Colchester United 0-4 Ipswich Town: Blues run out comfortable winners in first pre-season game

Ipswich Town ran out comfortable winners in their first pre-season outing, beating Colchester 4-0 in game one of the two sides’ double-header in Essex.

The two teams are playing two 75-minute games, with different sides named in both, with the Blues getting off to an excellent start in the first content.

Aaron Drinan grabbed two goals inside 24 minutes, with the second coming from the spot, before Gwion Edwards swept home the third and Idris El Mizouni fired home a stunning strike for the fourth goal of the night.

The Blues, playing their first match since March 7, looked confident throughout, moving the ball around well, getting forward as one unit to attack from the flanks and support central striker Drinan.

The game saw new signing Stephen Ward make his first Ipswich appearance while Kane Vincent-Young was back in action for the first time since October, having now fully recovered from groin surgery.

Former Ipswich defender Tommy Smith started for Colchester as he continues his trial spell at the club, but will be unhappy to have given away a spot kick as he tripped Teddy Bishop, allowing Drinan to convert his second.

The Blues started well, with Ward getting forward to cross into the box where Vincent-Young met the ball but saw his effort blocked before it reached the goal.

They didn’t have to wait long to take the lead, though, as Teddy Bishop picked up possession in the middle of the Colchester half and slipped through an excellent ball for striker Drinan. The Irishman was calm and composed as he rolled the ball back across goal and into the far corner, serving a reminder of what he can do after two years in the wilderness.

Ipswich continued to press, looking to work the ball wide to wingers Armando Dobra and Gwion Edwards, who were supported time and again by Vincent-Young and Ward from full-back.

Colchester’s first warning shot came when Luke Gambin skipped past several Ipswich defenders before getting a shot off which Harry Wright did well to save in the Ipswich goal, before the Blues resumed attacking duties and doubled their lead.

Tommy Smith, playing against the side he made more than 250 appearances for, was the offender as the visitors won a penalty, with Bishop toeing the ball away from his former team-mate and hitting the deck on the edge of the box. Drinan stepped up and converted past Dean Gerken, doubling his own tally and the Ipswich lead.

He should really have had a hat-trick, but for his shot from eight-yards being saved by former Blue Dean Gerken, but within seconds the Ipswich third did hit the net as Gwion Edwards came in off the left flank and fired back across goal with his right.

Idris El Mizouni replaced Emyr Huws at the break, as the players took a breather after 45 minutes, with the youngster making a near immediate impact as he picked the ball up 25 yards from goal and unleashed a rocket of a shot which Gerken barely moved towards as it flew into the top corner.

Drinan had the ball in the net for what could have been his hat-trick late on, only to be thwarted by the offside flag.

Game two is due to kick off at 8pm.

Colchester United: Gerken, Welch-Hayes, Smith, Senior, Pell (Marley Marshall-Miranda 45), Brown, Kensdale, Clampin (Al-Amin Kazeem 57 (Bramall 68)), Poku, Gambin, McLeod.

Ipswich Town: Wright, Vincent-Young, Ward (Smith 57), Nsiala, Woolfenden, Skuse (McGavin 57), Bishop, Huws (El Mizouni 45), Dobra, Edwards, Drinan.