Former Blue Paul Digby’s second-half goal saw Cambridge United to a 1-0 victory over Town in their final pre-season friendly at the Abbey Stadium. Digby tapped home a rebound in the 56th minute after Paul Mullin had hit the post.

Striker Oli Hawkins made his first appearance in a Town shirt, the former Portsmouth frontman having been training on his own prior to joining the Blues just under a fortnight ago.

New keeper David Cornell was in goal with Janoi Donacien at right-back, youngster Tommy Smith on the left and Luke Woolfenden and James Wilson, making his first appearance of pre-season after a calf injury, the centre-halves.

In midfield, Emyr Huws was joined by Brett McGavin and Jon Nolan with Jack Lankester and Alan Judge on the right and left respectively either side of Hawkins up front.

"Striker James Norwood was on the bench having not previously been involved in any of the Blues’ friendlies. Armando Dobra, Idris El Mizouni and Corrie Ndaba were also among the subs.

Kane Vincent-Young, who has been suffering with a minor thigh problem, Cole Skuse, who would have started but for a minor niggle, Kayden Jackson and Myles Kenlock (thigh) were all absent having not featured against West Ham in midweek. Former Blue Digby started for Cambridge in their midfield.

Skuse, Vincent-Young, Kenlock, Jackson, skipper Luke Chambers, Teddy Bishop, Stephen Ward, Freddie Sears, Aaron Drinan, Flynn Downes, Andre Dozzell, Toto Nsiala and Gwion Edwards, who picked up a groin problem against West Ham all watched from the stands.

Following a minute’s applause for Carol Looker, a long-time supporter and volunteer at Cambridge, the game got under way in steady rain and a breeze.

On six Hawkins made his height count as the Blues defended a number of corners in the sixth minute. From the third, Harry Darling headed over.

Three minutes later, Donacien blocked a Luke Hannant strike and the Blues were forced to defend another corner.

Town played themselves into bother in the 11th minute, Woolfenden’s ball to Smith following a throw-in falling short and Paul Mullin seizing on it, however, the U’s were unable to make anything of the opportunity.

The home side were having the better of the opening spell and but on 16 Huws saw a strike blocked. Four minutes later, Darling headed wide from another Cambridge corner.

The Blues were seeing more of the ball but without spending much time in the Cambridge final third. On 27, U’s skipper Greg Taylor reached a free-kick which had been sent in from the left but couldn’t divert it towards goal from a tight angle.

Cambridge had their best chance of the half in the 32nd minute following a long spell of Town possession which had ultimately gone nowhere. After the ball was lost, the home side broke quickly and Harvey Knibbs hit low across the face from the right but just in front of the sliding Liam O’Neil.

Town continued to see most of the ball but without creating an openng, while Cambridge didn’t threaten again until the 43rd minute when Knibbs saw a shot blocked.

A minute later, Nolan found Lankester in the area on the left. The academy product tried to trick his way into space to shoot but was eventually crowded out.

Moments later, the whistle ended a half in which the home side had been on top for the most part and had the best of the chances.

The Blues had struggled to get a foothold in the game with Cambridge having looked the more dangerous team in the early stages, winning a number of corners.

Town gradually started to get on top, passing the ball around at length at times but without creating anything until Lankester’s opportunity just before the break.

Cambridge keeper Dimi Mitov’s only involvement had been catching a couple of crosses in from the right.

The Blues had looked to use Hawkins’s aerial presence to get the ball forward quickly on one or two occasions but without too much success.

Town swapped Donacien and Hawkins for Ndaba and Norwood at the break. The young Irishman joined Woolfenden at the centre of the defence with Wilson going to right-back, while the striker took up his usual role up front.

With rain still falling steadily, the Blues began the half more brightly, playing the game further up the field.

On 50, Lankester sent in a corner from the right and Norwood met it with a stooping header which cannoned off the outside of Mitov’s left post.

The Blues had been the better side since the break but in the 56th minute they went behind.

Former Canary Wes Hoolahan cleared a Lankester corner from the right and Mullin broke quickly pacing past Smith, hardly the first time during pre-season Town have been caught on the counter-attack.

The former Morecambe man looked to have taken it too wide and his shot from the left hit the far post but ex-Blue Digby was on hand to slam in the rebound from six yards.

Dobra replaced McGavin on 64 with Judge moving into the centre with Cambridge coming thick and fast. Five minutes later, Idris El Mizouni, who was on loan with the U’s last season, replaced Nolan.

Town were seeing a lot of the ball but without going anywhere until Norwood was almost found by a ball through the middle, however Mitov was able to claim.

At the other end, Ndaba did well to take the ball off Andrew Dallas’s foot as the sub prepared to shoot when in space on the right of the area.

In the 74th minute Town switched keeper Cornell for Tomas Holy and Ben Folami for Lankester.

There was a scare for the Blues on 80 when Dickens hit a deflected shot across the face of the Town goal. From the resultant corner, Folami played the ball forward for Judge, who tried to catch Mitov off his line from halfway but shot well wide.

