Town boosted their confidence for their return to the Championship with an impressive 2-1 win at Deepdale thanks to goals from Conor Chaplin and George Hirst.

This was a step up in class of pre-season opposition for Kieran McKenna's squad but they handled it well despite numerous changes in the second half in a game that saw them use 23 players in all.

The Lilywhites were Championship play-off contenders for much of last season, eventually finishing 12th after their hopes fizzled out when they took only one point from their last five games.

But Ryan Lowe's team provided a good test for Town who have now won four and drawn one of their pre-season matches. Only in the finals stages did their much-changed team look in any trouble.

In the first half in particular Town were very much in the ascendancy with last season's tip scorer Chaplin causing Preston all manner of problems as well as firing home an excellent goal.

And McKenna will be delighted that Hirst was on target in his first appearance since sealing his permanent move from Leicester.

Town started with Dominic Ball at right-back with Luke Woolfenden and Cameron Burgess at the centre of the defence with Leif Davis at left-back.

Skipper Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo were deployed in central midfielders with Kayden Jackson, Chaplin and Nathan Broadhead behind lone striker Freddie Ladapo.

Town's three summer signings Jack Taylor, Cieran Slicker and Hirst were all on the bench.

Former Blues striker Will Keane, a summer signing from Wigan, made his debut for the Lilywhites as did fellow new boy Mads Frokjaer-Jensen. But Preston's two other signings Duane Holmes, from Huddersfield, and on-loan Liverpool full-back Calvin Ramsay - who is recovering from injury - were not involved.

Playing in their all-orange away strip, Town dominated from the kick-off on a sun-lit evening in Lancashire.

Their slick passing and high press pinned the hosts back for long periods and was appreciated by the 200-odd Town fans who had made the long trip north from Suffolk.

Luongo set the tone after only 10 minutes with a fierce 20-yard drive that forced a fine save from home keeper Freddie Woodman. It was the start of a busy first half for Woodman.

Two minutes later he had to move smartly to collect an ambitious curling effort from Chaplin and five minutes after that he denied Chaplin again, parrying a powerful drive with Luongo blazing the loose ball high over the bar. It followed a delightful Town move with Broadhead's clever back heel giving Jackson the space to play the ball back into Chaplin's path.

Woodman denied Chaplin for a third time saving another fierce shot from the Town striker clover back heel by Broadhead had had given Jackson the space to set up Chaplin.

Such was Town's dominance, keeper Walton was not forced into any sort of action until the 21st minute when he comfortably caught Jacob Slater's cross.

That rare foray into Town's half seemed to encourage the home side who exerted some pressure for the first time with Keane going to close to giving them an undeserved lead when his close range effort hit the outside of the post.

But moments later Town took the lead thanks to a superbly hit strike by the ever-dangerous Chaplin after Broadhead had set him up. It was his fourth shot of the game and this time it gave Woodman no chance. Chaplin clearly had the scent of goals in his nostrils but was well off target with another shot before half-time.

As expected McKenna made seven changes at half-time, with new signing Jack Taylor among them. And he made five more as the half progressed.

But it didn't stop Town's flow with Kyle Edwards and Greg Leigh seeing shots deflected wide.

Preston sub Ben Woodburn went close to equalising with a close range header with a header in a rare but Town were soon back on the offensive especially after Hirst's introduction after 62 minutes.

He was quickly into the action and twice went close, first when his close range shot was brilliantly saved by the busy Woodman and then when he sent a header just wide from Edwards's cross.

But Hirst was not to be denied and added Town's second after 78 minutes. He celebrated his permanent move from Leicester with a cool chip over the advancing Woodman after being put through by Marcus Harness.

Preston pulled one back when one of their nine second-half subsitutes, Felipe Rodriguez-Gentile, turned sharply inside the box and fired in a shot that beat Walton's despairing dive and crept just inside the post.

The home side pressed strongly for an equaliser towards the end and only a couple of fine saves by sub keeper Vaclav Hladky dened them an equaliser.

And Town breathed a huge sigh of relief when a last-gasp 'goal' by Rodriguez-Gentile was ruled out for offside.

Had it been given, it would have have earned Preston an undeserved draw after being second best for much of a game that will surely encourage McKenna and his squad for what lies ahead.

Ipswich first half team: Walton; Davis, Woolfenden, Burgess, Ball, Morsy, Luongo, Broadhead, Jackson, Ladapo, Chaplin.

Ipswich second half team: Walton (Hladky 62); Leigh, Woolfenden (Baggott 85), Burgess (Barbrook 85), Humphreys (Carr 70; Edwards, Evans, Taylor, Harness, Aluko, Ladapo (Hirst 62). Referee: Andrew Kitchen.

Photo: Matchday Images

parhamblue added 10:50 - Jul 20 If Pigott leaves and Baggott and Hayes go out on loan as is the announced intention, that will reduce our squad to 23 out of a maximum 25 (plus underage players Humphreys and Slicker). So on that basis it is going to be two out of a desired three: Winger/wide man; Centre back; striker. We really need all three but can't have them unless another player is sold, released or loaned, or we sign an underage player. That said, Ladapo just goes about his business and can alternate with Hirst, but if one is injured or horribly out of form, we suffer. We had an injury problem in the centre midfield last season that's unlikely to be repeated, so otherwise we are overloaded there.

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TimmyH added 11:51 - Jul 20 Nice!...keep that winning momentum going!
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