Parr or Parr the understudy to Tabb, at LB, or RB for that matter? Wouldn't be at all surprised if no more defenders are signed.
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itsonlyme added 09:29 - Jul 22 I went last night and thought we played some decent football at times. No one picked up their guy for their first goal and I guess the second was just sublime! I also thought the young lads played some intelligent football for the last thirty minutes. When Mick said the first teamers had a good work out does that mean that Teddy is not a first teamer? Only joking, he can't play all of them at one time!

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