Town were showing little sign of being able to grab an equaliser with the League Two side pinning them back in their half of the field and appearing more likely to add a second.

On 85 El Mizouni shot wildly over, then Kyle Knoyle shot similarly too high for the home side.

Judge hit a shot from distance straight at Mitrov, which the keeper gathered at the second attempt as Norwood chased in after the loose ball. Just before the end, Wilson cleared a low Joe Ironside shot off the line.

Cambridge deserved their victory with the Blues only ever coming close to scoring via Norwood’s header against the post.

Having begun the second half brightly, they faded after conceding the goal. They subsequently had spells in control but without threatening, but also found themselves pegged back in their half for periods by a Cambridge side which made plenty of second-half substitutions.

Overall, a disappointing afternoon for the Blues, who would have been looking for a morale-boosting victory over League Two opposition ahead of next Saturday’s season opener against Bristol Rovers in the Carabao Cup at Portman Road.

Cambridge: Mitov, Knoyle, Iredale (Dunk 62), Digby (Simper 73), Taylor (c), Darling (Digby 73), Hannant (Neal 81), O’Neil (Trialist 62), Mullin (Dallas 66), Hoolahan (Knowles 62), Knibbs (Ironside 66). Subs: Trialist, Bennett.

Town: Cornell (Holy 74), Donacien (Ndaba 46), Woolfenden, Wilson, Smith, Huws, McGavin (Dobra 64), Nolan (El Mizouni 69), Lankester (Folami 74), Hawkins (Norwood 46), Judge. Referee: Alan Dale.

Photo: Matchday Images

Michael101 added 13:25 - Aug 30 Icantbelieve, the only way we Will get change is to let our feelings known,while people keep excepting things as they are nothing going to change.if people stoped buying season tickets Evans will have to get off his backside and do somthing.stop watching things going downhill and grow a pair ffs.
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Bluearmy_81 added 13:52 - Aug 30 TB85, I was paraphrasing others mate, I know you don't think like that 😀 Michael, well said. The front of fans that think the way to go is more acceptance, more passivity, more apathy. You want me to bend over a bit more sir, how far exactly?!! Literally no where else would fans be more angry with a fan highlighting the failure of an owner than with the owner themselves!! Ridiculous. I do think Evans lovers on here are in a minority generally but this faction are seriously one of a kind...

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DoseOfReality added 14:49 - Aug 30 Bluearmy 81 is spot on Evans has been a total failure & taken us the depths of boredom I didn't think possible watching a team I support
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warktheline added 14:53 - Aug 30 The club is rotten throughout , Evans sowed the seeds. Conference football is just around the corner. Enjoy you muppets !
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dirtydingusmagee added 15:28 - Aug 30 Bluearmy ,the trouble is ,whilst many probably agree with what you say, you insult the fans ,instead of galvanising them ,you turn them against you, we ALL know how you feel ,but slagging fans off is not, and will not help your cause. I too think the club is a dead duck with Evans, but i wont insult those who dont think the same, Many fans of the Town are a good bit younger than myself ,they wont have experienced the good times. The level of the decline wont be as obvious to these fans.

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blues1 added 15:37 - Aug 30 Bluearmy81. When will u get it. No1 on here is an Evan's lover. Wed all like him to sell. But tell me this? What difference will a new owner make to us at this particular time? He wont be able to spend a penny more than Evan's can. The salary cap has seen to that, plus GDP is still there. And then, please tell me what u thi k should or can be done to remove him from the club. What active steps have you, or any of the others who constantly whinge on here, actually done to try to achieve that? I'll tell you. You've done nothing. All you do is moan on here. What will that achieve? Nothing. But you still do it? Just like the facebook Evan's out of Ipswich group, who even arranged a pre match demonstration, but not 1 of them turned up. If you, or anyone of those who simply slag the club off relentlessly, regardless of whether theyve done something bad, or good, could come up with a sensible and realistic means of achieving what you want, then I, and others would more than likely back you, and respect ur views more. But you won't, because simply, you have no viable alternative to put forward. So all ull so us keep spouting negative comments, which achieve absolutely nothing.

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TBT added 15:42 - Aug 30 I wrote about the “Marcus Evans downgrade” on this forum five years ago and got slaughtered. The terrible truth is that Marcus Evans doesn't care about ITFC, all he cares about is reducing his losses and in that regard the last three years have been excellent. They are plenty of prospective buyers in a vibrant market place (I was personally involved in a Qatar backed bid a couple of years back) but nobody is going to pay Marcus Evans what he wants so they shop elsewhere. At the time, Sheffield United and Bolton Wanderers became far more attractive options simply because they weren't asking anybody to assume their debt. Marcus is stuck, he can't get out because he is never doing to get the exit deal he wants (his recent proposition was to sell the entity without the debt, ask the new owners to guarantee a level of investment every year for five years and then Marcus would take 40% of the reward should they make it into the EPL. Fellow Town fans, this is just a failed investment to Marcus Evans, he doesn't care about ITFC and he certainly doesn't care which league we are in.

