YOU can only beat what is put out in front of you.A well worn phrase possibly but totally apt for Ipswich Town reserves as once again the demonstrated the league they are playing in is a farce.

Derek Davis

YOU can only beat what is put out in front of you.

A well worn phrase possibly but totally apt for Ipswich Town reserves as once again the demonstrated the league they are playing in is a farce.

With Jordan Rhodes in deadly form, we won't mention the one he missed, Town were 8-0 up by half time with Rhodes bagging half of them.

MK Dons' first team top League Two and knocked Ipswich out of the League Cup earlier this season but they clearly lack strength in depth.

They battled back in the second half and a lot of credit goes to them for getting organised and digging in to the end, but it didn't stop Rhodes grabbing his fifth and sixth and Town making it a deadly dozen.

Jaime Peters, Billy Clarke, Dan Harding, Sammy Moore, Ed Upson and Paul Murphy all cashed in too, in a professional and breath-taking display from the mix of young and old.

They even managed to hit the crossbar and force the young keeper into a couple of top saves but it really looked like every time were on the attack they could score.

Mind you, Town had a couple of scary moments at the back in the first half when Shane Supple was relieved to see the ball crash back from a post and the Dons hit the top of the crossbar and the same post again.

New signing Alan Quinn, who should complete his medical today for his £400,000 switch from Sheffield United to go though, must have wondered what was going on.

Quinn was involved in Peters' goal but didn't have much more to do. It was pretty much one way traffic and reserve team coach Steve Greaves praised his side's approach even though the league leaders, and last year's champions, were always on top.

The victory tops the 9-0 home win over Oxford United last season and Town are still waiting to hear when a restructure will take place.

Greaves said: “This league is not ideal we know that. But all we can do is send the players out keep to the principles of how we play and they did that.

“They approached the game the right way and did what they were asked to do and that is all we can ask of them. The young players are still learning and they will take something out of that and the older players can help them in their development.”

That philosophy was highlighted right at the end when Rhodes refused to give up on an over hit ball. He didn't reach it and the frustration showed but his perseverance was rewarded in the dying moments when he lobbed the keeper for his sixth.

Rhodes has now grabbed an astonishing 26 goals this season, he is claiming three in competitive friendlies but even so, it is a remarkable record, even better than a certain Darren Bent of around the same age.

All the Town team, those fighting for a return to the first team like Harding, worked hard and the defender was boosted by a rare goal.

Peters and Moore, who are likely to go out on loan in the next few days, also weighed in with a goals and Murphy, another young striker stepping up from the academy, provided a neat finish from a Kurt Robinson cross.

England Under-19 midfielder netted arguably the goal of the game after showing some neat control in a tight situation before netting.

Ipswich Town: Supple, Casement, Harding (Robinson, 80) Moore, Naylor, Wilnis, Smith, Peters, Rhodes, Clarke (Murphy, 46) Quinn (Upson, 46).