Darren at the double in win for Town

Helsingor IF 1

Ipswich Town 3

THE goals keep coming as The Blues once more showed they are an irresistible force and that they are also beginning to look sound at the back, writes Derek Davis.

Darren Bent took his tally to four goals in three games, while Marcus Bent moved to three in three, and while Pablo Counago did not score, his contribution was invaluable up front.

Although much bigger tests lay ahead for Joe Royle's side there was again much to be pleased about in the way Town set about their task on their day-trip to Denmark.

Helsingor lies across the sound from Helsingborg in Sweden, who Ipswich beat in the UEFA Cup almost two years ago and made many friends and an enjoyable reunion went ahead over the weekend.

Kronberg Castle guards the harbour and was the inspiration for Shakespeare's Hamlet with the town renamed Elsinor in the play.

Darren Bent was the Prince of Denmark as far as Town were concerned when he opened the scoring 10 minutes before the break when he nodded in from an angle of the six-yard box.

The goal was due largely to the endeavours of Marcus Bent who chased a loose ball. The keeper just managed to claw it away but only as far as Chris Makin, who chipped to the far post for Darren to finish.

Six minutes later Bent raced on to a Georges Santos ball over the top, which Helsingor skipper Frederik Hiker failed to deal with, and Darren neatly tucked the ball away.

The England Under-21 international was involved in the third goal, too. After playing a neat one-two with Pablo Counago he pulled the ball back for Marcus Bent who showed quick feet before hammering in from 14-yards.

Helsingor is also famous for burying Danish hero Holger Danske, whose name was used during the war as a password for resistance fighters who used to smuggle people across to neutral Sweden.

But there were no heroics from Town, who produced a competent, comfortable and professional performance to see off the gallant Danes, who finished second in what is the equivalent of our Conference division. This was their season finale.

Town enjoyed the work-out on an excellent and lush pitch which is often used by the Danish under 21 side.

While not spectacular, the Blues showed good shape, the starting front three are frightening and the defence looks a lot tighter with Drissa Diallo and Richard Naylor in tandem, with the experienced and effective Makin, who was skipper again, and Fabian Wilnis as full-backs.

The midfield was disrupted with Tommy Miller and Jim Magilton not starting as a precaution after complaining of tight hamstrings along with young defender Aidan Collins, who was pencilled in to start after gaining his first selection to an England squad.

Makin also felt a twinge in a hamstring and had to leave the pitch.

Helsingor's consolation came when Makin and Diallo had gone off and was scored by Stefan Ellehammer, the great-nephew of Jakob-Christian Ellehammer, the first man in Europe to fly. But the only thing which took off after the goal was Ellehammer's shirt in a rather over-the-top celebration.

Although not really to blame for the goal it is a case of alas poor Javier Sanchez Broto, we didn't really get to know him well but it is just not to be.

Dutchman Martijn Reuser was frustrated by a lineswoman's offside flag but he wise not to protest too much as Bettina Norman is married to the referee.

Helsingor IF: Hamberg, Ahrens, Schaarup, H Pedersen, Kraft, Husen, Ellehammer, Bak (Petersen, 10) Andersen, Olsen, M Pedersen, Sari, Soresen, Eriksen, Jorgensen, Rosenmejer.

Ipswich Town: Broto, Wilnis, Makin, Naylor, Diallo (Nash, 46) Santos, Westlake (Abidallah, 58) Murray, M Bent (Bowditch, 49) Counago (Armstrong, 53) D Bent (Reuser, 49). Substitutes not used: Price.

Referee: Henrik Priegel. Attendance: 849.