Town and Nice remain locked at 0-0 at half-time, the French side having missed a late penalty.

Aro Muric was in goal with Axel Tuanzebe at right-back, Leif Davis at left-back and George Edmundson and Cameron Burgess the centre-halves. Ben Johnson was in the wide right role, more withdrawn than is usually the case, moving the Blues to more of a five-man backline when not in possession.

Skipper Sam Morsy and Massimo Luongo were in the centre of midfield with Omari Hutchinson in the middle and Marcus Harness on the left behind striker Liam Delap.

Colombian international midfielder Steven Alzate was on the bench, the 25-year-old having joined the club on trial.

Ali Al-Hamadi and Janoi Donacien were other notable names on the bench. The Iraqi international was in the squad for the first time during pre-season having undergone adductor surgery early in pre-season.

Donacien went under the knife towards the end of last season and is training with the club while he gets fit, despite being out of contract.

The 90-minute match will be followed by another game 45 minutes played over two halves in order to get minutes in players’ legs ahead of both teams’ seasons kicking off next week.

Town struck the first shot of the game in the opening minute, Delap having cut in from the left before laying back to Morsy, whose second effort was deflected out for a corner on the right.

Following the flag-kick, Johnson crossed back in from deep on the left just beyond the outstretched leg of Burgess.

On six, Delap got onto a loose pass on the edge of the Nice box but took his time before shooting and was driven too wide with visitors’ keeper Marcin Bulka.

Nice gradually began to see more of the ball and threaten the Town goal, Burgess cutting out a low cross from the right in the 12th minute.

As the 20-minute mark approached, Nice’s Jeremie Boga pulled up with an obvious hamstring injury and was replaced by Badredine Bouanani.

In the 26th minute, Tom Louchet smashed a free-kick from a couple of feet outside the area into the Town wall, Morsy having tripped Morgan Sansom as he burst towards the box, the Blues’ passing out from the back having broken down.

Town began to dominate as the game passed the half-hour mark and on 32 Morsy hit a 20-yard effort which deflected wide.

Following the corner, Hutchinson looped over a cross from the right to the far post and Delap stabbed back into the path of Luongo, whose effort was deflected over. In the aftermath of the subsequent corner, Johnson curled a shot from 25 yards which Bulka claimed with ease.

A minute later, with Town continuing to dominate, Harness struck an effort which deflected wide.

On 38, Delap received the ball from Hutchinson midway inside the Nice half with his back to goal, turned and then powered his way towards goal before hitting a shot which Bulka batted away to his right.

Four minutes later, Bouanani charged down a Muric clearance with the keeper dallying on the ball but fortunately it ran very wide and Town were able to see off the danger.

In the 44th minute, Nice were awarded a penalty. Edmundson gave the ball away with a loose pass and Nice worked their way towards goal and Guessand was in on goal in the area when he was challenged by a combination of the retreating Edmundson and Tuanzebe, who looked to have got the ball, however, referee James Bell pointed to the spot.

Mohamed-Ali Cho took the kick and beat Muric but struck the left post and the ball was cleared.

That was the last action of a half which will have pleased manager Kieran McKenna with the Blues having dominated for long spells and created chances, even if without having come really close to going in front. Nice’s only big chance had been the penalty.

Town: Muric, Tuanzebe, Edmundson, Burgess, Davis, Morsy (c), Luongo, Johnson, Hutchinson, Harness, Delap. Subs: Walton, Slicker, Woolfenden, Burns, Ladapo, Chaplin, Taylor, Al-Hamadi, Townsend, Greaves, Carr, Foyo, Ayinde, Alzate, Donacien.

OGC Nice: Bulka, Mendy, Rosario, Dante (c), Clauss, Boudaoui, Sanson, Louchet, Cho, Guessand, Boga (Bouanani 21). Subs: Dupé, Boulhendi, Doumbouya, Bard, Salhi, Ndombele, Camara, Traoré, Brahimi, Laborde, Orakpo. Referee: James Bell (Sheffield).

Photo: Matchday Images

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