Post by admin on Jul 28, 2023 22:37:23 GMT
Braintree Town 0 Ipswich Town X1 1
by David Ward
This last of Iron's pre-season friendlies turned out to be cracker at Cressing Road on Friday evening watch by a big crowd who were entertained by attacking football by both sides with the visitors running out winners by one goal in a game that should have seen more goals.
The Iron gave a debut to two young loan players - 20 year-old Harry Beadle from Colchester United and Ben Tomkins from Luton Town - plus two trialists were also included with the rest of the sides and subs made of already signed players.
Against a young, full-time Ipswich side the Iron more than held their own throughout in an entertaining game and they showed some great football going forward creating several chances in both halves but just failed with that final ball into the danger area.
Manager Angelo Harrop was more than pleased though with his side's performance on the night adding: "I thought we worked really hard, had cohesion and commitment across the team and we created some potentially good goal scoring chances against obviously a strong, quick and impressive young side.
"We know the areas we have to work on but I felt it was a much better performance than in our recent two pre-season friendlies," he continued. "The two trialists were impressive and again I felt defensively we did well and we were quick to the ball, passed well and moved forward well and it was just that last touch in front of goal that at times let us down."
He went on: "All these games have provided us with good preparation for our opening league game at Taunton next Saturday and we have a clear week ahead to work out on set pieces and the like."
He added: "We've still some tidying up to do with signings but I'm sure we will be all fit and organised for what is a tough opening game away which will involve a long journey and everybody can't wait to get started."
In this game the Iron showed great tenacity and patience in their build up play and both sides and one of the forward trialist was twice unlucky not to have scored while goal machine Nnamdi Nwachuku also went close three times in the first half and twice again in the second period while in midfield Leon Davies and George Quantrell both looked solid.
Ironically the only goal of the game came in the 68th minute when Iron keeper Jack Sims made an uncharacteristic schoolboy error to give the visitors a simple tap in from close range but he more than made up for it with some smart saves when the visitors pressed hard.
Twice in each half the Iron saw shots scrambled away off the visitors' penalty area and with a little more patience in other attacked the Iron could easily have found the net.
But it was an extremely good work out for the Iron with Harrop adding: "We know it's going to be a tough season but we will be fully prepared and do even better than we did last season.
by David Ward
This last of Iron's pre-season friendlies turned out to be cracker at Cressing Road on Friday evening watch by a big crowd who were entertained by attacking football by both sides with the visitors running out winners by one goal in a game that should have seen more goals.
The Iron gave a debut to two young loan players - 20 year-old Harry Beadle from Colchester United and Ben Tomkins from Luton Town - plus two trialists were also included with the rest of the sides and subs made of already signed players.
Against a young, full-time Ipswich side the Iron more than held their own throughout in an entertaining game and they showed some great football going forward creating several chances in both halves but just failed with that final ball into the danger area.
Manager Angelo Harrop was more than pleased though with his side's performance on the night adding: "I thought we worked really hard, had cohesion and commitment across the team and we created some potentially good goal scoring chances against obviously a strong, quick and impressive young side.
"We know the areas we have to work on but I felt it was a much better performance than in our recent two pre-season friendlies," he continued. "The two trialists were impressive and again I felt defensively we did well and we were quick to the ball, passed well and moved forward well and it was just that last touch in front of goal that at times let us down."
He went on: "All these games have provided us with good preparation for our opening league game at Taunton next Saturday and we have a clear week ahead to work out on set pieces and the like."
He added: "We've still some tidying up to do with signings but I'm sure we will be all fit and organised for what is a tough opening game away which will involve a long journey and everybody can't wait to get started."
In this game the Iron showed great tenacity and patience in their build up play and both sides and one of the forward trialist was twice unlucky not to have scored while goal machine Nnamdi Nwachuku also went close three times in the first half and twice again in the second period while in midfield Leon Davies and George Quantrell both looked solid.
Ironically the only goal of the game came in the 68th minute when Iron keeper Jack Sims made an uncharacteristic schoolboy error to give the visitors a simple tap in from close range but he more than made up for it with some smart saves when the visitors pressed hard.
Twice in each half the Iron saw shots scrambled away off the visitors' penalty area and with a little more patience in other attacked the Iron could easily have found the net.
But it was an extremely good work out for the Iron with Harrop adding: "We know it's going to be a tough season but we will be fully prepared and do even better than we did last season.