Nicky Forster scored his sixth goal in his last six games and Sito netted his first for the Blues as Town defeated Galway United 2-0 at their Terryland Park ground. Both goals came in the first half of a comfortable first win under Jim Magilton's management.

Forster got the Blues off to a great start sending a 20-yard shot into the corner of the net with an unstoppable left foot shot in only the third minute. On 16 Sito looped a volley over the Galway keeper to double Town's advantage.

In the 33rd minute Jason De Vos had a goal disallowed for pushing after he had headed a Jaime Peters into the net at the far post.

Town made their first change just before the break, Darren Currie replacing Danny Haynes and the substitutions continued at half-time and throughout the second period.

Five minutes after the break De Vos head a header cleared off the line, not long before Nicky Forster nodded a Jaime Peters cross wide.

In the 71st minute Currie crossed after a short corner and Knights saw a header from eight yards out loop off the bar, but no Town player was on hand to seize on the rebound.

Dean Bowditch had a shot saved then Currie curled a 25 yarder wide of the Galway goal, not long after manager Jim Magilton had introduced himself to the Town midfield in place of the impressive trialist Alexis Bertin.

Bertin had probably been Town's man of the match despite tiring as the game wore on. The Frenchman held the ball well, won it, was hard in the tackle, picked up bits and pieces and was always available to receive the ball. He looks very much the accomplished holding midfielder Town are looking for and it would be no surprise if he was offered a contract on this form.

Gerard Nash also looked assured after being introduced in the second half, although against generally unthreatening opposition, while Billy Clarke was lively reprising his excellent U18 partnership with Darryl Knights. Chris Casement looked more at home at centre-back than he did on the right of the defence.

Overall, a comfortable run-out, more coherent than Saturday's display at Boston, with Forster — who netted in the final four games of last season and at Boston on Saturday — looking particularly hungry. Sam Parkin held the ball up and laid it off well without looking much of a threat.

Alan Lee trained on the pitch before the game but was not involved and appeared some way from fitness, appearing to show some concern about the hamstring injury which kept him out of action at the end of last season.

Town: Price (Supple 46), Casement, Sito (Krause 46), De Vos (Nash 60), Naylor (Wilnis 60), Bertin (Magilton 72), Westlake (Skard 57), Forster (Bowditch 57), Parkin (Clarke 57), Peters (Knights 64), Haynes (Currie 40).

Thanks to Colin Kreidewolf for being our man on the spot.

Photo: Action Images

Ipswich Town Polls