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Bluearmy_81 added 16:05 - Aug 30 Blues, literally any other club's fans I feel in this country would have been more proactive in putting such a dismal owner under pressure years ago. There may be relatively little town fans can do, (it may well be too late) but to just do nothing, collectively, is pretty gutless and shows a lack of pride, passion, belief and desire for change. Standing up for your club and demanding better is what fans do, to stay silent and just passively watch is negligent to my mind. If anyone finds that insulting then that's too bad, that's how I see it, if the cap fits... I originated the said Facebook group and once numbers are higher (around 550 currently) action will be taken. The protest that was 'organised' wasn't official, that was actually a ringer. So at least I have sought to effect change though as you say it may well be immaterial now.

3

Bluearmy_81 added 16:19 - Aug 30 TBT, that's the problem. 5 years ago was when protests should have started but instead critics and sceptics like me and you got shouted down and told to 'support the club' etc. Then the same people in 2020 say protesting's pointless, stop moaning. If they had been more proactive years ago maybe we wouldn't be in the mess we are in now?! ME must have felt he had carte blanche to decimate the squad (and save money) as he saw fit, such was the lack of any criticism.

2

atty added 16:28 - Aug 30 Get the Cowley brothers in. They'd sort out the squad, instil a clear sense of direction in the team, build up the confidence, and make us difficult to beat. There are some decent players in that squad but tragically they're lost. Sorry PL, you gave us some hope, we turned up in our thousands, but it wasn't to be.
2

Icantbelieveyousaidt added 17:00 - Aug 30 Michael101...the beginning of your post was articulate and interesting. You then generated into the Bluearmy_81 mould of being rude, arrogant and bully like. To tell one to 'grow a pair ffs' is not a way to get someone on your side. Oh and believe me - you would not son say it to my face. As I keep trying to tell your compatriot, use less intimidating language and you might, I stress might achieve more success than you currently are.

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Bluearmy_81 added 17:01 - Aug 30 Snowflakes everywhere...
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Icantbelieveyousaidt added 17:17 - Aug 30 Weather is dry and sunny here Bluearmy_81; perhaps you should move further south, nearer to the team that you used to support. Sorry you have inclement weather...
3

therein61 added 18:17 - Aug 30 Doesn't matter who we get in as manager(i feel Lambo's time is rapidly coming to an end) you can't pick up a pint when both arms are tied behind your back and you have senior players running the club.
3

BeattiesBackPocket added 20:04 - Aug 30 TBT well said 👏🏻 I was a sucker for Evans preseason ticket promises until the last 3 years and I've cancelled after last seasons joke. To see us where We are now is a disgrace and the fact some fans are grateful for where we are now is a joke. I've said it loads of times smaller clubs are much better off financially Brentford prime example because they're well run, new stadium, can afford decent wages, play good football with an identity with every new manager, compete every year at the top, Can afford to buy players who then are sold for exceptional sums meaning they can reinvest and clear yearly debt all that without the 6th richest owner outside the premier league like we have and were an average league one team! Even Norwich are run better than us it's sad to see what's happened to us and it's only Evans to blame.

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bernie added 08:36 - Aug 31 People who slag of evens need to get with it !! Yes there's be mistakes along the way and the biggest mistake is giving Lambert a five year deal , ffs . But no one can say different he's keeping the club afloat , the players are not performing under Lambert surely everyone can see that
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Bluearmy_81 added 10:11 - Aug 31 'Fans' who defend Evans need to realise he's taken us from the verge of the payoffs with 30m debt to mid table also rans in div 3 and 100m debt in 13 years. We're a joke club, a laughing stock. What part of that, as a fan, don't you get?! That's all that should matter to you. Will you still be saying 'could be worse, could be bury' and 'at least we've got a club to support' if we end up non league?!! That may seem fantasy but so did league 1 in 2008. Have some pride and passion and demand better for your club ffs

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Tractorboy1985 added 11:33 - Aug 31 And thee award for the most delusional pathetic embarrassing football fan of 2020 goes to........ BERNIE!!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
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runningout added 15:26 - Aug 31 We are not being run by true footballing people. Marcus Evans is a businessman which is fair, but to get back to any sort of resemblance of a pro football club. Lee O'Neill is not convincing anyone he should be in his position. He is nice bloke but change and more know how vital in that role.
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Vanisleblue2 added 20:13 - Aug 31 If I hear "Bad day at the office" one more time about Ipswich Town I will vomit.
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Steve_D added 21:09 - Aug 31 Wonder if Bernie,s day job is working for the Marcus Evans group in media relations
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Razor added 10:25 - Sep 1 Why so many injuries-----I am sure our world reknowned and (in)famous medical department has got it all in hand-------not. Nigel Clough is available I think.
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