Bury Town 1 Ipswich Town XI 2IPSWICH Town, fielding a side made up of mainly reserve and academy players, won at Ram Meadow last night.The visitors started well and the Bury defence was often at full stretch as Marcus Garnham twice saved his side with good saves in the opening 10 minutes.

Bury Town 1 Ipswich Town XI 2

IPSWICH Town, fielding a side made up of mainly reserve and academy players, won at Ram Meadow last night.

The visitors started well and the Bury defence was often at full stretch as Marcus Garnham twice saved his side with good saves in the opening 10 minutes.

Bury then settled and had a fair share of the play, but were unable to create any clear chances.

Play continued to flow from end to end, but it was Ipswich who took the lead in the 34th minute. Russell Short gave the ball away to Shane O'Connor and he ran on to score a fine individual goal. Garnham then prevented a second Ipswich goal with a fine save from Ed Upson's header.

The second half started as the first with Ipswich well on top. Gavin Johnson and Elliott Hunter both cleared off the line, while Garnham again saved well from Ronan Murray.

In a rare Bury attack they equalised after 63 minutes when Andrew Tidswell took advantage of a defensive blunder to slot home with ease. Bury came close to taking the lead a minute later in a goalmouth scramble.

Ipswich took control again and got the decisive goal in the 71st minute. Following a smart move Murray fired in a fierce drive that went in off the far post.

As Ipswich continued to press Garnham again saved well from Upson, but there was no further addition to the score in what had been an entertaining and competitive match.

Halstead Town 3 Braintree Town 1

HALSTEAD rounded off their pre-season campaign with victory over Blue Square South side Braintree.

The visitors did not put out their strongest side in front of a splendid gate of 207 on Tuesday, but even so the hosts still clocked up five wins and a draw to warm up for the season.

There was a welcome back for Chris Bryan, his first friendly of the season, and he was soon involved in typical style as Halstead opened strongly. However, depsite creating several openings, they found Braintree keeper Billy Elvin in fine fettle, while Sean Marks and Andy Hughes proved to be tricky customers to deal with.

Long spells of end to end play ensued but it was Halstead who made the breakthrough after 38 minutes when a cross-cum-shot by defender Erden Artun eluded the keeper. Seconds later Lee Townrow was denied by Elvin at full length.

Braintree hit back and Ed Wooten was well-placed to block from Kane Dobrowski, however, right on the interval, Andy Joslin popped up to rifle home a left foot shot from Jordan Page's cross. Then, a minute into the second half, Townrow was on the spot to make it three after Steve Daly's shot was blocked.

Nevertheless Braintree kept going with some neat inter-passing down both flanks and on 55 minutes reduced the arrears when a Marks header from Ben Barnsley's cross found the target.

For long spells Halstead found themselves under the cosh as both sides made substitutions, but the home back row stood firm and kept Braintree at bay with Wooten the busier of the two keepers towards the end.

Halstead: Wooten, Artun, Rowell, Emerson, Devaux, Gillespie, Joslin, Daly, Townrow, Bryan, Page, Pirie, Hun Jin Lee, Overall, Triallist, Austin.

Braintree: Elvin, Jones, Tomlinson, Lynvol, Easthugh, Gosling, Hughes, Bruno, Dabrowski, Marks, Kalipa, Barnsley, Lodge, White, Day, D Clark, Staines, L Clark, Finch, Emmanuel.

Diss Town 0 Lowestoft Town 5

LOWESTOFT went to town with a nap hand at Diss as former Football League player Trevor Benjamin made his debut for the Blues.

It was only 1-0 to the newly promoted Ryman League club at the break courtesy of a Richard Woodrow goal, but in a slick and one-touch second period further goals by Carl Poppy, with a brace, Gary McGee and Craig Bussens, wrapped up a good victory.

Kirkley & Pakefield 2 Sheringham Town 1

KIRKLEY & Pakefield, with new signing Russell Stock up front, were taken all the way by Anglian Combination champions Sheringham, coming out on top by a best of three margin.

For the second match in a row the home side were indebted to keeper Robert Woodcock, who slammed in a 38th minute penalty after Stone had been upended.

Then midfielder Ian Dawson hit a fierce 54th minute shot that came off a post and flew in off the Sheringham keeper's back.

The Shannocks never gave up, giving Kirkley a stern workout, and Kristian Gleave deceived Woodcock after 82 minutes for a deserved consolation goal.

Hadleigh United 1 Heybridge Swifts 2

HADLEIGH made a great start when Kris Rose crossed from the left and Dean Tourney-Godfrey hit a spectacular goal in the first minute.

A great block by Aaron Benstead kept Heybridge at bay after 38 minutes but a low shot from the edge of the area from Morgan equalised for the Ryman League Division One side five minutes into the second half.

The Essex team clinched a 2-1 win as Vaughan headed in after 78 minutes of an entertaining friendly match in which both sides played some fine football.