Chuba Akpom’s second-half goal saw the Blues to a 1-0 victory over Ligue 1 Le Havre at Portman Road. Town, who made nine changes at the break, were in control throughout with Akpom netting the deserved winner on 58 from Abdul Fatawu’s cross from the right.

New signings Daizen Maeda and Emersonn both started in the first half with the Blues planning to give most of the squad 45 minutes.

The team which started was a mix-and-match side featuring Alex Palmer in goal, Kasey McAteer at right-back, Leif Davis at left-back and skipper Dara O’Shea and Cedric Kipre at centre-half.

Cameron Humphreys and Marcelino Nunez were the central midfielders behind Tudor Mendel - making his first start for the senior side - on the right, Anis Mehmeti the number 10 and Maeda on the left. Emersonn was the lone striker.

The early stages of the game were played entirely in the Le Havre half but without any threat until the 13th minute when Nunez whipped in a free-kick from the right and O’Shea might have done better to flick a header towards goal when stooping.

Town continued to dominate and should have gone ahead as the match reached the 10-minute mark, Emersonn seizing on an error in the Le Havre backline before feeding Mendel in space to his right.

The youngster’s first touch let him down, but he crossed deep to Maeda, who knocked down to Emersonn, who tapped back to Mehmeti, who blazed deep into the empty upper tier of the Sir Alf Ramsey Stand.

On 24, a Kipre pass was cut out by Amir Richardson, who brought the ball forward from midway inside the Town half before shooting across goal and wide.

Seven minutes before half-time, Nunez sent over a dangerous low free-kick from the right after Mendel had drawn a foul with a tricky run inside. However, no one was able to get a touch as the ball flashed across the area.

That was the last action of a not overly enthralling half of few chances but one which the Blues controlled throughout.

The best of the few chances was Mehmeti’s shot from Emersonn’s lay-off, the Brazilian having shown a few nice touches, which the Albanian international will feel he ought to have made more of.

Town made nine changes at the break with Palmer and Humphreys the only survivors from the first period.

Darnell Furlong was at right-back, Ben Johnson at left-back and Issa Diop, wearing leggings which he does for religious reasons relating to modesty, and Jacob Greaves the centre-halves.

Fin Barbrook joined Humphreys in midfield with Fatawu on the right, Jack Clarke on the left and Sindre Walle Egeli the number 10. Akpom was the striker. Le Havre made one switch, keeper Lionel Mpasi making way for Mory Diaw.

Five minutes after the break, the Blues should have taken the lead. Humphreys stood up a free-kick from the right, won by Fatawu after he had gone round the outside of his man, and Barbrook appeared to have an easy task of nodding home, but sent the ball the wrong side of the near post.

Town took the lead in the 58th minute. Fatawu reacted quickly to beat left-back George Gomis to an under-hit pass across the edge of the penalty area. The Ghanaian chipped a cross to the far post where Akpom was forced to stretch high to nod into the corner of the net, the former Ajax man’s second goal of pre-season.

Five minutes later, Clarke played a clever pass between defenders to feed in Walle Egeli on the left of the area, but the Norwegian’s cross from the byline was behind Akpom and the danger was cleared.

In the 65th minute, a similar Clarke pass put Walle Egeli in another dangerous position but this time the former Nordsjælland man was crowded out. Clarke subsequently sent a shot well into the empty North Stand into which rail seating is in the process of being installed.

Town switched Palmer and Humphreys for Kayne Van Oevelen and George Hirst a minute later with the Scotland international going up front, Akpom to number 10 and Walle Egeli to the centre of midfield, where he also operated at Oxford on Saturday.

On 83, Johnson superbly turned on a ball played to halfway by Van Oevelen, putting Hirst through on goal, however, Le Havre sub keeper Mory Diaw was out of his area quickly to clear.

Furlong headed straight at Diaw as the game moved into its final three minutes from a Clarke free-kick on the left, the winger having been fouled with Diop having made a strong run forward and looking for a pass which would have put him through on goal.

As the game moved into two additional minutes, Walle Egeli whipped over a free-kick from the right but Diop’s header was too close to Diaw, who claimed.

That was the last action of a match the Blues deserved to win with Le Havre never seriously threatening aside from Richardson’s shot across the face of goal in the first half.

Town created more in the second half having looked a little more disjointed in the first, unsurprisingly given the scratch nature of the teams being fielded at this stage of pre-season.

The Blues are next in action on Saturday when they host La Liga Rayo Vallecano, also at Portman Road.

Town First Half: Palmer, McAteer, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Davis, Nunez, Humphreys, Mendel, Mehmeti, Maeda, Emersonn.

Town Second half: Palmer (Van Oevelen 66), Furlong (c), Diop, Greaves, Johnson, Humphreys (Hirst 66), Barbrook, Fatawu, Walle Egeli, J Clarke, Akpom. Subs: Williamson, Ogbene, Compton, Fletcher, Runham.

Le Havre: Mpasi (Diaw 46), Pembele (Ouziad 68), Seko (Mosengo 58), Sasso (Bodmer 81), G Gomis, Zouaoui (Koffi 68), Ebonog, Mwanga (Mizuta 68), Ndiaye (c) (Bentoumi 81), Richardson (Bouneb 81), Tincres (Dongopandji 58). Referee: Gavin Ward (Surrey).

Photo: Matchday Images