Matt Penney netted the first goal of pre-season with the Blues 1-0 up at Needham Market.

Dom Ball made his first appearance in a Town shirt as part of the first half XI of a game played in two 30-minute halves.

Ball was in the centre of midfield alongside Cameron Humphreys with Janoi Donacien at right-back, Penney at left-back and Luke Woolfenden and Corrie Ndaba the centre-halves. Christian Walton was in goal.

Tawanda Chirewa and Kyle Edwards were the widemen with skipper Sone Aluko behind lone striker Joe Pigott.

Ball won an early corner after his first minute shot from the edge of the box was deflected behind.

In the ninth minute, home keeper Marcus Garnham did well to get down to his right to save Pigott’s low shot from just outside the area after good work from Chirewa.

Three minutes later, skipper Aluko curled a free-kick to Garnham’s left which the keeper may have got his fingertips to before it came back off the post and was cleared.

On 14, a corner was played short to Chirewa on the left and the forward cut inside a defender before hitting a low shot which Garnham palmed into the side-netting.

There was a scare for the Blues a minute later when Needham youngster Seth Chambers momentarily found some space breaking towards the area but Woolfenden came across to block his path.

In the 18th minute Town finally took the lead. Edwards brought the ball into the area on the right and having stumbled laid it across to Penney on the other side of the box, who stroked past Garnham.

Two minutes later, the former Sheffield Wednesday man almost had a second, Edwards again having done well on the right and cut across.

Edwards created another opportunity on 25, cutting back from the right to Pigott, who scuffed his effort to Garnham.

In the 27th minute Aluko skipped his way through a number of defenders on his way into the area before hitting a low shot across Garnham but beyond the post.

That was the last action of the first 30 minutes in which Town had unsurprisingly dominated and had created numerous chances, despite scoring the one goal with Edwards having been the standout performer.

Town first half XI: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Ndaba, Penney, Ball, Humphreys, Chirewa, Aluko (c), Edwards, Pigott.

Photo: TWTD

Help added 13:47 - Jun 25 🔢 Here’s how Town line-up for the second 30 minute period. #itfc pic.twitter.com/LZqxg5Dobc — Ipswich Town FC (@IpswichTown) June 25, 2022 Second half team
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