Summer signing Joe Garner scored twice as Ipswich Town beat Southend United 4-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Playford Road.

Garner – a £750k recruit from Rangers – netted his first after a direct run and emphatic finish, then fired in off the underside of the bar following Josh Emmanuel’s pull-back.

The 29-year-old has now scored three goals in his first two outings in a Blues shirt following a late strike in last Saturday’s 5-0 win at Irish side Drogheda United.

Mick McCarthy once again fielded a different side in each half. After Garner’s brace, Dru Yearwood halved the deficit for the League One visitors before second-half strikes from Freddie Sears and Conor McKendry sealed Town’s victory.

Tommy Smith and Monty Patterson, who had been given additional time off having recently been on international duty with New Zealand, were both involved, as was transfer-listed midfielder Kevin Bru, who missed last week’s training camp in Ireland through injury.

Town’s pre-season campaign continues at Peterborough United next Tuesday – that fixture comprising of two games of 60 minutes, the first kicking off at 7pm.

Away friendlies against Gillingham (Sat, July 22), Colchester (Tues, July 25) and Charlton (Sat, Jul 29) follow, with Ipswich then hosting Birmingham City in their Championship opener on August 5.