IF Ipswich Town can do against Championship sides as they have done in the past couple of matches against League One opposition in friendlies then promotion it will be.

Derek Davis

By Derek Davis

Ipswich Town 2 Colchester United 0

IF Ipswich Town can do against Championship sides as they have done in the past couple of matches against League One opposition in friendlies then promotion it will be.

But of course pre-season games can be massively deceiving in both good and bad ways and a lot can happen during two weeks in football.

When the Blues take on Spanish opposition Real Valladolid on Friday they should be all but prepared for the kick off at Coventry on August 9.

Playing Jon Stead up front with support coming from wide midfield in the form of Jon Walters on the right and Lee Martin on the left Town looked more comfortable in attack than when the U's went at them.

The Blues displayed some of their old bad habits in the first half, looked busy without creating that much, gave the ball away too cheaply and put a shaky-looking defence under more pressure and generally lacked conviction.

They got a break just after the hour when a fairly bread and butter cross from David Wright, who done well to get clear and deliver, was turned into his own, with some conviction it has to be said, by defender Magnus Okuonghae.

That lifted what pressure there was and within a minute of Jordan Rhodes replacing Jon Walters in the 74th minutes Town had the win wrapped up.

Debut maker Colin Healy was involved in the build up and Rhodes raced clear and beat Ben Williams with a powerful and confident low drive.

It was finishing of the highest order and those who have seen a fair bit of the 19-year-old will know by now that nine times out of ten he will find the back of the net.

The finishing in the first half was not so deadly as Stead miscued with a difficult-looking left-footed volley and Martin tried with a spectacular bicycle kick that didn't come off but there was no harm in trying.

Jon Walters shot blocked by his own man David Norris and Owen Garvan hit a low shot inches past a post.

The U's had their chances too, arguably better ones, with Scott Vernon curling a shot across goal that went wide and a combination of last ditch tackling and saves kept them in the game.

Skipper Gareth McAuley made a brilliant block to deny Vernon, Richard Wright saved the follow up from Dave Perkins and referee Andy D'Urso whistled for a foul as the bleached blond-haired midfielder tried again.

Town looked tighter when David Wright replaced Pim Balkestein at half time and Alex Bruce moved to centre half alongside McAuley.

Damien Delaney at left back took to be still trying find his feet and looks at times to be playing within himself and may prefer the full blood and thunder of the Championship games.

The new �60,000 signing from Cork City showed decent touches and awareness, and a few minutes after going on his heart monitor strap snapped and was discarded.

Town pretty much controlled the second half, as the did at Southend last Wednesday, and the us best effort came from a David Fox free kick but Wright well placed to take it comfortably.

Garvan hit low shot to the keeper and Walters went close from 30-yards before the biggest cheer of the day came and that was when Fabian Wilnis wnet on at right back for the last 11 minutes in place of Delaney. David Wright going left back and the Dutchman in his favoured position, wearing number two, had each touch cheered from the rafters.

The Blues go to Charlton on Tuesday before a tougher test on Friday when Keane hopes to have a fuller squad to choose from as Shane Supple, Alan Quinn and Kevin Lisbie, look to get back from their groin strains.

Ipswich Town: Wright, Bruce, McAuley, Balkestein (Wright, 46) Delaney (Wilnis, 79) Walters (Rhodes, 75) Norris (Healy, 56) Trotter (Shumi, 72) Garvan, Martin, (Peters, 54) Stead. (Wickham, 60) Subs not used: McLoughlin

Colchester United: Williams Beevers (Corcoran, 74) Okuonghae (Malton, 79) Baldwin, Tierney, Izzett (Maybury, 54) Fox (Hackney, 64) Hammond (Wordsworth, 64) Perkins (Holt, 79) Platt (Thomas, 68) Vernon (Heath, 79) Subs not used: Cousins.

Referee: Andy D'Urso Attendance: 7,581

derek.davis@eadt.co.uk